This year and a half are so important for both you and your baby, you get to bond with your bub, help them through tummy time and enjoy their little smiles.
It’s good to be affectionate with your baby and give them lots of cuddles as well as talk, sing and read to them to help with their development as well as some bonding time. Over these 18 months, your baby will eventually transition onto solid foods, they will begin babbling and you may even hear their first word. They will start to roll around on their own and crawl wherever they want to go, they may even take their first steps. It’s good to socialize your baby with other little ones their age as well as with your family and friends to help them in the future.
This page will explore the key goals and milestones, challenges and tasks as well as some services you can access that can assist you in raising your baby!
Image source: Looking After Young Mouths, Queensland Government.
1. Eating Healthy
Active Tasks
- Find out what’s best for you in terms of feeding. (i.e. Breast milk or bottle?)
- Understand how to keep your boorai's mouth and teeth healthy
Supporting Resources
- You and Your Boorai: Taking Care During Pregnancy (Page 21 contains information about feeding)
- Eating tips for babies - Better Health Victoria
- Looking After Young Mouths - Visual flip chart
2. Safe Sleep & Rest
Active Tasks
- Understand how to safely put your boorai to sleep
- Create a safe environment for your boorai
Supporting Resources
- You and Your Boorai: Taking Care During Pregnancy (Pages 22-23 contains information safe sleeping habits)
- Good sleep for kids and safe sleep for baby
Image source: Good sleep for kids and safe sleep for baby, raisingchildren.net.au
3. Social & Emotional Development
Active Tasks
- Show affection towards your baby
- Take baby for regular walks
- Talk to baby
- Play music for baby
Supporting Resources
- Koori Parenting: What Works For Us (VAHS)
- Breaking the Cycle of Trauma (Healthinfonet downloadable resources)
- At home with your baby - The Royal Women's Hospital Victoria (Information page)
- WellMob, Trauma (online resources)
- WellMob, Parenting (online resources)
4. Healthy Body
Active Tasks
- Understand how to keep your boorai's ears clean and healthy
Supporting Resources
5. Maternal Support
Active Tasks
- Become aware of the Koorie Maternity Services in your area.
Supporting Resources
- Aboriginal Maternity Services - Victoria Health
- Local Koori Maternity Services - VACCHO
- You and Your Borai: Taking Care During Pregnancy (Pages 30-31 contains contact information of Koorie Maternity Services)
Downloadable Resources
Download and print the resources below.
-
You and Your Borai: Taking Care During Pregnancy
This resource is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who are pregnant and their families. It will help you find ways to get the support you need and take steps to achieve the things most important to you; a healthy pregnancy and a healthy boorai (baby).Download
-
Eating tips for babies - Better Health Victoria
Babies grow quickly in the first year of life, so they need plenty of energy (kilojoules) and nutrients. A child’s growth isn’t always steady and even, which means that appetite and hunger can be unpredictable. Copyright © 1999/2021 State of Victoria. Reproduced from the Better Health Channel (www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)Download
-
Good sleep for kids and safe sleep for baby
Practical advice on developing healthy sleeping habits for your child. [source: raisingchildren.net.au]Download
-
Koori Parenting: What Works For Us
An information booklet prepared by the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service in consultation with other Koori parents exploring strategies to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma and develop a healthy parenting approach.Download
-
Looking After Young Mouths - Visual flip chart
A visual flip chart that explains the importance of keeping your teeth healthy and clean. Aimed for parents and carers of babies and young children. [Source: Queensland Health]Download