Babies and toddlers
Programs
We offer a series of programs for babies and toddlers to help monitor their development:
- Sign up for our parenting emails to get updates about your child’s development and important appointment alerts right to your inbox.
- Learn about feeding your baby, and get the support your need.
- Learn about your baby’s immunizations.
- Learn your baby’s sleep.
Request a copy of our Parenting your Newborn in KFL&A booklet
Listen, respond and connect with your baby or toddler
Your baby ‘s relationship with you is key to their health, development, and well-being. Warm and responsive parenting builds a strong foundation for developing trust, self-control, and healthy relationships. You cannot spoil your baby with love and comfort.
Listen
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Watch your baby’s face, body actions, and sounds.
- Be face-to-face. Smile at your child.
- Limit distractions like phones, tablets, and television.
Respond
- Comfort your baby or toddler when they are sick, hurt, scared, or upset. You are teaching them that you will be there when they need you.
- Talk to your child in a soft, gentle voice. Repeat the sounds your baby makes. For toddlers, try narrating their play. Describe what you see them doing, and what they might be thinking.
Connect
- Read, sing, and talk to your baby.
- Make eye contact and chat with your baby during feeds.
- Get to know your child. Learn about what makes them happy or sad.
How to comfort your crying baby
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Comforting your baby when they are sick, hurt, sad, scared, lonely, or upset teaches your baby that you will be there when they need you. This is important for their development and helps them feel safe. Learning about your baby’s cues will help you respond to your baby. Crying is a normal behaviour. Try these tips to comfort your baby when they cry:
If these needs are met and your baby is still crying, try:
There may be times when you can't settle your baby's crying. This is a normal experience and happens to all parents, and it can be frustrating.
Never shake your baby. Shaken Baby Syndrome can cause brain damage, disabilities, or death. If you think your baby has been shaken, call 9-1-1 or go to the emergency room. |
Helping your child cope through meltdowns and strong emotions |
When a child is upset or acting out, they are usually feeling overwhelmed and having trouble controlling their bodies and emotions. Children are more likely to have overwhelming feelings when they are tired, hungry, or out-of-routine. Instead of trying to correct the behaviour, focus on listening and connecting with your child. When your child is upset, try to:
Sometimes children will have strong emotions, and that's okay. Be calm; this is normal and will pass. |
Alcohol, cannabis, or other drug use can affect parenting |
As a parent, you’re trying to do the best you can for your child. But your alcohol, cannabis or other drug use can impact your child as well as yourself. Don’t use alcohol, cannabis products or other drugs in front of your child, or when caring for your child. When you’re affected by alcohol, cannabis or other drugs, you might not be able to do things like:
Alcohol, cannabis or other drug use can impact your physical and mental health. This might make it hard for you to see your children’s emotional needs or be available when your child needs support or comfort. Children who see their parents under the influence of alcohol and other drug use are more likely to:
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Helping your toddler work through their emotions |
All emotions are healthy and important - even negative ones such as anger, frustration, and sadness. You can help your child learn how to cope with strong emotions. When children can identify their feelings and work through their emotions, they will have the ability to manage life's ups and downs.
Create a routine. Routines help to make a child feel secure, and get enough sleep. When your child is hungry or tired, it is hard for them to control their feelings.
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Routines |
Routines help children know what to expect and help them feel safe, especially when they are included in some of the decision-making. When your baby is first born, your routine will be based on their needs, and it will be flexible and change often. As your baby grows, you’ll slowly be able to start building routines around naptime, bedtime and playtime and eating time. Routines for toddlers include:
Bedtime routines can help children sleep better, including:
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Working through your child’s challenging behaviour |
Children may act out when they feel scared, bored, tired, hungry, frustrated, or overwhelmed. Discipline is not about punishment. Discipline is about guiding children on appropriate ways to behave.
You can support your child's emotions and still have boundaries. This might look like: "I can see you are mad that your turn is over, and it's okay to be mad, but it's not okay to hit. Let's try taking a deep breath together". |
Playing with your baby or toddler |
Playing with your child helps their brain and body grow and thrive.
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Keep your baby or toddler safe |
Babies and toddlers can't always tell what is safe or not, so they need extra care and protection. To keep them safe and avoid injuries, parents must watch them closely and make sure their surroundings are safe. Babies and toddlers need continuous supervision.
Falls are the leading cause of babies and toddler hospital visits. To prevent falls, remember to always keep one hand on your baby when they are on raised surfaces and never place a baby in a car seat on a table or couch. Use safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs. Gates at the top of stairs should be anchored into the wall or banister. Do not use pressure gates at the top of stairs. |
Car seat safety |
Correctly choosing, installing, and using a child seat is the best thing you can do to keep your child safe in the car. The best car seat is the one that fits your child, your budget, and your vehicle. SEATS for Kids offers local car seat clinics. |
Keeping baby safe while sleeping |
There are safe sleep guidelines that lower the risk of your baby dying or getting hurt while sleeping. Everyone who cares for your baby should be aware of these guidelines and follow them each time your baby goes to sleep. Health Canada also has information about the safety of child sleep products. |
Tips on taking care of your baby |
Parenting in Ottawa offers a video series covering topics like bathing, changing diapers, and newborn baby behaviours. |
Tracking developmental milestones |
The LookseeChecklist is a free tool you can use to track your child’s development from one month to six years of age. The checklist provides activities that you can do with your child to support their development. |
Children’s vision |
The Ontario Association of Optometrists recommends all children have their first eye exam at six months of age, three years of age, and every year after that. Eye exams with an eye doctor (optometrist) are free for children 19 years of age and younger who have an Ontario health card. Visit Canadian Association of Optometrists for information on eye health and exams for babies, toddlers, and school aged children. If you need help finding an eye doctor visit the Ontario Association of Optometrists. If you need help paying for your child’s visit view the vision information on the school-aged children page. |
The Blind Low Vision program |
Ontario’s Blind – Low Vision Early Intervention Program, provided by KidsInclusive, is designed to give children who are blind or with low vision the best possible start in life by providing education and support for parents. |
What to do if your child has head lice |
Anyone can get lice, but it’s more common in children because they are often in close contact playing together. Having head lice doesn’t mean that your child is not clean. Head lice are tiny insects that live on the scalp and can cause itching. They do not spread disease and therefore are not a public health concern. There is no medical reason for your child to be excluded from school or childcare for having head lice. For tips on what to do if your child has head lice visit the Canadian Paediatric Society website. |