Help children to do things on their own, that will help to build up their confidence and independence. Let’s see how we could help children to gain these life skills.

0～3个月左右

0-3 months

能力1：吸吮

对于新生儿而言，吸吮能力是一项必备的技能，孩子们正是通过吸吮反射来摄取维持生存所必需的养分。如果吸吮能力不佳，不仅营养摄取受到限制，原始口腔欲望也无法得到满足，还可能对情绪发展及行为发展造成障碍，甚至影响日后的吞咽、咀嚼与说话能力。

The first skill: suck

For a new born baby, the capability to suck is an essential skill. They get necessary nutrients by sucking reflex. If the baby is poor in sucking, it will  limit the nutrition intake, and dissatisfied original oral desire, even worse, it may become a barrier in emotion development, behavior development, even in swallowing, chewing, or speaking.

培养建议：母乳喂养

新生儿6个星期内进行混合喂养，最容易引起孩子错觉，结果，或是拒绝母乳，或是由于吸吮姿势不正确给妈妈带来痛苦。由于吸吮奶嘴比吸吮母乳省力，一旦习惯奶嘴，孩子就不太愿意费力吸取母乳；又因为吸吮奶嘴和吸吮母乳是两种截然不同的技巧，所以，即便确实需要混合喂养，也应该让孩子先吸吮母乳，再吃奶瓶，让孩子知道，必须通过努力吸吮才能吃到奶。并且帮助孩子形成正确接受母乳喂养的姿势。

Training advice:  breast feeding

It is most likely to cause confusion for the baby if mixed feeding in the first  six weeks, it turns out to be either refuse breast feeding, or cause pain to the mother because of wrong sucking gesture. Once the baby get used to a feeding bottle, as it is easier to suck on the pacifier,the baby will easily turn for the feeding bottle instead of nipple. Meanwhile, the skill of sucking  is differ from feeding bottle and nipple. Therefore, even if you have to choose mixed feeding, you should let the baby go first with breast feeding, and then pacifier. That would help the baby understand to strive for the milk, and form the right way of breast feeding.

4～6个月左右

4-6 months

能力2：抓握奶瓶

不要小看孩子伸手抓握奶瓶的意义，这不仅表示他已具有“吸吮”与“双手可碰在一起”的能力，也有助于培养注意力。当孩子会伸手拿奶瓶时，可说是正式踏出自我照顾的第一步。

The second skill:  grip the bottle

Do not look down upon the meaning of grip a feeding bottle, it means he/she is capable to suck and both hands to hold a thing together, it also helps to develop their concentration. When a baby is stretch out for a feeding  bottle, he/she has started his/her first step of self-careness.

培养建议：奶瓶

当孩子需要喝奶时，不要急于把奶瓶给他，先让孩子看到，并告诉他：“喝奶的时间到了”，然后慢慢将奶瓶移到孩子的嘴边，一开始，他可能无法抓握住奶瓶，此时成人可协助孩子将手放在奶瓶上。注意：奶瓶要有温温的感觉，孩子才会喜欢将手放上去；在喂食时不要把孩子的双手挡住，这样当他产生意愿时才能顺利地将手放在奶瓶上；过程中成人可适时帮忙扶住奶瓶，让孩子有被支持的感觉;如果孩子不喜欢抓握奶瓶，则可以给奶瓶套上不同材质的小物件，吸引孩子想要触摸的欲望，同时增加不同的触觉体验。

Training advice: Feeding bottle

When a baby needs to drink milk, do not pass on the bottle right away. Let the baby see the bottle, and tell him/her: it is time for milk, then carry the bottle close to his/her mouth slowly. It may be difficult for the baby to hold the bottle, adults could offer assistance to put his/her hands on the bottle. Please kindly mind that the bottle should be a little bit warm, thus he/she will like it. Do not block his/her hands from the bottle, that will help him/her  to be willing to put hands on the bottle. It is wise to hold the bottle from the adult, to let the baby feel supportive. Some babies may not like to grip the bottle, the accessories are good attractions, to enhance their tactile experience.

能力3：接受汤匙喂食

相比天生的吸吮能力来说，吞咽能力必须依靠后天的学习而获得。吞咽能力不仅影响到孩子的营养摄取及口腔发育，也关系到肠胃道消化功能及说话能力的发展。建议：在孩子能够添加辅食后，就可开始练习用汤匙喂食。

The third skill: feeding through spoon

Swallowing has to be gain through learning if compared with natural-born  ability to suck. Swallowing not only affects nutrition intake, oral development, but also the development of gastrointestinal function and speaking. Therefore, babies are advised that once they could start to have supplementary food, they could practice feeding with a spoon.

培养建议：吸引孩子的兴趣

成人与孩子面对面，让盛有食物的汤匙出现在孩子视线内，在嗅觉、视觉与味觉上吸引孩子的注意。然后用夸张的表情和动作示范，激发孩子模仿的兴趣。

Training advice: attract attentions

Sit face to face between adult and the baby, to make sure the baby could witness the whole process: pass on the fulfilled spoon, to attract his/her attentions by the smell, sight and taste. The adult may even act with exaggerated facial expressions and movements, to stimulate his/her interests of imitating.

7～12个月左右

7-12 months

能力4：自行使用奶瓶进食

现在孩子可以依靠自己的力量拿住奶瓶，甚至能主动调整奶瓶的倾斜度。但在进食时，成人最好仍陪在旁边，以避免发生呛奶等意外。

The forth skill: self-feeding with milk bottle

Now the baby could hold up tight with the milk bottle, even better, he/she  could adjust the inclination of the bottle. Still,it is wise to have adult aside  when the baby is feeding on his/her own, to avoid choking accidents.

培养建议

可以考虑使用较轻的奶瓶，以便孩子更好地抓握；如果孩子的手臂控制力还不够强大，则建议改用带有把手的奶瓶；进食过程中可在孩子头部或上背部预备一个软垫，帮助孩子头部保持直立，避免呛奶可能带来的危险。

Training advice

To help the baby to grip bottle tight, you should choose the lighter bottle. If the baby’s arm is not strong enough, then a bottle with handle is better; a soft padded back could be prepared to support the baby’s head upright, it will avoid the potential risk of choking.

能力5：自己动手取食

随着孩子肌肉发展及手眼协调能力的日益成熟，他已经能够通过自己的力量取得固体食物并送入口中。这也表示孩子开始学习用牙龈咬固体食物，这些口腔动作有助于日后发展出较成熟的咀嚼动作。

The fifth skill: feed themselves with their own hands

Along with the muscle development and hand-eye coordination, the child is ready to use his/her own strength to fetch solid food to the mouth. This indicates the child is starting to learn to chew, and the oral acts of chewing  will contribute mature chewing in the future.

培养建议

1、多为孩子提供一些半固体的食物，如起司片、煮得较烂的红萝卜条或切成条状的香蕉等，这些食物不需要真正的咬合即可溶化，能让孩子轻松获得咀嚼食物的乐趣。

2、不要怕孩子吃得一团糟，并给孩子足够的时间去完成，这将促进孩子自主能力的进一步发展。

Training advice

1, To provide some semi-solid food, such as cheese slice, well-cooked carrots, banana strips, that could be dissolved without real bite. Children will  gain fun from chewing.

2, Do not worry about mess, but offer enough time for them to eat, it will eventually benefit in regards of self-development.

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