Guides
Short, plain guides for your baby's first years. Each one lists its sources, from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, the NIH, and peer-reviewed research.
Tiny Talk
Baby sign language with real American Sign Language signs.
- When to start baby sign language
You can start baby sign language at any age. Here's why many families begin around 6 months, and what to expect.
- First baby signs to teach: milk, more, all done, eat, and sleep
How to sign milk, more, all done, eat, and sleep in ASL, when to use each one, and what your baby's first version may look like.
- Does baby sign language delay talking?
No. Studies of hearing babies who sign found no delay in talking. Here's what the research shows, and what signing can't promise.
- Baby sign language and ASL: why real signs matter
Baby sign language works best with real ASL signs. Why real signs matter, how to use them respectfully, and where to learn more.
Tiny Taste
Food readiness, allergens, and eating safely.
- Signs your baby is ready for food
Most babies are ready for food at about 6 months. The signs to look for, what readiness doesn't look like, and how the first meals go.
- How to introduce common allergens to your baby
Offer peanut, egg, and other common allergens early, once your baby is eating food. A step-by-step guide and the reaction signs to know.
- Gagging vs. choking: how to tell the difference
Gagging is noisy and common as babies learn to eat. Choking is often silent and an emergency. How to tell them apart and lower the risk.
- Foods to avoid before your baby's first birthday
Before 12 months, skip honey, cow's milk as a drink, juice, added sugar, high-mercury fish, unpasteurized foods, and choking hazards.
Tiny Sleep
Safe sleep, sleep needs, and getting through the nights together.
- Safe sleep for babies: the basics every caregiver should know
Back to sleep, a firm flat surface, nothing soft in the crib, and room-sharing without bed-sharing: the AAP's safe sleep basics.
- How much sleep does a baby need?
Babies 4 to 12 months need 12 to 16 hours of sleep a day, naps included. Newborns sleep about 16 to 17 hours. What's normal at each age.
- When do babies sleep through the night?
Many babies sleep a 5- to 8-hour stretch by 3 to 5 months, but many still wake at 1 year. What studies show, and what's normal.
- Sharing the night shift: how two caregivers can split nights
How two caregivers can split nights with a baby: shift plans, clean handoffs, and safe sleep rules for when you're exhausted.
This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your baby's doctor about your own baby.