Baby This Week: 18 Weeks Old

A bigger, stronger baby is also likely to be a wigglier one at diaper-changing time. Be sure to keep one hand on your baby at all times during changes. Some parents like to place a musical mobile above a changing station so their baby will have a distraction. A basket filled with toys you rotate or make available only during diapering may also help your baby lie still long enough for you to get the job done.

By now, your baby may play with her hands and feet for a few minutes at a time. She's quite fond of doing one action over and over again until she's sure of the result. Then she'll switch things up a bit to see if the result is different.

Suddenly you'll realize it's strangely quiet in the bedroom and look in, only to discover that your baby, who until now has needed your attention for most of every waking moment, is amusing herself in her crib. You might be able to start reading the paper again — well, maybe just the headlines.

- BabyCenter.com