If your child is seven to nine months old, you may notice he is starting to attempt picking things up with his pointing finger and thumb. This, my friends, is called the pincer grasp. It’s an important milestone for babies to reach, because it enables to them to pick up small objects, such as peas, cheerios, freckles, or moles.
“Freckles or moles?” you ask.
That’s what my daughter is using her pincer grasp for.
I was nursing her the other day and had just allowed myself to relax. She was latched on, my feet were up, and everything was great. Suddenly, I felt an intense pinching pain near my collar bone. It almost felt like a bee sting. I looked down, and realized it was my baby, pinching my skin. As hard as I try to keep her nails short, they felt razor-sharp.
I moved her hand away, but a few moments later, I felt the same pinch, in the exact same location. I moved her hand and looked at where she was pinching.
What I saw made me burst out laughing. I have a small mole, and it must have caught her attention. It appeared that she was trying to pick it up. Even when I pushed her hands away from it, her eyes were glued to it. She was determined to have it, and she wanted it NOW. The second I let my guard down and stopped paying attention, she was back to her task, pinching away.
Thank goodness for my nursing necklace. It served as a good distraction for her. Without it, she may have drawn blood.
I can only imagine the things she is picking up if she can focus on something as small as my mole. Has she eaten an ant yet? What about pieces of dirt that are on the carpet? How about leftover food crumbs under the table?
I’m happy to report she’s right on track developmentally. As far as my mole goes, it’s going to be a tough road ahead.