Congratulations! Your baby is here. Quickly, your focuses changes from pregnancy to life with baby on the outside. Here are some easy and quick references on what is happening during your baby’s newborn stage. It's a little bit scary at first to care for a tiny infant, but you'll gain confidence with time.
Babies sleep a lot, especially during the first year of life. Unfortunately, they don’t always sleep when you want them to. All you can do is be patient and get as much rest when you can so that you are ready to care for your baby no matter what time it is.
It takes some time for your baby to adjust to the various sights, sounds, and sensations of life outside your body.
Watch your baby closely to see how she reacts to the world around her. Is baby very active? Does she sleep and eat regularly, or do her habits change from day to day? Is she content, or does she cry a lot? Your baby will give you clues about the way she likes to be handled. Remember, the only way your baby knows to communicate is by crying, but you can communicate with him through your voice and your touch. (He can now recognize your voice and pick it out among others.)
At this early age, babies like to look at your face, bright colors, mirrors and patterns. However, your baby's eyesight is still pretty fuzzy. Loud noise, bright light and rough handling scare babies. Babies will often calm down when someone picks them up and cuddles them. They feel comforted when held and talked to.
Close to 1 month, your baby may lift her head briefly and possibly move it from side to side when she's lying on her stomach. Try putting your face in front of your baby's to encourage her to hold up her head to look at you. You can also roll up a towel or receiving blanket and put it under her chest to help get her started with her push-ups. Soon, her nervous system and muscle control will mature and her jerky movements will become more fluid. Babies will stare at things but not necessarily grab for them yet, however this comes in a just a few more weeks. Remember to change baby's position so she can look at different things.
Just around 5 weeks, your baby will be giving you something you have been waiting for. A big toothless smile. Smiling is universal. A baby's first smile happens at about the same time in all cultures. How can this not make your heart melt even after only 3 hours or sleep the night before?
Just around 7 to 8 weeks you may notice short periods of time when your newborn is quiet and alert. Your baby is learning and growing so fast. Your baby's brain will grow about 5 centimeters during her first three months!
Use these intervals to get better acquainted with your baby — talk to her, sing to her, describe her room around her. She may not be able to add to your conversation just yet, but most likely some “ohhs & ahhs” may just pop out!
By the end of the 2nd month, your baby may find different textures to touch and new sights and sounds fascinating and fun. With both eyes now able to follow things consistently and well, your baby can track a moving object much better. Have her follow your hand or a colorful toy. This should attract your baby's attention, though she probably won't be able to smoothly follow things vertically for another three months and diagonally for another six months.
Life with a new baby is hectic. But by the second month baby will start to settle into a more predictable schedule. For many babies, night-time sleeping lengthens and feedings may be required every 4 hours.
Your baby is beginning to be more interested in things, look around and listening to sounds. Movements are getting smoother, less jerky, and he may have better control over his head and neck. Maybe he can hold his head and chest up while on his tummy.
His head still might wobble a little when propped up. He can hold onto toys for a little while. He is fascinated by his own hands. He likes to follow you with his eyes when you move around. He might even be able to roll from his side to his back. Remember never to leave baby alone on a counter, table or bed where he could flip over or wiggle off. Keep a watchful eye on your little one, and you will be rewarded. Smiles usually start in the second month. When you smile at baby, he smiles back.
Your baby probably spends less time crying and sleeping now, so she has more time to learn about herself and the world. Your baby has just found that she has hands and feet she can move and she loves to watch them.
All babies are unique and meet milestones at their own pace. Developmental guidelines simply show what your baby has the potential to accomplish — if not right now, then soon. If your baby was premature, keep in mind that kids born early usually need a bit more time to meet their milestones. If you have any concerns or questions at all about your baby's development, check with your healthcare provider or pediatrician.
