Your baby, 0 months 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 and older

Congratulations on the birth of your baby! Caring for an infant can be scary and overwhelming at times, but you and your baby will get to know each other in no time. Becoming a parent is a big change and can take some time to adjust to. Make sure that you accept help from friends and family in the early weeks.

Newborn babies move between six states throughout the day. Your baby could be in deep sleep, light sleep, a drowsy state, awake alert, fussy alert, or crying stage. It is important to recognize these stages so that you can adapt to your babies needs and develop a better understanding of what soothes him the best.

Babies like to look at human faces the most. They can not see very far and can not distinguish colors very well. Besides the human face, babies like brightly colored patterns, mirrors and objects that are red, black or white. Babies will stare at things but can not grab ahold of anything quite yet. It is comforting for your baby when you hold her close, rock her and speak gently to her. It is important to handle your baby carefully and always support their underdeveloped neck.

You may be tempted to put your baby to bed with you, but this is dangerous. Babies should sleep on their backs in their own crib. Young babies can begin to develop some type of a schedule. All stuffed animals, bedding and pillows should be removed to reduce the risk of suffocation. You can put your baby on her belly for tummy time several times a day. This will help to develop muscle strength.

When traveling, always use a properly installed infant restraint seat. To ensure the safety of your baby, have their carseat checked by a licensed car seat installer. Because car accidents reduce the quality of a car seat, never buy used car seats and replace yours if it is in an accident.

Babies cry for lots of reasons. When a baby is crying, that his means of communication. He is experiencing a need that is not being met. Babies cry because they are hungry, wet, tired, hot/cold, experiencing pain, overstimulated, and many other reasons. Soon you will be able to decode your babies cries. Sometimes babies can not be comforted and it seems that the crying will never end. When you have tried everything and nothing seems to work, put her in her crub and close the door. Come back in a few minutes to check on her. Whatever you do, don't take any frustration out on your baby.

Your newborn will be ready to eat every two to three hours on average. Formula fed babies may go longer in between feedings. Remember to burp your baby after each feeding to reduce gas and fussiness. Breast feeding can be trying for the first few weeks. It takes patience, support and dedication, but you can do it. If you are encountering problems, ask for help. Call your doctor, the baby's doctor or a lactation consultant.

Developmental Milestones Newborn


Physical

• It may look as if your newborn baby is scrunched up with his arms and legs not fully extended. Your baby is used to being inside the womb, and this is normal. If he appears bowlegged, don't worry. It's part of the stretching-out process and will most likely fase away by the time he's five or six months old.
• Your baby may lift his head briefly when he's lying on his stomach by the end of this month. Give your baby plenty of tummy time to help him develop his muscles. He may also be able to turn it from side to side. Jerky movements give way to more smooth ones as his nervous system and muscle control mature. Your baby's primitive reflexes, such as sucking and chewing on his hands, remain dominant.
• Baby's vision is still fuzzy and he can not see very far. Your baby likes to look at your face. Keep it close by and talk to him when you are holding him.

Intellectual

• Right now food is the most important thing in your newborn's life. Sleep comes in at a close second. Most newborn babies will feed every two to three hours around the clock. Sleeping patterns are equally intermittent. Most newborns sleep for a total of 16 to 17 hours in a 24-hour period, but that's usually broken up into eight to ten naps. By the end of the month your baby may have developed something of a feeding and sleeping pattern, but you may not notice any real pattern for months. It is hard to put a newborn on a strict schedule. Sleeping helps your baby regain energy and it also helps brain development.
• Right now your baby doesn't have much of a personality. Crying is the only way that your baby knows how to express himself. He spends his time moving in and out of several different states of sleepiness, quiet alertness, and active alertness.
• Your face is the most interesting thing to your baby right now. He also likes high-contast objects. Show him black and white toys at playtime.
• Learning begins immediately, so take all opportunities to teach him about the world around him. Use his quiet and alert times to play and talk with your baby.
• Your baby can recognize faces and may try to imitate gestures. Give your baby the chance to imitate you. Stick your tongue out and give him a chance to repeat it. Then, do it again. Even if he does not do it, he is watching you!
• Mobiles with high contrast patterns and picture books with strong line drawings will capture your baby's attention. When your baby starts fussing, its time to stop and move on to something else.
• Babies like their own reflection. Place unbreakable mirrors at cribside or on the floor for them to focus on.

Emotional

• This month your baby becomes quiet and calm when you speak to him gently and hold him upright. He may even make an 'ah' sound when he hears your voice and sees your face. Most babies love to be held, caressed, kissed, stroked, massaged, and carried. Touch is an important means of communicating with your baby.
• Your baby can show you their feelings. She may yawn, arch her back, turn her face, fuss or cry if she is overstimulated. She will coo if she is enjoying something. Pay close attention to what your baby is `telling` you.

Age Appropriate Toys:

• Rattles
• Play gyms
• Unbreakable mirrors
• Mobiles
• Soft toys
• Musical toys
• Toys with lights
• Swings
• Bouncy seats

Comments:

Comments 101-125 of about 24462 for month 0
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lilyxox19 - Wednesday, 25 Jan
@finallyababy4us Have you tried having your lo nap in a boppy pillow? I place my boppy pillow on the couch with the opening facing the couch. Then I place my son in the middle of it so its like I'm craddling him. Then I'll feed him his bottle and he falls right to sleep. I just have to do this with his naps, at night he is good to sleep in his crib.

alliemomof3 - Wednesday, 25 Jan
Rubes... sending thoughts and prayers your way for both your husband and for you as well. I hope that they give him the support he needs and also support for when he is released from the hospital, it is too bad that earlier in the week when he went in that there was not something more that was done, that is so frustrating...Hoping you have some support from family or friends right now to help you through.

Rubes - Wednesday, 25 Jan
Pyciatric TEAM and once a MONTH not WEEK sorry not thinkinh straight

blueboy - Wednesday, 25 Jan
Omg rubes that's awful. I'm really sorry to hear that x

Rubes - Wednesday, 25 Jan
I hope so too. He went to hospital feeling all depressed last week and all they did was tell him to visit his phyciatric once a week hmmm ok but what about the other 29/30 days of the months. Theyrs failing him :(

rls- I♥mythreebabies - Wednesday, 25 Jan
Jesus Rubes - hope you're okay, and i hope hubby gets the help he needs.

Rubes - Wednesday, 25 Jan
Arun weighed 9 lb 9 oz at 10 days old. He's now 3 and a half weeks and weighs 11 lb 7 oz. I'm shocked. Also ladies I need prayers. My husband tried to kill himself yesterday and is currently stable in ICU. If he's responsive he should be let out tomorrow. Arguing with your spouse is now considered domestic violence according to the MET police so uk ladies, be warned. We're in a real bad situation right now coz of this non existant domestic violence.

rls- I♥mythreebabies - Wednesday, 25 Jan
Arghhhhh - found our cat asleep on sebastians chest in the pram :-( huge row with hubby because he hadn't checked the room was cat free before leaving sebastain to sleep - now he's not talking to me, has locked the cats out and said if they are not allowed in the house anymore. Don't know what to do! the girls will be devastated if we get rid of the cats but I don't agree with them been locked out all day - if anything happens to them they need to be able to get in, but I am also worried that the cat could smother sebastian if he sleeps on him. :-(

maribelmora77@hotmail.com - Wednesday, 25 Jan
finallyababy4us my baby girl (Deborah) haves colic... she use to have it just like that, I change her bottles to Dr. Browns bottles and she passes gas faster with the bottle another solution that you can have is changing the milk, I changed it to Similac sensitive, but now she is constipated agh... it never ends... friday I will see the doc and lets see if her milk is gonna be change. I also hurd that the soy milk is really good. Let see we have to hang in there!!! They will out grow that with in 2 to 4 month of age :/. Good luck!

milkyway - Wednesday, 25 Jan
Finally - I associate a straining sound whilst crying/screaming with colic. Sometimes colic can be completely untreatable (my niece had it for 3 months and no medicine worked) and babies grow out of it... For some babies all they need is a little help with passing wind. Just try a colic medicine and see if it makes a difference to your baby. They're not harmful or have any side effects, so I would definitely give it a go and see.

Rubes - Wednesday, 25 Jan
Red face, clenched fists, the legs draw up to their belly. It also generally comes in waves. So they'll cry for say 20 mins, settle for 5 mins, maybe even nap, Then begin again. I think of colic as awful, awful, AWFUL wind\gas. The symptoms are similiar (in my experience)

finallyababy4us - Tuesday, 24 Jan
hmm no he is not sleeping during the day too. its been over 48 hrs since he last took a solid nap. i wish he could tell me what was wrong or what he needs. how do you know if a baby has colic?

rubes - Tuesday, 24 Jan
My parents are coming tomorrow and my dad is OCD. If he comes and sees even one speck of dirt, he'll have a mental breakdown lol I tidied the living room, and will get my husband to tidy the kitchen tomorrow morning, while I sort out the bedroom (messiest room in the house, coz no one ever sees that). I know my dad will have a lil poke in my room though, so it needs sorting ASAP haha

milkyway - Tuesday, 24 Jan
Oh I've given up on housework - Luckily we have two rooms downstairs, so the front room is a no go area for my daughter and thats where guests can sit - the back room and kitchen are like a bomb has exploded...haha, I don't care though!!!!!

milkyway - Tuesday, 24 Jan
Futurema - I find that very true about babies wanting to be encircled. My son hardly ever sleeps during the day, unless I am holding him, so today I swaddled him as usual, and then put two pillows on either side, so as to mimic me holding him, and it worked. He slept a good 3 hours without stirring. Last night was terrible - he woke up at 2am and cried and then went to sleep at 4am :( Hoping that doesn't happen tonight!

Rubes - Tuesday, 24 Jan
Lol I do that! Then wake up to find my daughter's trashed the living room! I finally settled Arun after his colicy outburst and am to scared to lay him back down case he wakes up lol I need to clean and urinate! But i'm weighing up pros and cons here. Peace of mind or a clean house and empty bladder? What's more important? Haha

FutureMa - Tuesday, 24 Jan
finallybabyforus, my sister told me the Golden Rule is to sleep when the baby sleeps. If you don't have time to, just sleep holding her coz maybe she has not come over the fact that she was in the womb and needs to feel encircled for sometime. Maybe it shall come to pass soon...just sleep holding her, I do that to my lo coz I just love doing it...and wakes up with a numb hand:-)

FutureMa - Tuesday, 24 Jan
My lo will be 3weeks tomorrow, she takes her dummy so well, we got a tiny one for newborns and Rubes, I didn't know that dummies help with wind and colics, and its surprising that it only comes in the evening. I fed her an hour ago and gave her the dummy and will feed her around 11ish, hope she won't be in pain tonight and later on. LOL milkyway @you holding up your wind till everyone left. I get some serious pains when going for longcalls especially when constipated. I can't wait to take up sports again but that will have to wait until I have repaired down there, regardless of whether I was CSed, coz the baby pushed down till 8cm.

rls- I♥mythreebabies - Tuesday, 24 Jan
Finally - does he go off okay during the day?

finallyababy4us - Tuesday, 24 Jan
Hi Everyone! Conner is 3 weeks old as of yesterday. we are all doing great except he doesn't sleep at all at night! he gets so restless, he wants to be held all night long! i have tried several things: he gets swaddled and fed very well before bedtime and he still gets fussy. i've tried putting him in bed with us, his swing and also using white noise. the moment i put him down he gets fussy. i pick him up and in moments he is asleep, i put him down he wakes up and gets fussy. i'm surprised i'm not insane yet from serious lack of sleep! anyone have any ideas or suggestions? is this normal or do i have a baby with serious insomnia?

Rubes - Tuesday, 24 Jan
Lol that's what I thought. But it's nearly been a month now haha let's hope it's not a case of '9 months of trapped wind, 9 months of letting it all out again' lol the colic has begun again. Damn. He's crawling up my body like a worm, his tummy hurts so much. He wants my boob for comfort. He doesn't understand that it'll make him worse. Poor baby!

milkyway - Tuesday, 24 Jan
Rubes - sorry but I just had a right little giggle at your post about farting!!! My baby was 6lbs 2 1/2oz and I am exactly the same! My afterpains were made worse by trapped wind that I held in, as my whole family were at my bedside the day he was born! I wasn't like this with my daughter. I just thought that my intestines have been pushed up for 9 months, so theres bound to be some air trapped all throughout them that needs to come out!

love4bb - Tuesday, 24 Jan
blueboy.. my baby's poo stinks a lot!! n they say when u bf.. it shouldn't smell.. what a lie!! Maybe its the food we eat that cause it.

alliemomof3 - Tuesday, 24 Jan
I also should be moving over in to the one month forum in a few days as well as my lo was 4 weeks old yesterday and will be one month soon but I think I will go between the two until the bulk of us that have been in 0 months move to 1 month : ) With pacifiers, my daughter still will not really take one and we have a sorry stock pile of different kinds of paci's that we have tried. They are all piled up on our kitchen window ledge waiting to possibly be called up to be used! We will see if she changes her mind now that she is about to be one month old.

blueboy - Tuesday, 24 Jan
Chany my lo is only 9 1/2 lb and is 5 wks. He went down from 7 lb to 6lb initially due to his surgery. Lol love4bb I really need to move on too! Anyone else's baby have eggy smelling poo or is it just my stinky lo lol!

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