1St month baby milestones

Your baby's growth and development - 1 month old

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Infant development begins at birth. Initially your baby will grow fast and learn a lot. At 1 month, cuddling, sleeping and feeding are all that really matters to your baby. The time you spend with them will help their brain to grow and develop as they start to experience the world.

Your baby will probably be crying a lot at the moment. It’s often because they’re hungry or have a dirty nappy, but often babies just cry for no apparent reason. Give them lots of cuddles to comfort them and remember that the crying will eventually pass.

At 6 to 8 weeks, your baby needs a full health review by a health professional such as child and family health nurse, midwife, GP or paediatrician.

Your 1-month-old

All babies grow at different rates. But, on average, at 1 month they gain between 0.7 to 0.9 kg each month and grow 2.5 to 4 cm. Their head circumference will increase by about 1.25 cm each month.

All babies lose weight right after they are born. Healthy babies usually get back to their birth weight in about 2 to 3 weeks and will then continue to grow.

Your baby was weighed at birth and your doctor or maternal child health nurse will plot their growth regularly on a growth chart. Babies come in all different shapes and sizes, and your baby might be large or small. What matters is that they grow consistently over time. Try not to compare your baby’s weight gain with that of other babies.

Understanding baby growth charts

A growth chart helps you and your doctor keep track of how your baby is growing.

What can your baby do?

At 1 month, most of what babies do is still caused by reflexes. They aren’t thinking about their actions. They will be sucking, swallowing, searching for milk and grasping an object if you put it in the palm of their hand (although most of the time they’ll keep their hands clenched in tight little fists). They will also step one foot in front of the other if you put their feet on a flat surface.

They will start to focus with both eyes at 1 month and should be able to follow a moving object from side to side. They will probably prefer looking at a human face to looking at an object and will gaze deeply into your eyes if you hold them about 45 cm away. Most babies can recognise their parents by this age.

1-month-old babies love the sound of your voice, but they will get startled if they hear a loud noise. They might fall backward and throw their arms and legs out, blink their eyes and breathe faster.

By the end of the first month, most babies can raise their head when you lay them on their stomach, and they will turn their head to one side. As their neck muscles get stronger, they will be able to turn their head and lift it up when they’re in a car seat or carrier.

Your baby will cry loudly when they are hungry or uncomfortable. When they are happy and content, they usually make little gurgling noises. Respond to your baby’s sounds by gurgling and cooing back.

At 1 month, some babies will be learning how to soothe themselves, with a dummy or even by sucking their fingers or thumbs. Helping your baby to suck is a good way to calm them down.

How can I help my baby develop?

Spend as much time with your baby as possible. Looking deep into their eyes and smiling at them will help them to bond and to feel safe and secure.

Read and sing to your baby. Even though they can’t understand, they will enjoy hearing your voice. Music helps to stimulate their senses and will keep them amused. Playing with them will also strengthen your bond.

Help your baby to develop neck strength by putting them on their tummy for 1 to 5 minutes at a time. This is called tummy time. Always keep an eye on your baby during tummy time and always put them to sleep on their back.

Development problem signs

Babies develop at different rates. At 1 month, you will still be learning about your baby and their needs. But talk to your doctor or maternal child health nurse if:

they aren’t feeding well
they are regularly sleeping a lot more than 16 hours a day
they aren’t moving their arms or legs
they aren’t following your face with their eyes or responding when they see you
they aren’t making gurgling sounds
they don’t startle or seem not be hearing things
you are worried about your baby’s crying or sleeping

Where can I go for help?

If you are worried or would like to discuss any issues with your baby’s development, speak to your doctor or child health nurse.

Speak to a maternal child health nurse

Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.

Sources:

Raising Children Network (0-1 month: newborn development), Kids Health (Your baby’s growth – 1 month), Victoria Government (Baby development stages), Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (Developmental milestones and the Early Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standards)

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: October 2020

Bonding with your baby
How your baby learns - birth to 3 years
Your baby’s growth and development – first 12 months
Understanding baby growth charts

This information is for your general information and use only and is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes.

The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional health care. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.

Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, this publication or any part of it may not be reproduced, altered, adapted, stored and/or distributed in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Healthdirect Australia.

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Developmental Milestones: 1 Month - HealthyChildren.org

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What are some of the developmental milestones my child should reach by one month of age?

In the very beginning, it may seem that your baby does nothing but eat, sleep, cry, and fill his diapers. By the end of the first month, he’ll be much more alert and responsive. Gradually he’ll begin moving his body more smoothly and with much greater coordination—especially in getting his hand to his mouth. You’ll realize that he listens when you speak, watches you as you hold him, and occasionally moves his own body to respond to you or attract your attention.

Here are some other milestones to look for.

Movement Milestones

Makes jerky, quivering arm thrusts
Brings hands within range of eyes and mouth
Moves head from side to side while lying on stomach
Head flops backward if unsupported
Keeps hands in tight fists
Strong reflex movements

Visual and Hearing Milestones

Focuses 8 to 12 inches (20.3 to 30.4 cm) away
Eyes wander and occasionally cross
Prefers black-and-white or high-contrast patterns
Prefers the human face to all other patterns
Hearing is fully mature
Recognizes some sounds
May turn toward familiar sounds and voices

Smell and Touch Milestones

Prefers sweet smells
Avoids bitter or acidic smells
Recognizes the scent of his own mother’s breastmilk
Prefers soft to coarse sensations
Dislikes rough or abrupt handling

Developmental Health Watch

If, during the second, third, or fourth weeks of your baby’s life, she shows any of the following signs of developmental delay, notify your pediatrician.

Sucks poorly and feeds slowly
Doesn’t blink when shown a bright light
Doesn’t focus and follow a nearby object moving side to side
Rarely moves arms and legs; seems stiff
Seems excessively loose in the limbs, or floppy
Lower jaw trembles constantly, even when not crying or excited
Doesn’t respond to loud sounds

Last Updated: 6/1/2009

Source: Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 (Copyright © 2009 American Academy of Pediatrics)

The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

Stages of development of a child up to 1 year

3946

Nazarok Yana

3 July

The arrival of a baby forces parents to practically visit parenting forums and read tons of books on raising a baby. Earlier, we have already touched on the topic of the development of the baby's speech apparatus. Today we will look at how a baby develops up to 1 year old. It will be not only interesting, but also useful for many new parents.

It should be noted right away that each baby is individual, therefore the list below is indicative. Newborns grow very quickly. For many parents who are worried about their kids, sometimes I scare the reflexes, the actions of the kids. Because in order not to worry in vain, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the stages of development of the baby. From the first month of a baby's life:

Let's start with the most frequently asked question from parents to therapists. Why is the baby's head too big? No matter how funny it may sound, but indeed many parents deal with this issue. So, this is quite normal. Over time, the baby's body will become more proportional.
Parents and little hands worry. The fact is that in newborns in the first month of their life, the arms are bent and the fists are tightly clenched. Don't panic. Doctors call this the norm, this is the flexor posture.
Vellus hairs all over the body. They are called lanugo. Over time, they will either disappear or disappear.
Marigolds. In babies, they reach both on legs and on handles to the edges of the fingers. It is for this reason that it will not be superfluous to buy scratches and booties so that the child does not scratch himself in a dream.
Milia. These are white dots in newborns on the face. They will disappear over time. It is also worth noting poorly developed cilia and eyebrows.
Eye color. In newborn babies, the color of the eyes is gray-blue.
The baby breathes up to 60 breaths per minute, quite often. And his heartbeat: 140-160 beats per minute.

We learned some interesting facts about babies. Now let's look at how the sense organs develop in babies.

Taste. To the surprise of many parents, newborns have a good sense of taste. Soothes them - sweet. Also, if you notice from him they have active salivation, and they are actively swallowing saliva. But bitterness, salinity and acid cause anxiety and crying in babies.
Smell. It is poorly developed in newborns. But babies can still react to smells if they are directly next to it. For example, take the baby on the hands, after anointing your hands with cream. This kid can not appreciate.
Body sensations. The kid perfectly feels irritations on his body and different touches. Therefore, take a closer look, perhaps the cause of the crying of the baby can be scratches or irritation on the body.
Vision. In the first month of life, the infant's vision is poorly developed. The infant recognizes essentially only light. Pay attention to the movement of the baby's eyes. Most likely it will be uncoordinated. Visually, it will look a bit like a strabismus. By the way, this is another fear for many parents and a reason to go to the doctor. Do not forget, this is normal, the child is only growing, and is just beginning to develop.
Rumor. In the first month of a baby's life, a low level of hearing accompanies. But at the same time, he can still flinch, reacting to too loud sounds. Also listen to the baby's breathing, usually after a start, it is quickened.

And so, what to expect from a baby in 1 month life:

He can lie on his tummy and hold his head for several minutes.
Smiles and smiles again, babble, hum and smiles again.
Having shown the child an object that may interest him, he begins to focus his eyes on it. As we mentioned earlier, babies under 1 month old have poor eyesight, and there is practically no focusing of the gaze.
Gradual increase in the interval of wakefulness between periods of sleep.
Navel, almost healed in one month.
The most common reason for anxiety (crying) in the first month of life can be food. Namely, the feeling of hunger. Therefore, you can calm him down by feeding him.
The baby's main way of communication is screaming.

The baby has grown up, let's see what parents can expect for 2 months of the baby's life.

Ability to hold the head upright. Interest in what is happening around, turning the head in different directions, with the desire to see everything.
Show the child a bright toy at a distance of 20-30 cm from him. The result is a long focus on the toy.
Long hums and smiles, if he is not bothered by stomach cramps and hunger.

At 3 months in a baby:

The flexor posture, which frightens parents so much, disappears. Confident holding the head.
Active desire to reach the toy. Longer period of wakefulness.
Responding to the appeal to the infant, with the help of increased activity.
Digestive problems, worry much less often.

Many parents are happy to wait 4 months baby's life as:

The fear and horror of all parents disappears - colic. And the reason is the maturation of the nervous system.
The kid already knows how to roll over on his side.
The desire to reach for the object next to him is getting stronger.
When a baby sees that they are talking to him, a sparkling smile is replaced by a "complex of revival", he is also active laughter.
He can already distinguish his beloved mom and dad from other people.

5th month baby development will give parents such happy moments as:

Easy rollover from back to tummy.
With support from his parents under his armpits, he is already firmly on his feet.
It already identifies people. If a stranger appears in front of him, he may begin to show sympathy. But people who are unpleasant for the baby can cause crying.

6 months , and the baby's body becomes stronger he is already:

Makes active attempts to sit down. Easily rolls over from back to side to tummy.
Lying on the tummy already knows how to rest on the handles.
Expands the circle of acquaintances. He can already identify in addition to his beloved parents, relatives and friends.
And the most terrible period not only for the baby, but also for the parents - teething.
The baby can already cry not only for physiological reasons. The beginning of the first tantrums.

At 7 months old the baby is already sitting comfortably with a straight back. Holding onto the sides of the crib can already stretch. It is during this period that children develop an interest in toys. And at this moment you can get a toy as a "gift" from the baby. The copying of the behavior of parents is more traceable

In 8 months , the child can: sit down, lie down and get up. He already knows how to crawl. You can already hear the long-awaited "ma", "pa". It is during this period that he actively babbles.

And at 9 months , the baby is already standing on its feet with the support of parents. He sits on his own and sits for a long time. At this age, the baby has an increased interest in children. He tries to copy their movements. He already perfectly understands what "give me" and "on" is. And the most important surprise for many parents is the first attempts at stomping and the first dances.

At 10 months from the baby, you can already hear the first words. He is already standing. There is a surprised reflex if he saw something new. Copying adults is becoming more active.

Baby takes his first steps forward at 11 months with support in front. This is exactly the moment when the child already understands "can" and "impossible".

Well, finally, in 1 year old , the baby already has 8 cloves. Average height +- 80 cm. Do not walk, either holding the hand of the parents with one hand. The little child prodigy already knows 8-12 words. You can read more about the baby's speech apparatus in our blog.

As you can see, newborns grow and develop rapidly. Therefore, do not miss the moment, spend more time with your baby. Believe me, the child will definitely appreciate it. Despite such a young age, he already understands everything perfectly.

Child development from 1 year and 3 months to 1 year and 6 months of life: what a child should be able to do

For a child from 1 year and 3 months to 1 year and 6 months: what he should be able to do

What should a child be able to do at 1 year and 3 months? As a rule, by this time the child is already confidently on his feet, and by 1 year and 6 months, calm walking develops into small jogs and even jumps.

At this age, the development of speech continues, the baby already knows about 10 words, and possibly more. By the age of 1.5, the child's vocabulary expands and can contain about 30-40 words. Such simple words as "mom", "dad", "grandfather" are pronounced with ease and correctly. At this age, you can see the attempts of the little one to connect a few words into a sentence, in addition, he already knows how to answer the questions “who is this”, “where”. Often words and speech are accompanied by gestures and vivid facial expressions, especially if the child is happy or dissatisfied.

The development of children's speech begins, everything you say to the baby becomes meaningful. The foundations of language acquisition are formed, both understanding and speaking. By about 1.5 years old, the baby understands perfectly well when they are addressed to him, looks into his eyes when talking and listens with pleasure.

Despite the fact that each child develops taking into account individual characteristics, his main skills should fit into the list of skills characteristic of a certain age. Small deviations are quite acceptable and are not a reason for parental panic. Let them act as "bells" for more active participation of parents in the life of the baby.

A child at 1 year and 6 months old begins to try to connect information from different senses. He can determine the humor of the people around him, distinguishes gender, and even knows from whose lips this speech sounds.

Child skills from 1 year and 3 months to 1 year and 6 months

In the second year of life, active development of the sensory-speech zone of the brain is noted. These changes correspond to a sudden jump in language abilities. During the second year, there is also a significant increase in the rate of myelination, which helps the brain perform more complex tasks.

Myelination is a highly organized process, considered one of the most significant indicators of brain maturation, and is often the main correlate of speech and language.

The child is now more aware of his own emotions and intentions. When he sees his reflection in the mirror, he fully understands who it is. He will soon start using his first name as well as personal pronouns such as "I" and "you".

Essential skills for a child from 1 year and 3 months to 1 year and 6 months:

Tries to get on and off a high chair.
Quickly and confidently climbs the steps on all fours.
Climbing the steps holding mother's hand.
Stands confidently and walks (moves independently without holding on to a support).
Holds spoon, cup, bottle and other small items such as comb, pencil, etc.
Opens drawers, cabinets, takes out items inside.
Helps mother to dress herself (puts a foot to put on shoes, gives a pen to put on a jacket).

A 1.5-year-old child is interested in everything that surrounds him, he tries to be independent, but remember that he still depends on you and you have a huge influence on his development.

Child height from 1 year and 3 months to 1 year and 6 months - norms for boys and girls

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the height of a child during this period may be within the following limits:

Girls: 74.9(8) to 86.5(4) see
Boys: 76.9(8) to 87.7(6) see

The data of domestic pediatricians are slightly different:

Girls: 76. 1 to 84.4 cm.
Boys: 77.4 to 86.9 cm.

Child weight from 1 year and 3 months to 1 year and 6 months - norms for boys and girls

According to WHO, the weight of the child during this period should be within the following limits:

Girls: 8.0 to 13.2 kg.
Boys: 8.7 to 13.8 kg.

According to pediatricians of domestic medicine:

Girls: 9.7 to 12.2 kg.
Boys: 10.1 to 13.1 kg.

The child's digestive system is already functioning and properly developed - the digestive enzymes are fully active. In a 1.5 year old child, the appetite decreases, which is associated with a slower pace of its development compared to previous months and, therefore, with a lower demand for calories. Now the child will gain weight at an average of 2 kg per year.

Mental development of a child at 1 year and 3 months to 1 year and 6 months

The second year of a child's life is the time when the baby shows itself, tries to be independent and often "revolts" against its parents. These are the inevitable stages of the emotional and psychological development of the baby, when the experience gained forms a causal relationship. At this stage of development, quite consciously, the child understands how to do and how not to do it. The psychological and emotional development of the child can be noted by the acquisition of the following skills:

The child imitates others, especially adults and older children.
He enjoys being with other children and playing with them.
He shows his independence.
May be indignant if he is not allowed to do what he is forbidden to do. Do not be nervous if the child cries and screams, do not react aggressively. Try to calm the child, ask him to explain what upset him. It is important that the baby learns to express his feelings from the first years of life.

Psychological parameters that a baby can show at this age:

Love for active games where you have to run, search, throw the ball.
Increased curiosity - likes to open cupboards, drawers, examine the contents.
A vivid demonstration of one's feelings, emotions, both positive and negative.
Demonstration of an appropriate response to simple requests - "put down the toy", "give me your hand".

Sometimes a baby at this age has nightmares. The child may wake up screaming in the middle of the night. This is because at 1.5 years old he already notices a lot, but interprets little correctly.

Learn to praise your baby for progress and appropriate behaviour. Parental support is an important element that contributes to the proper psychological development of the child.

Child care at 1 year and 3 months to 1 year and 6 months

Children under the age of 2 years, as before, need rest during the daytime, namely, sleep 2-3 hours. At night, the duration of a child's sleep is 9-10 hours.

Changes have also taken place in the diet, the range of foodstuffs acceptable for consumption has expanded. Only the method of their preparation remains unchanged - boiled, steamed, baked.

Although a child's diet becomes more varied after the first birthday, milk and dairy products are still an important part of the diet. It is recommended to give 2 servings of milk per day and 1 serving of other dairy products such as yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, high quality yellow cheese.

Remember! An important component of the diet is water, which is involved in many biochemical reactions, transports nutrients and maintains a constant body temperature. In children aged 1-3 years, the need for fluid is 50 ml per 1 kg of body weight. For children, it is better to choose water that is low in sodium and minerals.

Every child grows at their own pace, you can't predict exactly when your child will learn new skills. Different manifestations of the development of the child after 1 year give a general idea of the changes that parents can expect, but the process is always individual.