Each newly-made parent of the baby is interested in how the development of the newborn occurs for months, what he should be able to do at a certain period of his life. To know whether the child is developing correctly, you need to navigate the stages of development by age, which were pediatricians and neurologists.
The development of a newborn baby largely depends on whether he was born at the time. If the baby was born prematurely, then its gestational age should be considered. For example, if a child was born eight months old, then at the beginning of his life he will lag about a month in development. Usually by the year such children catch up with their peers and are no different from them.
The article is based on the skills of a full-term baby.
The first month of a newborn’s life: development and features
So, finally, the pregnancy came to an end and you got your baby in your arms. It's time to adapt to this new life. No one says that it’s simple, but everyone goes through it, and try, despite fatigue, to keep these touching moments of the first days of your baby’s life in memory. The arms and legs of the newborn are still folded as if it is inside the mother. The average birth weight is 3600 grams for boys and 3300 grams for girls. How does he communicate with mom? A child can grunt, sneeze and hiccup. And of course, cry. There are two reasons for hiccuping. Kids hiccup during hypothermia. Also, the digestive system of newborns is not yet functioning correctly. A full stomach can crush the diaphragm - this is another reason for hiccups. Do not be alarmed by grunts and sneezes. This is an absolutely normal condition for children. The baby can sneeze because dust has got into his nose, and grunts because the mucus in his nose drops down his throat, so this effect is obtained.
Newborn development by weeks in the first month of life
A child in the first week of life loses up to 10% of its weight. Do not be alarmed, it is just swelling, that is, he lost excess fluid. The head of the newborn in the early days may look somewhat deformed if the birth was natural. Within a few days, everything will return to normal. The child’s skull has two soft spots called fontanelles. They show if the baby has a high fever or dehydration. During the first week, lactation in the woman is established. So that the child is full and more milk arrives, it is worth putting it to the chest more often. So the baby will feel his connection with mom. If the child is not enough milk, you can feed him a mixture. How to understand that the baby is not eating enough? Pay attention to the amount of urination. At least 5-8 diapers should be consumed per day. Since the intestines in children of this age are not yet perfect, the child may experience constipation or bloating. Do not try to cure them yourself, it is better to consult a pediatrician.
One of the stages in the development of newborns is sleep. In the first and second weeks of his life, the child sleeps most of the day, waking up every 2-3 hours. Children sleep about 16-20 hours a day for 2-4 hours at a time. While the child does not distinguish between day and night, so at night he wakes up as often. By the end of the second week, the weight that was at birth returns. By this time, the umbilical cord is already drying up. This means that the baby can be bathed. From the same age, start spreading the baby on the stomach. This will help strengthen his back and neck muscles. Do not let your baby sleep on his back all the time to avoid flat neck. With a two-week-old baby, you can begin to go out when the weather is comfortable. You need to start with a short five-minute walk.
By the end of the first month there is a growth spurt. The child’s vision at 4 weeks is still developing, but he can already concentrate on things half a meter away from him. This means that the baby will examine your face when you hold it. The time has come when you can hang a mobile over a crib with colorful figures. The kid can already turn his head from side to side, raise it while lying on his stomach, hold his hands in his fists and bring them to his face. At this age, the child begins to listen to extraneous noises and voices and can even turn his head in their direction. Now you need to not only feed him, lull him, but also entertain him. While the baby can sleep more, it can cry more, especially in the evenings.
Two months
A child at this age becomes more attentive, can focus more on the subject, can track a moving object, likes to look more at complex models than simple ones that were previously hung from his bed. When you speak, your baby is actively listening, may even try to respond in his own way, cooing, or begin to move his arms and legs, enjoying the conversation with you. He feels your touch, recognizes his face. The child becomes stronger and can already raise his shoulders when lying on his stomach; legs straighten and become stronger. The baby can already calm herself when she sucks a fist. He begins to socialize, can respond, coo and even smile. In some cases, at the age of two months, the lower teeth can already begin to cut, but usually this happens much later, but if the baby drools, cries, has trouble sleeping, refuses to eat and tries to put his fist in his mouth, see if the gum looks sore . Perhaps this is starting to cut teeth. If the baby is breast-fed, you can give him water. The duration of night sleep can already increase up to 5-6 hours. Usually a two-month-old baby sleeps about 15 and a half hours a day.
Three months
So, a child at three months old can already recognize the faces of not only parents, but also other close people, watches the moving objects with his eyes, smiles when he hears the voice of his mother. The child begins to babble, repeats sounds and movements. You can put a blanket on the floor and do gymnastics there. Lying on his tummy, a three-month-old baby already raises his head and upper body, becoming in his arms. The child draws attention to the toys hanging above him and can touch them or clap them, grabs and shakes the toy. Pay special attention if the child does not respond to loud sounds or does not smile when the mother voices. If the baby is properly cared for, the baby will be developed in a timely and correct manner.
Four months
Your four month old baby learns about the world through feelings. Now he is increasingly sticking his fist in his mouth, gnawing toys and pulling everything that interests him in his mouth. He also listens to what you say and babbles, understands the game of hide and seek and often laughs. Now the child sees objects in the distance, and not just those nearby. A four-month-old baby can roll over from the abdomen to the back and back, to rise on the elbows. He reaches for toys, is interested in them, so it is necessary that the objects are diverse. At 4 months, the lower teeth are already beginning to be cut, so the baby pulls everything in his mouth and he produces a lot of saliva. At this age, you can already begin to introduce complementary foods according to a special table. Regarding complementary foods, it is best to consult a pediatrician who will advise where to begin with your child.
Five months
From five months the baby begins to crawl, so try not to leave him unattended. At this time, the ability to distinguish between different colors is manifested. Now the baby can see the toy and grab it. Hearing the sound, the baby will turn his head. He listens to adult conversations and may soon begin to imitate your words. You may notice that many of his sounds are repeated. With a child, you can start playing various games, for example, ladles. He now holds toys with all his fingers and with both hands, begins to roll or sways from side to side, preparing to roll over. If you decide to feed the baby, then take your time and carefully monitor the reaction to any product. Since you started feeding your baby solid food, give your baby water. A five-month-old baby usually sleeps about 15 hours a day, and some children may no longer wake up at night to feed. This is normal, at this age there is a regression of sleep, some children begin to sleep less, not so deeply. After some time, the child may begin to sleep without waking up at night. Try to make the baby accustomed to falling asleep in the crib, and not on his hands. Proper care and development of the newborn will help pediatricians.
Six months
So, your baby is 6 months old. Congratulations that halfway through the first year of a child’s life. The kid becomes more stubborn, his personality is manifested. He may not like a stranger or, conversely, he may smile at him. Also, the child begins to develop eating habits, likes and dislikes, when new tastes are introduced. The kid is already responding to his name, showing excitement when you call him. At this age, there is a sharp increase and weight gain. The child more carefully examines things and toys. Most children quickly respond to noise, immediately turning their heads to the sound, they begin to distinguish between male and female voices. The child is interested in different textures and shapes, he often now touches his body. The kid is already beginning to babble vowels and some consonants, often laughs, knows how to pick up small objects, clutching his hand. Some children at this age are already starting to sit down, but with some help. If the child cries more than usual, and his gums swell, then his teeth are cut. Sometimes a child may refuse a bottle because of this. We are already introducing complementary foods. Do not forget that solid food needs to be grinded in a mashed blender, otherwise the child may choke. The baby begins to sleep less and play more. Toys should become more diverse, you can offer him simple musical instruments, such as maracas. Give your child an old magazine or book that you don’t mind tearing to pieces, and you will see that he learned to turn pages. Monthly developmental rates of a newborn are now suitable for premature babies.
Seven months
A child at 7 months old is already crawling, so you need to prepare so that the house matches this and is safe. The baby’s hearing is fully developed: when you speak, he knows where you are; to the sound of your voice can copy the tone of your voice, babbles a lot. The child can sit without any help, he carries the weight to his feet when you hold him upright.
Eight months
The child has become very observant, understands perfectly what surrounds him and what is happening around him; he better distinguishes between distance and depth, which gives him the opportunity to reach out and take things. At this age, the child is already sitting on his own, many children crawl, but some babies skip the crawling process and immediately learn to walk.
Nine month
Your nine-month-old baby is already sitting with or without support, pulls himself up in your arms, stands, claps your hands and most likely knows how to crawl. He also learns to take objects with his index finger and thumb. Vision is getting better, now he can see the whole room well. The child easily recognizes familiar faces and objects. You can play the game: show a few things, and then hide one of them, and he will look for a hidden thing. The kid recognizes familiar sounds, understands the words that he often hears: "eat", "mom", "dad" and so on. Your nine-month-old baby can hold onto a sofa or coffee table to stand up, walk with support, holding onto furniture. He has been sitting for a long time, playing with rattles or other objects, easily uses the grip with his index finger and thumb.
Ten months
At 10 months, the baby becomes smarter. He remembers where his favorite games and toys are and understands when you give him simple instructions. The kid loves to play and knows how to fold pens in finger games. The child not only knows how to hear ordinary sounds, but also recognizes them, his voice and the voice of his parents, sister or brother, the sound of a door closing and so on. May not pay attention to noise, which is not important for him. Now the baby knows how to control hands and toys: if it rattles, it shakes it, if it sees a button, then it presses. He sits as long as he needs, and can stand, holding on to a piece of furniture. Some children begin to speak simple words, such as "mom" and "dad."
Eleven months
An eleven-month-old baby is already a person, and you can understand what his character is. The kid learns to observe and figure out how to react to the things he encounters. The kid sees faces at a distance of up to 20 meters, observes moving objects, absorbs information from the outside world. The fingers of the child directly attract trouble: he wants to poke, tear and check everything by touch. The baby crawls well. Some children can already walk on their own. The kid recognizes objects and points to them when you ask where they are.
Twelve months
Finally, the child is one year old. If the baby is not walking yet, do not worry. About one in four children at this age begins to walk. Many - only after the first birthday. The kid is socialized, he can wave “hello” and shake his head at the word “no”. The child loves the feeling of different textures and new impressions, understands the commands if you ask to pick up the ball or look at the dog. Many children at this age are already moving to the common table, that is, they eat almost all products, and the child receives a varied diet.