A child in the first month of his life - important developmental features and proper care

In the first month after birth, the child undergoes adaptation to a new life outside the mother’s body. This is an important time for both the baby and his parents. Let's look at the main features of the baby's first month of life.

To assess the dynamics of development, it is necessary to know the height and weight of the baby at birth

Calculate your vaccination schedule

Physiological changes

Read about what a newborn looks like in another article. Significant changes occur in the baby’s body in the first weeks of life:

• Postpartum swelling goes away.
• The bones of the skull become stronger.
• Certain features appear on the face.
• Vision changes. Improves eye coordination and focus.
• The digestive tract adapts to the new diet and is populated with beneficial microflora.
• Hematopoiesis and blood circulation are rebuilt. The red blood cells carrying fetal hemoglobin are destroyed, and new red blood cells appear in their place.

A child in the first month of life urinates quite frequently and occurs at least 6 times a day. At the same time, the urine excreted by the baby is almost transparent. A baby at the age of 1 month has bowel movements up to 12 times a day (usually immediately after feedings). His stool is yellow in color and has a mushy consistency.

The first month is very important in a baby’s life, so contact with strangers should be minimal

Height and weight

The weight and height of a newborn baby are influenced by various factors, from heredity to the health of the baby. To determine whether everything is okay with the baby, parents and doctors weigh the baby monthly and measure the length of his body.

In addition to the baby’s body weight and length, the baby’s head circumference and the child’s chest circumference are also taken into account.

The indicators of newborn babies are as follows:

How much weight does a baby gain in the first month?

In the first month, the baby gains an average of 600 grams of weight. Note that normally, in the maternity hospital, the baby loses up to 10% of the weight with which it was born, but even before discharge it begins to gain weight back and after that only weight gain is considered normal. The baby's height increases by about 3 centimeters in the first month.

The first weighing of the baby will take place in the maternity hospital immediately after birth.

The indicators of babies at 1 month look like this:

Reflexes

The health of a newborn baby is always checked by the presence of reflexes that a baby should have. Many of these reflexes disappear over time, but their presence in a newborn is an important sign of the baby's health.

The presence of reflexes indicates the correct development of the child

The following reflexes are determined in a newly born baby:

1. Sucking. This is the main reflex that provides nutrition to the baby.
2. Prehensile. When you touch your baby's palm with a finger or a toy, you will see how the baby reflexively grabs it.
3. Search. When stroking or touching the cheek, the child turns his head.
4. Swimming. When you place the baby on your tummy, you will see that the baby makes movements similar to swimming.
5. Babinsky. If you run your finger along the baby's foot (along its outer edge), the foot rotates and the toes on it diverge.
6. Walking. By supporting your baby's body so that his feet are touching a solid surface, you will notice how the baby begins to perform movements similar to walking.
7. Mora. With a sudden loud sound, the baby will move his legs and arms together and spread them apart.
8. Babkina. Press the baby's palm and see how the baby opens his mouth and turns his head.

Mode

As such, a baby does not have a routine in the first month of life - the baby sleeps for several hours, then stays awake for up to 30-60 minutes, eats and falls asleep again. A certain daily routine, individual for each baby, is formed only in the second month of life, and during the newborn period the child does not care whether it is night or day.

Newborn babies sleep an average of 18 hours a day

For information about what needs to be done in the first weeks after the baby is born, see the TV show “Baby Boom.”

Dream

A newborn spends most of the day sleeping, while the baby’s sleep is represented by three phases:

1. Deep sleep, during which the baby breathes calmly and deeply, and the baby's eyes are closed.
2. Shallow sleep, during which the baby's breathing may be erratic, and the legs and arms may twitch, as well as the eyeballs covered by the eyelids.
3. Drowsiness, which often occurs during feedings or when falling asleep. The baby's eyes are half-closed during this phase.

During the waking period, the baby can either lie quietly or communicate its discomfort by crying.

Nutrition

The food that is considered ideal for a newborn baby is colostrum. This is the name given to the milk that is released from the female breast immediately after childbirth and is extremely rich in substances that are beneficial for the baby. Breast milk is rightly called the best nutrition for a baby who has just been born, because even the best formula manufacturers cannot reproduce its unique composition.

It is recommended to feed a newborn baby on demand, putting the baby to the breast if the child is restless. At first there will be a lot of feedings, but as the baby grows, he will develop his own feeding pattern with pauses between feedings.

In situations where breastfeeding is not possible, it is important to choose the right formula for your baby. To do this, you should consult with a pediatrician and take into account all the nuances so that nutrition does not harm the still immature digestive system of the newborn.

When breastfeeding, it is important to ensure that the baby grasps the nipple correctly - along with the nipple area. However, the baby will still swallow some of the air, so after feeding you need to help the baby release the air (burp).

During natural childbirth, colostrum comes quickly; after the baby is born, you will be able to breastfeed almost immediately

Development

A newborn baby can still do very little. During wakefulness, the baby moves its arms and legs chaotically, and the baby reacts to any irritant, be it a wet diaper or a feeling of hunger, by crying. When a child hears a sharp sound, he freezes, blinks frequently and may cry.

By the end of the first month of life, the baby can:

• Smile in response to an adult’s speech.
• Raise your head when lying on your stomach, holding it for up to five seconds.
• Watch for stationary objects and the mother’s face, as well as moving large brightly colored objects.
• Walk. The sounds made by a baby are similar to “gee”, “ha”, “gu”, so this kind of “conversation” of the baby is also called cooing.

About what happens to a baby in the first month of his life, watch Larisa Sviridova’s video.

What does a child need?

• First of all, after birth, a baby needs tactile contact with his mother, so the child needs to be hugged, held, and stroked more often.
• Smile at your baby more often, then the baby will quickly please you with a conscious smile.
• In order for the child to develop better, talk to the baby during periods of wakefulness and often change the position of the baby - lay it on the tummy, turn it on its side, carry it vertically, supporting the head.
• For better hearing development, you can not only talk to your baby with different intonations and timbres, but also play classical music for your baby. Let your child listen to it for about ten minutes every day.
• Proper care of the baby is also important, which includes daily hygiene (washing, washing, cleaning eyes, nose, ears, combing, cutting nails), bathing, walks, massage, air baths.

1. DEVELOPMENT OF THE INFANT AT 1 MONTH OF LIFE

In the first 2-3 months of life, a small person develops rapidly . Just recently, the baby could not hold up his head, but a few months later the little explorer easily lifts his upper body, leaning on his strong arms!

Let's look at the vision features of a 1-month-old baby:

For several days after birth, it is still difficult for the baby to focus and hold his gaze on an object. But after a week, the baby masters these skills perfectly, although objects located too close or far from his eyes do not have clear outlines. Newborn baby sees objects well at a distance of about 30 centimeters from him. If you showing off a toy , then try to bring it closer to this distance. Smiling, lean closer to the baby’s face so that he can see your joy and positive emotions.

Now let’s look at the development of hearing in an infant:

The auditory nerve develops very gradually and it is premature to talk about good hearing in a child under 1 year of age. In the first weeks of life, the baby hears sounds and spoken language not very clearly, a little muffled, as if he were in the womb. Try to communicate with your child more often, play calm, melodic music in his room more often.

Sing lullabies before going to bed. It is not at all necessary to behave very quietly in the presence of a sleeping baby and create pitch silence - if he reacts sensitively to every knock, then his nervous system will be unstable. Develop your baby's hearing by surrounding him with a variety of sounds (not too loud or harsh).

What will the baby look like already 1 month after birth:



IMPORTANT!

Baby care:

Be sure to hold your baby's head while he is in your arms! The baby's head should not be thrown back;

At this age you should not lift a baby , taking him by the arms;

In the first month of a child’s life, it is advisable to hold the child in the following way: the body lies on one hand, the head rests in the elbow area, and with the other hand you hold the legs;

Massage. It is very useful to massage the baby's chest and back with the pads of your fingers in a circular motion. In addition, massage the baby’s legs and arms, as well as each finger separately;

Since the baby’s movements at 1 month are limited in many ways, sweat often appears in some folds of the skin, which irritates the skin, causing prickly heat in the form of a small rash . Try to wipe sweaty folds often to avoid prickly heat , and in the worst case, pustules on the skin;

It is advisable to clean the ears and nose, wash the eyes, hands and between the fingers in the morning, when the baby wakes up, eats and rests.

Why does an infant cry? 3 common reasons:

Discomfort and skin irritation from rough underwear or from the seams of a vest. You should change your clothes to softer ones and put the shirt on the baby’s body with the seams facing out;

The baby "went to the toilet for the most part." Change his diapers and he will calm down;

Cries because he's thirsty or it's feeding time. Offer the little one something to drink and try to feed him.

2. WHAT A CHILD SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO AT 1 MONTH OF LIFE

√ focuses the gaze on an object nearby, and by the end of the first month, tracks a slowly moving object;

√ by the end of the first month he can raise his head while lying on his tummy;

√ can distinguish patterns and contrasting colors;

√ must be able to breastfeed for a long time (sucking reflex);

√ if you put a toy in your hand , will spontaneously squeeze it, but almost immediately release it (grasping reflex);

√ By the age of 2 months he can already walk;

√ knows how to turn in the direction of the heard sound or stroking the cheek (on the right side - turn to the right);

√ should rest on the entire surface of the foot when placed on its legs, holding it by the sides;

√ If you press on the pad of your baby's thumb, he will open his mouth slightly and tilt his head slightly (after a few months this reflex will be lost).

3. WAKING AND SLEEPING MODE FOR A ONE-MONTH BABY

An approximate daily routine for an infant in the first month after birth:

The daily routine for a child at 1 month of life consists of two most important components - nutrition and sleep, between which it is necessary to maintain appropriate intervals.

How long does a small child sleep at this age?

Until 3 months of age, he sleeps on average 18 hours daily - long sleep at night up to 9 hours with a break for feeding and 4 short naps during the day.

How can you tell when it’s time for your baby to go to sleep?

It's time for your baby to go to bed if he rubs his eyes with his hands. The eyes become red;

The baby begins to yawn, move his arms and legs more intensely, and whine;

Some children's movements become sluggish, they begin to close their eyes and make sucking movements with their lips.

What can you do if your baby is not sleeping well:

Turn on calm, quiet music or recorded sounds of rushing water or other monotonous sounds of nature;

To ensure that your baby has a sound sleep, you can ventilate and humidify the children's room;

Before the baby goes to bed, make his bed warmer - it is not comfortable for the baby to fall asleep on a cold sheet;

Bathing in warm water with head fixation in a special circle - a great way to quickly put your child to sleep after the procedure. You can add relaxing herbs to the bath - hawthorn, chamomile or mint;

Don't turn on bright lights in his room. The best option is a small night light;

If your child constantly sleeps poorly and does not get enough sleep regularly, then try adjusting your diet. . Some foods cause colic and bloating when they enter the baby's stomach through mother's milk. Increased gas formation prevents him from sleeping normally;

Always put your baby to bed at the same time with the same bedtime routine.

4. ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL NUTRITION FOR A 1 MONTH BABY

Natural baby feeding

The ideal food for a one-month-old baby is mother's milk, which contains a balanced amount of nutrients and regulates the colonization of the intestines with microflora. . In addition, breast milk supports immunity in the child's body. If you have problems with lactation or your milk is not nutritious enough, you will have to include baby formula in your diet. As a last resort (if lactation has completely stopped), the baby must be completely switched to artificial nutrition.

To prevent problems with lactation from affecting you, try to put your baby to your breast as often as possible. When he sucks breast milk , then the production of the lactase enzyme is stimulated and milk is released in the volume required for feeding. Sometimes a breastfeeding baby begins to fall asleep during feeding. In this case, it is advisable to wake up the baby so that he continues to eat.

If your baby burps frequently during feeding , then most likely he incorrectly grasps the nipple with his mouth, swallowing air.

Artificial feeding of a baby

If you still had to transfer your child to feeding with adaptation formulas, then be sure to follow the instructions for preparing portions for feeding. If you prepare the food incorrectly, you can upset the baby’s gastrointestinal tract, which can lead to excess weight gain. , excessive regurgitation or bloating.

The temperature of the mixture should not exceed 36 C

On average, a 1-month-old baby eats about 730 ml if his weight is 3600 grams.

In the first ten days after birth, the number of feedings can reach up to 10. On average, a child in 1 month of life eats 7-8 times, including night feedings.

If your baby spits up a lot during bottle feeding , then most likely the bottle for filling with the mixture was selected incorrectly.

Consistency of stool in an infant in the first month of life:

In the first few days, the baby's stool is 3-4 times a day, dark green maconium is discharged.

Then - stool with a mustard-colored cheesy consistency with a sweetish odor 4-6 times a day.

There may be red streaks in the baby's stool. This sign may indicate the presence of a microcrack in the colon. Usually there is nothing dangerous to the child’s health, but if you are not sure, be sure to consult a specialist for advice.

5. WEIGHT AND GROWTH OF CHILDREN IN THE FIRST MONTH OF LIFE

It is known that infants gain weight very actively in the first month of life (with the exception of 2-4 days after birth, when the baby loses about 7% of its own weight). However, many children, even during this period of active growth and development, gain weight very slowly and this characteristic feature is due to heredity - if both mom and dad are not large in size, then the baby, as a rule, is not very large from birth . But a slight weight gain (or even a decrease) in 1 month of life may indicate that the baby is not receiving enough nutrients during feeding or that the weight gain is being inhibited by some disease.

The normal weight of a 1 month old boy is from 3.7 to 5.2 kg
The normal weight of a one-month-old girl is from 3.5 to 4.8 kg

The height of boys at this age is approximately 52-56.5 cm
And the height of girls is 50-56 cm

On average, a baby gains about 630 grams of body weight before 2 months of age, and his height increases 3-4 cm after birth.

Be sure to contact your pediatrician if you notice significant deviations from the norm in weight gain. and baby's growth.

6. VIDEO MATERIAL FOR PARENTS: DOING BABY MASSAGE CORRECTLY

How to properly massage a baby at 1 month of age? A visual demonstration of massage movements for the arms, legs, chest and back of the baby:

4 stages of performing a comprehensive massage for a newborn baby in a video lesson:

What should a newborn baby be able to do at 1 month? Did conditioned reflexes appear in time? The answers to these questions will help young parents understand whether the baby is developing correctly and whether everything is in order with his health.

Focus on the data of pediatricians, compare the indicators, but do not panic if, in some respects, the newborn is slightly behind the norm. Contact your pediatrician in a timely manner to adjust your diet and daily routine.

general information

The first month is the period when the child adapts to the environment. The baby is recovering from the birth process and gradually forgets about the stress he suffered.

At first, do not demand a response from the baby to your actions; do not be upset if the newborn reacts poorly to your smile. Soft, pleasant intonations and a gentle voice are no less important than a mother’s sufficient amount of milk.

Indifference and reluctance to talk to the child (“he doesn’t understand much anyway”) increases anxiety and reduces the newborn’s sense of security. The first month is not only endless feedings and persistent fatigue, but also a period of establishing contact between mom, dad and baby, a gradual awareness of a new state - “parents”.

Level of child development in the first month

What can a 1 month old baby do? Pediatricians use several criteria for assessment. It is important for parents to know whether the baby is developing correctly, If there are noticeable deviations, seek help in time.

Vision

Peculiarities:

• the eyes are still developing, it is difficult for the baby to concentrate his gaze, his vision is still unclear;
• by the end of the first month, the baby can clearly see objects 20–30 cm away from him. That is why a bright rotating toy above the crib is a good training for the optic nerve;
• after 3–4 weeks, the newborn distinguishes the faces of adults during close communication: during feeding, baby care procedures;
• at 1 month the child can follow a toy moving in front of his eyes. One condition is to move the object (preferably a rattle) slowly.

Hearing

Peculiarities:

• the baby hears much better than he sees;
• the baby easily understands where the sound is coming from, reacts, turns its head;
• After 2–3 weeks, the newborn can distinguish voices. High-pitched sounds are especially pleasant for the baby. That's why mom's voice attracts more attention than dad's;
• The speech apparatus develops; by the end of the fourth week, the newborn pronounces the first “words.” The sounds do not at all resemble the speech of adults; they resemble the cooing of pigeons. They say that the child is “booming.”

Advice! Be sure to communicate with your baby, sing lullabies, and turn on quiet, calm music. Screams, sharp sounds, loud, aggressive music frighten the baby and often cause crying.

Height and weight

These important indicators indicate the correct development of the newborn. The development of each baby has its own characteristics, but be sure to take into account general trends.

The pediatrician will tell you whether the newborn has gained enough grams in the first month of life or whether he is lagging behind in weight. Heredity also influences the indicators: with large parents, the child is unlikely to suffer from excessive thinness.

Optimal indicators:

• sufficient body weight gain - from 400 to 900 g. By the end of the 4th week, girls should weigh from 3.5 to 4.8 kg, boys - from 3.7 to 5.2 kg;
• active growth is a sign of normal development of the baby. Height increases from 2 to 4 cm, reaching from 52 to 57 cm in boys, from 50 to 56 cm in girls;
• a couple of centimeters should also be added to the volume of the head and chest.

In the first 2–4 days after birth, the baby loses excess fluid, and its weight decreases by almost 10%. If the mother has enough milk, in a few weeks the baby will regain weight and gain the required grams. Weight loss for two weeks may indicate severe pathologies of the digestive system. Consultation with a pediatrician and gastroenterologist is required.

Reaction to the world around you

Peculiarities:

• by one month, the baby notices when a familiar person approaches the crib: moves his legs, arms, hums slightly “in his own way”;
• facial expressions gradually develop, the baby wrinkles his face if he doesn’t like something or makes funny faces, trying to show emotions;
• sometimes it seems to close people that the baby is smiling, but more often than not, this happens by accident, unconsciously. The child will begin to express his joy and satisfaction more fully a little later.

Physical activity

Peculiarities:

• after birth, muscle tone is increased, movements are poorly coordinated. For this reason, the baby twitches his arms and legs and cannot completely relax;
• Most of the time the baby sleeps. Many children prefer the “frog pose”: lying on their back, the child bends and raises his arms, clenches his fists. The legs are also bent, but slightly apart. When muscles are tense, this position does not cause discomfort to the newborn;
• Turn the baby over on his tummy. The baby will raise his head a little, hold it suspended for 4–5 seconds, and slightly turn it to the sides.

Important! If a child at 3–4 weeks, lying on his tummy, does not even try to raise his head, be sure to consult a pediatrician to find out the causes of muscle weakness.

Features of the nervous system

Parents should know what unconditioned (acquired) reflexes should appear in the baby at 1 month. The correct set of reflexes helps a newborn quickly get used to the new world.

If you notice that one or more reflexes are weak, visit a pediatric neurologist to find out the cause of the deviations. There is no need to panic; perhaps you need to communicate more actively with the baby and pay more attention to the baby’s development.

A set of reflexes indicating the health of the nervous system:

• sucking. The reflex is established from birth. The child rhythmically sucks any object (finger, nipple, pacifier) ​​that gets into his tiny mouth;
• search. Touch your cheek or corners of your lips. The baby will turn his head, open his mouth slightly in search of food;
• prehensile. Touch your palm, stroke it lightly: the baby will tenaciously clench its fist and try to hold a finger or object;
• automatic walking. Support the baby and place it on a hard surface. Even at one month old, the child will move and twitch his legs as if he is “walking”;
• protective. The reflex prevents the baby from choking if the newborn is placed on his tummy. The baby will immediately turn his head to the side and breathe calmly;
• Moro reflex. Tap the bed on which the baby is lying, about 25 cm from the baby. With proper development, the child will spread his arms (fingers straightened), then return to his original position;
• crawling. Place the newborn on his tummy and touch his feet. The reaction will be immediate: the baby will slightly push away from your hands;
• Babinski reflex. Try stroking the outer edge of your tiny foot. The correct nervous regulation is indicated by the reaction: the foot will turn to the side, the toes will spread out.

The degree of development of a child aged 4 weeks should be assessed by a doctor, but parents will find useful information to understand whether all reflexes are present. Carry out the suggested tests and observe the baby’s reaction. You will not only evaluate the condition of the newborn, but also learn more about the tiny creature.

Caring for a 1 month old baby

The health visitor and pediatrician will tell you how to properly bathe and feed the baby, and how many grams a newborn should gain over the course of a month. Follow certain rules, handle the baby carefully: the child is quite weak.

Remember: not all actions that are permissible in six months are permitted in 1 month. For example, do not lift a tiny body only by the arms; be sure to support your head. Avoid throwing your head back.

For proper development and health promotion, follow the following rules:

• hold the newborn correctly: place the body on one hand, gently hold the legs with the other hand. The head in no case hangs down, but lies on the bent elbow;
• Gently massage the back and chest of the newborn. Using circular massage movements, knead each finger, then the legs and arms. Do not press too hard, proceed carefully. Massage every other day for a few minutes;
• carefully treat skin folds. At 1 month, the baby moves his arms and legs weakly, does not fully straighten them, and sweat accumulates in the folds. With insufficient care, prickly heat and a more severe form, diaper rash in newborns, can develop. Frequent urination and bowel movements often cause irritation of the delicate skin on the buttocks and groin folds. Treat folds with boiled water, wipe dry, lightly powder;
• In the morning, be sure to clean your eyes, nose, and the area between your toes. Regular hygiene is an essential element in the prevention of skin diseases. Remember: a sick baby develops worse, suffers from intestinal problems due to the imperfections of many systems at the initial stage of life.

At 1 month, the baby has adapted a little to the new world, but many body functions have not yet manifested themselves in full force. Communicate with the baby, show bright pictures, sing songs, give a light massage.

Now you know how to ensure the full development of a newborn baby. Proper care and a calm, friendly environment in the family are important. Remember: The further development of the little man, his health and activity largely depend on the first month of life.

Learn more about the development of a one-month-old baby in the following video:

In this article we will discuss what a child's development should be at 1 month. These are special thirty days in the life of the baby and his parents. The little man gets to know this world, learns to live in it, and actively adapts to it. A newborn endures stress that even the strongest adult could not imagine. In a short time, a helpless and defenseless baby must endure a very painful birth. The type of environment in which it is located, the type of blood circulation and nutrition changes. Therefore, parents in the first month of their child’s life should be extremely attentive and careful. Of course, it’s not easy for parents, especially mothers. She will have to go without sleep for many days, forget about herself and her needs, because her life will focus only on this little baby. In about a week, the swelling in the newborn’s face will go away, and the baby will become more beautiful every day. Spends 1 month to finally adapt to the environment.

Reflexes of a newborn

Having understood the seriousness of the situation, parents will ask, what should a child’s development be like at 1 month so that everything is normal and does not cause concern? A child comes into this world with a sufficient set of reflexes that cannot but surprise. What can a 1 month old baby do? For example, if you touch his lips, he will stretch them out and be ready to suck. If you drop something sweet on your tongue, you will begin to smack your lips, as if from pleasure. It also actively reacts to stimuli. If you put something bitter or sour in his mouth, he will start to wince. If you knock sharply and loudly, the baby will turn in the direction from which he heard the sound, begin to actively listen and wrinkle his forehead. The newborn unmistakably recognizes his mother by the characteristic smell of milk and by the intonation of her voice. A healthy newborn should have developed grasping and To check the latter, you need to gently press on the ball of the baby's foot. After a short time, the fingers should clench.

What can a 1 month old baby do besides reflexes?

1. The child must be able to raise his head, albeit for a fairly short time.
2. Move your arms and legs freely, rotate your back.
3. Make sounds (walk).
4. Examine a stationary object, react with a conscious smile to what is pleasant for him.
5. Distinguish between sounds and the most basic colors of the spectrum.
6. Getting to know your mother is the main skill that a newborn baby should have, 1 month is more than enough time for this.

Newborn baby's daily routine

Regular nutrition, washing, communication, affection, sleep, walks. All this is the regime of a 1 month old baby. But should it be strictly followed? Pediatricians have recently been divided on this issue. And how can a confused mother deal with this situation, if even doctors cannot make a single decision? It all depends on how the child’s development proceeds at 1 month, and on the conditions around him. There are families in which grandmothers and other relatives help young parents. Then you can forget about the strict daily routine. But if the mother is alone in caring for and raising, then a strict daily routine will help her manage everything and not fall exhausted in the evening.

Examination of the child by medical workers

In the coming days after the mother and child arrive from the maternity hospital, the local doctor and the nurse on duty must come for a routine examination. You can and should ask them any questions without being embarrassed at all. Answering them is their immediate professional task. Most often, medical professionals are asked about physical and physiological indicators. The mother wants to know whether the child’s development is proceeding correctly at 1 month. The doctor will answer these questions and then begin examining the newborn. It is imperative to show what a baby is doing at 1 month, at least at the level of reflexes.

Indicators of physical development

What should be the normal indicators of physical development, what should an infant at the age of one month have? Head circumference - 34-35 centimeters. The average height of a child at 1 month is 49-50 centimeters. Chest circumference - 33-34 centimeters. in 1 month should be from 3,300 to 3,500 kilograms. These numbers are pretty average. It is far from a fact that every newborn child at 1 month should qualify for them. If parents are concerned about any discrepancies, they should consult with their nurse or doctor.

Need for attention

Proper care and normal development must first of all be accompanied by attention from the parent. You need to devote maximum time to the child, pick him up as often as possible and talk to him. And even if he doesn’t yet understand what you’re talking about, you can just say something in a calm, quiet voice. The baby will be calmer because of this, he will get used to his mother’s voice, which will further serve for his formation of correct speech and development of the speech apparatus.

You need to approach your child at his first call. There is no need to listen to grandmothers and neighbors who say that you cannot pick up a child in your arms and thereby make him an egoist. This opinion is completely wrong! The less attention you pay to a child, the more nervous he will be, the more he will scream and demand attention. And if the child is sure that his mother will come to him right away, then he himself will be calmer. Don't be afraid if your child screams. The young mother immediately begins to think that he is ill or something hurts. But in most cases, the child is simply wet, he needs to be changed - and the screams will subside. Or feeding time approaches, and the baby screams for food. Or maybe he just misses his mother and wants to see her.

Nutrition for a 1 month old baby

Often the question arises about feeding, what to feed and how to do it correctly. Of course, no one will argue that breastfeeding is optimal for the baby and the best for his health. The modern market now offers a large number of artificial formulas for feeding almost from the first day of life. Manufacturers claim that they are enriched with vitamins, minerals and other incredibly useful additives. But this mixture is only suitable for nutrition, that’s where its function ends. Mother's milk has no competition here, since it also contains antibodies that prevent the occurrence of diseases and infections in the baby. No mixture can artificially reproduce this. Breastfeeding is incredibly important psychologically and helps bring mother and baby closer together.

Difficulty breastfeeding

But some children refuse to breastfeed right from birth. In such a situation, you again need to consult a specialist. Perhaps it is the wrong shape of the nipples or they are too tight. There are times when a mother does not hold her breast correctly during feeding. Rarely does the problem lie in the fact that the child is simply phlegmatic and lazy. He falls asleep and does not make active sucking movements. Such a child needs to be constantly stimulated and encouraged to feed.

Also, do not exclude such a specific situation as smell. The child may simply not like the smell of milk. Perhaps the mother ate something odorous. Onions, garlic, herbs or some kind of seasoning. If such a problem occurs, then these products should be consumed with great caution. At least for the first time, it is worth excluding from the mother’s diet those foods that can trigger allergies. These are chocolate, red berries, citrus fruits. Feeding itself usually takes 15-20 minutes. In the first days, until this process is debugged, it may drag on for a longer time. On average, a child needs to be fed 7 times a day. If the child weighs little, then meals should be provided more often.

Doctors unanimously recommend feeding the baby as needed. But this does not mean that feedings should be erratic. On the contrary, you need to create a clear schedule for them, this will help improve digestion and simply make the baby feel good. But if the child wants to eat before the allotted time, you should not listen to his howls, you need to feed the baby as soon as possible.

What is the optimal amount of food for a newborn?

Parents are often concerned about the question, how much does a child eat at 1 month? Some parents complain that the baby cannot tear himself away from the breast or bottle, others believe that the baby eats too little. The best thing to do in such a situation is to look at the well-being and condition of the child. If he is healthy and happy, then everything is fine, no matter how much he eats. After feeding, the baby should not be placed on his back; he may choke when regurgitating. When asked how much a baby eats at 1 month, doctors do not give a definite answer.

Toys

The baby spends a lot of time in the crib. Lazy children in the first months of life can sleep about 20 hours a day! As soon as parents bring their child from the maternity hospital, the question arises of which toys to choose for a newborn crib. Usually, grandparents, friends of parents, and other relatives have already donated a lot of rattles. However, a child does not need such abundance at all, especially a small one. What are the main criteria for choosing a toy for a newborn’s crib? They should not be very heavy, made from environmentally friendly materials. As for the color scheme, it is better to choose a calm range of shades, but quite saturated.

Hanging rattles are very popular among toys for newborns. The child will not play with them yet, but will learn to distinguish colors and hone his grasping skills. Recently, they began to make such toys with musical accompaniment. If you give a child such a toy, the melody should be very soothing, calm and in no case loud - this can scare the baby. Of course, it is worth remembering that toys must be thoroughly washed and disinfected before giving them to the baby.

How does a child develop by month up to 1 year?

In the first year of life, a doctor and a nurse will visit the child as planned. This is done in order to track the child’s development month by month up to 1 year and make sure that it is progressing correctly. If necessary, the doctor gives a referral for examination and consultation with specialists. By the age of 1 year, a child should be able to:

• squat;
• get up from them to walk independently;
• walk, step over obstacles on your way;
• squat to pick up an object that has fallen on the floor.

He actively participates in what directly concerns him (personal hygiene, dressing). Drinks from a mug, holds a spoon, chews solid food. By this age, food preferences are already formed. The baby doesn't eat what he doesn't like. Needs the presence of parents, can express his desire with the most primitive words “give”, “go”, “no” and so on, understands what is being said to him, can call an adult, mom, dad and others. The development of a child month by month up to 1 year is a purely individual process. It is impossible to fit all children into the same norms and standards. Your baby may not reach the age of one year, but his vocabulary will have more words than it should. In any case, there is no need to panic. Moreover, the pediatrician will always tell you what to do. All you have to do is follow all the instructions and rejoice at every achievement of your child, and most importantly, love him.

: weight and height

Newborn at 1 month life gains about 600 g, i.e., each new day brings an additional 20 g of weight to the baby. This is somewhat less than in subsequent months, since during the very first week of life, all healthy children necessarily “loss” in weight; they experience the phenomenon of weight loss (on average, the baby loses weight by 5–8?% of the initial weight). The reasons for this are the excretion of a fairly large amount of original feces (meconium) and the intake of a relatively small amount of milk in the first days of life while expending a significant amount of energy. It is interesting that children born on time (i.e. during a full-term pregnancy), but having a small body weight, can gain it more intensively in the first month, as if catching up with their initially more well-fed peers. But premature babies gain weight more slowly. The baby's height increases by an average of 3 cm in the first month.

Newborn at 1 month: how long to walk

Duration of stay in fresh air 1 month old newborn life is determined by the weather. In the summer, they begin to walk with the baby almost from the next day after being discharged from the maternity hospital. Walks begin with 20–30 minutes, their duration gradually increases, reaching 1.5–2 hours approximately a week after the baby is discharged, i.e., walks can take up almost the entire time between feedings.

In good weather, it is considered optimal to stay with a 1 month old newborn living in the fresh air at least twice a day. During the cold season, the baby is allowed to adapt at home for 2-3 days, and then he is also “brought out into the world.” Of course, paying attention to the air temperature (not lower than –10°C) and the absence of sharp wind. Walks begin with 10 minutes, gradually increasing the time spent outside to 30–40 minutes and even 1 hour, depending on weather conditions.

Newborn 1 month: baby's sleep

Dream 1 month old newborn life takes about 18 hours a day. Relatively speaking, a child of this age wakes up mainly only to eat. The wakefulness itself is quite short, limited to 15–20 minutes. It is not as active as in subsequent months of life, and, as a rule, precedes feeding. It is common for a one-month-old baby to fall asleep immediately after eating or even during feeding. Of course, the baby can wake up between feedings. As a rule, this happens when there is a “weighty” reason - a wet diaper, an uncomfortable position, a loud sound that wakes up the baby.

reflexes

Newborn 1 month old life is characterized by all unconditioned physiological reflexes that are considered “innate”. When examining such a baby, the pediatrician checks how well the baby grasps the finger, pushes off the palm with his feet while lying on his stomach, leans on his feet with support in an upright position, and other reflexes. In general, the child still lacks coordination of movements; they are chaotic.

By the end 1 month newborn, lying on his stomach, is able to hold his head elevated for a short time. In addition, there should be a short-term fixation of the gaze on a bright toy. By this time, the baby may begin to smile when addressed affectionately.

stool and urination

In the first days of life, the frequency of urination is small - from 1–2 on the first day to 8–15 on the 5th day. By the end of the first month, the baby may urinate 20–25 times per day. Rare urination in the first days of life is associated with the peculiarities of the functioning of the baby’s kidneys, which are not yet functionally mature. And the amount of fluid consumed in the first days is small.

Chair 1 month old newborn life is very variable in frequency and character. In the first 1–2 days, thick greenish-brown stool called meconium is released. Then quite frequent, up to 6–8 times a day, variable in character (with greens, mucus, undigested lumps) transitional stools are noted. After 7–10 days of life, the baby's stool is yellow, mushy, and has a sour odor. The frequency of bowel movements ranges from 3 to 5–8 times a day.

In artificially fed children, stools, as a rule, are rarer - on average 3-4 times a day. If the baby receives mother's milk, which is very well absorbed, episodes of stool retention for 1–2 days may also be normal, not accompanied by bloating, regurgitation or restlessness of the baby.

baby food

As already said, 1 month newborn in general, it represents the time of adaptation of the child to extrauterine existence. This also applies to nutrition. A baby who is breastfed usually does not have a clear eating schedule. The baby eats as often as he wants. This is the free feeding mode. During the day, a baby in the first month of life is put to the breast on average 8–12 times. If the baby requires the breast more often, do not rush to panic. The baby is still developing its feeding schedule; it is quite possible that they will be more orderly after some time. It should be remembered that by frequently demanding the breast, the child not only receives drops of invaluable mother’s milk, but also satisfies his sucking reflex, which is very important for his proper neurological development.

A bottle-fed baby should receive an adapted formula 8 times a day at regular intervals in the first 2 weeks of life. Over the age of 2 weeks, the child is allowed (but not required) to take a night break, i.e. the frequency of feedings is 7 times a day with a 6-hour night rest. Typically, such children are offered a small amount of water to drink between feedings 1–2 times a day.

Calculation of the required daily amount of adapted formula for a baby during the first 7–10 days of life is carried out using the following formula: 80xn or 70xn, where n is the day of the child’s life. If the baby’s weight at birth was more than 3200 g, use the first version of the formula, if less, use the second. The resulting value is divided by the number of feedings, thus calculating the required one-time volume of the mixture.

After 10–14 days, the baby eats food per day equal to 1?/?5 of its weight.

vaccinations

While still in the maternity hospital, the baby normally manages to receive 2 vaccines – against hepatitis B (on the 1st day of life) and tuberculosis (on the 3rd–7th day). In the clinic newborn at 1 month Only those babies who belong to a special risk group are vaccinated again against hepatitis B (if their mothers are carriers of the hepatitis B virus, or are sick with hepatitis B, or suffered this disease shortly before giving birth). Also, at 1 month, children should receive a second dose of the hepatitis B vaccine if there are virus carriers or patients with acute or chronic hepatitis B in their home environment.

Which doctors should you visit?

At 1 month, the child goes to the children's clinic for the first time. In addition to the pediatrician, according to the recommendations of the current order, the baby should be examined by a neurologist, a pediatric surgeon and an orthopedic traumatologist. If there are indications, the list of specialists who examine the child at 1 month can be expanded. For example, the baby can be consulted by an ophthalmologist or cardiologist.

Necessary examinations

Newborn at 1 month is subject to mandatory ultrasound examination to identify pathology of the hip joints (dysplasia, congenital dislocation). In addition, ultrasound of the brain (neurosonography - NSG) and ultrasound of internal organs (most often abdominal organs, kidneys) are performed. According to the current examination standards, at the age of one month, each baby needs to have an electrocardiogram - ECG (graphic display of the biopotentials of the beating heart).

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