How does a newborn baby grow by month. The baby sucks his thumb. Newborn care
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First month - neonatal period
The first days are very important for the baby, since it is at this time that the foundation for its development is laid. The body adapts to new conditions and begins to develop intensively.
The child in the first hours of his independent life
In the first hours of his independent life, the child experiences a severe shock.
Indeed, after a nine-month stay in the mother's stomach, in which fabulous conditions were created for him (from constant temperature to fantastic security and the necessary supply of nutrition in the mother's body), he finds himself in a completely different world, in which he is forced to do everything he needs to adapt to new living conditions.
To do this, he will need a lot of strength. In the first minutes of life, any microscopic problem can lead to irreparable consequences if not immediately and properly intervened. Fortunately, most of all the problems that arise after childbirth are solved by doctors rather quickly.
The first examination of the newborn takes place in the delivery room.
While the mother is resting, the midwife puts the baby in order: she pinches and then cuts the umbilical cord in order to separate the baby from the mother's circulatory system, cleans his nose and pharynx from mucus with a rubber hose.
A minute after birth, the doctor examines the condition of the newborn on the Apgar scale.
Apgar score
In all maternity hospitals, in almost all countries of the world, immediately after the birth of a child, his state of health is determined according to the criteria developed in 1952 by the American anesthesiologist Virginia Apgar.
The neonatologist assesses the condition of the newborn by 5 indicators: breathing, heartbeat, muscle tone, reflexes and skin color.
Evaluation is made one minute and 5 minutes after birth. The infant is not subjected to special tests, he is simply examined and assigned 0, 1 or 2 points for each of the signs.
The assessment of the child's condition is made up of the sum of 5 digital indicators. The condition of the newborn is assessed as good with an indicator of 8-10 points, satisfactory - with an indicator of 6-7 points, severe - below 6 points.
The data obtained is entered into the history of the development of the child. They are of great importance in diagnosing possible late disorders in a child.
IMPORTANT!
Parents should not take the Apgar score literally. It is needed, first of all, by the medical staff to develop the necessary care tactics. A child who received, for example, 6 points, in the future, most likely, will not be any different from a baby who “scored” 10 points.
The child is then measured from head to toe and weighed. This is very important data, as they are subsequently guided to determine the level of development of the child.
After that, the child's eyes are treated with a solution containing an antibiotic. This is done to prevent inflammation of the mucous membranes of the crumbs.
In order not to confuse the child, various precautions are taken. Immediately after birth, a bracelet is put on the baby's hand, which contains the name of the mother, the sex of the baby, the date of his birth, and possibly other data, such as height, weight, the mother's fingerprint and the baby's footprint immediately after birth. (This method is more reliable, because the lines of the foot are different for each person. They do not change over the years, and it is impossible to fake them.)
After all checks and studies on care have been completed and it turns out that no other measures need to be taken, the child is washed and dried thoroughly. Then he is wrapped in the first diapers in his life.
If the mother does not sleep and feels well, they show her the child, give him to hold and attach to the breast.
On the 2-3rd day after birth, it is already possible to determine individual differences in newborns according to the Braselton neonatal condition assessment scale developed in the USA.
Thanks to a series of tests on this scale, the child's motor and sensory state is assessed, his reactions to light, hearing, a moving object, compliance with comfort, the ability to smile, etc. are checked (27 indicators in total).
Norms of development of the newborn
. full-term a child born 38-42 weeks after conception is considered.
The anthropometric data of boys and girls, starting from birth and throughout the entire period of infancy, are somewhat different from each other. Thus, the average body weight of a mature newborn varies from girls from 3000 to 3700 g, and boys- from 3100 to 3800 g. Minor differences are also found in growth. Growth of full-term girls ranges from 48 to 52 cm, and boys- from 50 to 54 cm.
In addition, it is measured circle newborn's head. It should be 2-4 cm larger than the circumference of the chest and be approximately 32-34 cm.
On the head of the baby may be hair. But it is still too early to judge what they will be, since the hairs will be replaced by new ones in the near future, and their color and quality will change.
The same can be said about eye color. In all newborns, they are grayish-blue. This is due to the fact that the iris of their eyes does not yet contain pigment. After some time, the eyes will acquire their "real" color.
"Transient States"
A few days after the birth of the child, you may notice some changes in his condition that may alarm you. Don't be afraid. Probably, you have met with the "transitional states" characteristic of newborns (although not all). However, you should be aware of them.
Transient physiological weight loss or physiological weight loss
The very term “physiological” itself indicates that this is a variant of the norm, and “transient” - that it is short-lived and passes quickly.
This phenomenon occurs in all newborns and ranges from 3 to 10% of the baby's body weight at birth.
The maximum weight loss is observed by the 3rd-4th day, and from the 5th day the child gradually begins to gain weight and by the end of the 2nd week after birth, his weight corresponds to the weight recorded at birth.
To prevent a large loss of body weight, you must:
Attach the baby to the breast no later than 12 hours after birth.
Organize the correct feeding regimen for the baby (breastfeeding on demand; if your baby is an "artificial" - feed him every 3.5 hours, taking a night break for 6.5 hours).
In addition to breastfeeding, drink your baby. The need for a newborn in water is about 50-100 g per day. Give your baby a bottle of boiled water to drink from a silver spoon (do not bottle train him as this may cause him to refuse to breastfeed).
Transient physiological erythema or physiological catarrh of the skin
Most of all, it is noticeable on the 1-2 day of a newborn's life and is associated with the expansion of skin capillaries due to the low ambient temperature, which differs significantly from the temperature of the mother's body.
This erythema (redness), having reached a maximum, already from the 3rd day of the baby's life begins to weaken and small pityriasis peeling is visible on the skin, especially pronounced on the baby's hands and feet.
What should be done:
Lubricate the skin with boiled vegetable or olive oil or special baby oil.
Physiological jaundice Jaundice often appears on the 2-3rd day after birth. It usually occurs when there is too much bilirubin in the blood of a newborn, one of the components of red blood cells.
The presence of this jaundice is indicated by the yellowness of the whites of the eyes and skin of the baby. Physiological jaundice in a healthy newborn reaches its maximum on the 4th-5th day of the child's life, disappearing completely after 1-2 weeks.
The child continues to eat normally, his urine and feces are of normal color.
What should be done:
Warn your doctor about the appearance of jaundice. Only a doctor can determine if it is physiological jaundice.
If you feed your baby with your milk, be prepared for the fact that under the influence of your hormones the jaundice will drag on.
If the jaundice does not improve by the 5th day, if it persists at the beginning of the 2nd week, tell about it. Also seek immediate medical attention if jaundice appears immediately or several hours after birth.
sexual crisis
In girls, during the first 2-3 weeks of life, a more or less strong secretion of clear mucus comes from the vagina; there is engorgement of the nipples of the mammary glands, and sometimes even the secretion of milk. In some cases, the mucus is colored with blood. However, this phenomenon is observed relatively infrequently.
Newborn boys may also experience enlargement and engorgement of the mammary glands and swelling of the scrotum.
This crisis arises due to the fact that in the last weeks of intrauterine development, the mother's hormones entered the fetal body, which do not stop acting also in the first days after birth during breastfeeding with her milk.
What should be done:
Don't worry, as a sexual crisis usually resolves quickly without treatment.
Wash girls more often with a warm, weak solution of potassium permanganate, squeezing it out of cotton wool.
transient fever Most often, it also appears on the 3-4th day of a child's life. The temperature of the newborn during this period can reach critical numbers (up to 40 ° C). Parents are also frightened by the general anxiety of the child, and sometimes even convulsions.
This condition can last 1-2 days and is associated with a violation of water metabolism. It occurs in children with insufficient fluid intake.
What should be done:
See a doctor right away!!!
Excreta
A newborn in the first 24 hours and later, up to 36 hours, secretes a dark green soft and sticky substance called meconium. Then the stools become more and more light, yellowish-greenish in color, until they become yellowish-golden, as usual. They are similar in texture to a beaten egg.
Sometimes the stools are green. This does not indicate any deviation if their number and frequency remain normal. The green color of stool is caused by the oxidation of bile pigments. This oxidation is almost permanent if the stool is in a diaper (usually a yellow stool turns green after 15-20 minutes in a diaper).
The number of bowel movements may vary. Often this is one bowel movement after each meal, that is, 6-8 times a day. In a newborn and infant who is bottle-fed, they are usually less common than in a breast-fed child - 1-4 times.
Tell your doctor immediately:
♦ if there was no meconium discharge before 36 hours;
♦ if there was no bowel movement after meconium excretion;
♦ if the meconium passed on the first day had a dense consistency and contained whitish grains resembling putty;
♦ if the stools are green, thin, and occur more frequently than usual;
♦ with the appearance of black, like shoe wax, feces - black feces indicates bleeding in the upper part of the intestine;
♦ if there is blood in the stool
Before the arrival of the doctor:
♦ continue to breastfeed, but eliminate artificial milk formula as a supplement;
♦ give your baby frequent water between feedings;
♦ if the baby is bottle-fed, replace the milk with the same volume of soy milk or lactose-free formula, let's drink more;
♦ In all cases, weigh the undressed baby before feeding and note the body weight.
Vomit
What should be done:
Immediately replace bottle feeding with spoon feeding (1 teaspoon every 2 minutes).
Depending on what kind of food the child takes, give him rice water, soy milk.
Call an ambulance immediately.
Urination
The first urination in a newborn can sometimes be delayed by 24 or 36 hours. This is not a pathology, especially if the child's behavior is normal.
Urine is usually quite rich yellow and looks opalescent. She is not abundant.
What should be done:
If after 24 hours the child has not urinated or passed urine drop by drop, tell the doctor immediately.
Accelerated heartbeat
Don't worry about the fact that the heart rate of a newborn is very high - it can be 120 beats per minute.
In addition, in the first days of life, the baby may experience uneven breathing. This is due to the fact that the rib muscles and abdominal muscles are almost not involved in the process of breathing, and therefore it may not be deep enough.
The baby's skin is flaky
It usually starts on the 3-5th day after birth.
What should be done:
After bathing, lubricate the child's body with baby cream or oil.
Irregular baby head
The slightly deformed skull is the result of prolonged childbirth. Don't worry, it will be back to normal after a while!
What should be done:
Most importantly, make sure that the child's head is not turned all the time in the same direction.
As soon as the baby learns to roll over, he will begin to change position during sleep, and the shape of his head will quickly become round.
Baby has pimples on nose
The first option: small red pimples with a white head appeared on the cheeks and wings of the baby's nose.
The second option: small white dots were found on the forehead and nose of the child. Usually they occur due to the fault of pregnancy hormones, which cause blockage of the excretory ducts of the sweat glands of the newborn.
What should be done:
In the first option, it is enough to wash the newborn with soap several times (for children, of course).
As for the second option - do not worry, within a few days they will pass by themselves.
There are tears in the eyes of a child
Scientifically, this is called obstruction of the lacrimal canal (dacryostenosis).
The reason is that by the time of birth, this duct has not yet fully opened and the tears that wash the eyes have nowhere to “go away”.
What should be done:
This problem requires the attention of doctors, so do not put off a visit to the ophthalmologist.
In addition to these transient conditions, newborns may also experience transient changes in kidney function. in the form of uric acid infarction, transient dysbacteriosis and physiological dyspepsia, manifested most often by regurgitation and vomiting.
IMPORTANT!
Whatever is observed in your newborn from the transition states listed above, it should be remembered that for this age they are a kind of norm, and adaptation to life is the most important stage that the baby needs to overcome.
A newborn is a maturing personality!
Since the 1970s, a revolution has begun in obstetric practice in developed countries. Parents wanted to see their children not only healthy, but also happy from birth.
The opinion of newborns as primitive beings was recognized as false. As a result of numerous studies, it was found that tiny children are complex creatures with a powerful intellect, developed sense organs, and high learning ability. Just like adults, babies are capable of experiencing different emotions from birth: fear, sadness, surprise, interest…
Children are born with a sense of beauty and, along with an innate ability to recognize human faces, can appreciate their attractiveness in an adult way. Already 9 minutes after the birth, the crumbs distinguish a calm expression of a human face from a distorted one. And a little later - positive from negative. And they like the first one much more.
Babies already at the age of 1 day have a sense of rhythm, which helps them develop. Babies respond well to pitch, melody of speech, and teaching them to music at an early age will help develop these innate abilities.
Just a few days after birth, babies are able to distinguish faces, distinguish light from darkness, guess the presence of their mother in the room by smell, respond to sounds, distinguish music and voices of people, learn about the world and interact with it.
They are not indifferent to smells, not everyone can tolerate them. Sensitive to touch and pain. They do not like sour, salty and bitter, preferring sweet to everything.
Instincts and reflexes that a newborn has
Nature made sure that the newborn baby was not completely helpless. Yes, physically he is helpless, his movements are chaotic, he cannot raise his head. However, he already knows a few things.
He has an impressive set of instincts and archaic or primary reflexes that help him survive in the air, which suddenly replaced the water. Among these unconditioned reflexes, more than 70 are known today. They are needed in order to adapt to the world as quickly as possible and survive in it.
For example, a newborn has food reflex, which manifests itself in the fact that the child is looking for his mother's breast and sucks it.
Well visible protective and orienting reflexes. The protective reflex is manifested by blinking the eyes, the tentative reflex is manifested by the movement of the eyes to the light source. The child reacts with displeasure to bright light and loud sounds (wrinkles his forehead, screams). However, the baby is not yet able to follow objects with his eyes.
To see how it manifests grasp reflex, touch the inside of the baby's palms with your finger, and he will grab it. At this age, the baby, grabbing the thumbs of mom or dad, is well kept in a hanging position.
If you gently stroke the sole from the heel to the toes, the toes will sharply straighten up and the feet will turn inward.
Take your newborn baby under your arms and hold him upright over a table or other flat surface. The child can lift one leg and then the other and take "steps"! Walking reflex best seen after 4 days of life.
A sudden or loud noise and the sensation of falling make a small child stretch out his arms and legs, arch his back and throw back his head, then press his hands to his chest with clenched fists. This is how it manifests Moro reflex.
The baby sleeps in a frog position: lying on his back, with arms bent at the elbows and raised up, and with legs bent at the knee joints and moved apart to the sides.
IMPORTANT!
Reasons for alarm: the baby does not suckle the breast, does not react to light, sleeps with arms and legs extended along the body.
The presence or absence of the most important innate reflexes indicates the degree of development of the nervous system and brain of the newborn.
Conditions that need to be created for a newborn baby
IMPORTANT!
Parents should treat the child as a maturing personality, by all means facilitating his adaptation to the world around him.
Helpful hints
Do not be angry with the baby that he still does not distinguish day from night and worries at night as well as during the day. All this will soon pass.
Do not allow bright light to blind the newborn's eyes.
Make sure that in the children's room all the sounds are melodic and quiet.
Next to the baby's crib, you can not talk loudly, scream and quarrel.
When the baby is awake, communicate with him - talk in a gentle and affectionate voice, turn on special music for babies. Remember that the baby is very sensitive to your mood, so try to be calm. Smile more often.
First of all, the baby needs to feel peace, warmth and safety.
Children's room
Airing
For infants, the room temperature should be 22°C. To normalize the temperature regime of the room and air circulation, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the children's room.
In winter, this is done 4-5 times a day for at least 10-15 minutes, preferably with a draft, since the air exchange is carried out 7 times faster. The criterion that the room is already well ventilated is a decrease in air temperature by 2-3 °C.
In the warm season, a window or window can be kept open all the time.
IMPORTANT!
With systematic improper air exchange and excessive wrapping in children, the body temperature rises, sweating increases, appetite and immunity decrease. As a result, the overall development of the child may be slowed down.
Air humidity
The optimum humidity in the baby's room is 50%. Excessively dry air draws moisture out of the body. As a result, the state of health may worsen, drowsiness, sore throat, tightness of the skin may appear. Particularly affected are children who have very sensitive skin and mucous membranes of the nasal and oral cavities.
In addition, static electricity accumulates in dry air, preventing dust from settling.
Humidity in apartments is especially lacking in winter, when heating systems, computers, TVs, electric stoves, and household appliances are working.
Ventilation does not solve the problem, as there is little moisture in the frosty air. In order to increase the level of humidity in the apartment, you need to saturate the air with moisture vapor in every possible way.
This can be done using a special device. If you don’t have it, use simple ways to humidify and disinfect the air:
♦ hang a lightly wrung, damp, thick towel on the back of a chair by the baby's bed;
♦ put a vessel with water in the child's room, add a few drops of lavender oil - oil-saturated air is detrimental to viruses and bacteria.
Understanding your baby's wants and needs
Since the baby cannot yet communicate with his voice, you will have to learn to understand his wants and needs by simply watching him and listening to him. Your happy and happy baby will be rewarded for your ability to quickly and correctly read his body language, facial expressions and crying.
How to learn to observe a child
Imagine that you are watching an alien. This approach will help you get rid of preconceived notions about how the baby should behave.
Watch the child closely for 3 minutes. Even during this time, you can learn a lot about him.
Observe the child in a certain order. For example, consider it starting from the head, thinking about what each part of the body tells your gaze (head, upper body, arms, legs).
Take into account the environment in which the child is located: time of day, room temperature, lighting, sounds.
Weeping language
Crying is the only opportunity for a baby up to six months to achieve vital assistance. If your child is crying, he demands an answer.
Babies cry to let us know their different needs. Each of them denotes a special type of crying. There are basic types of crying that are common to all children and have clear characteristics. They denote hunger, anger, pain... But at the same time, each baby is endowed with its own unique cry, which distinguishes it from any other baby.
English scientists, studying the behavior of parents from different countries with crying children in the first days and weeks of life, came to the conclusion that fathers and mothers, who practically do not let newborns cry, have much fewer problems with children in the future compared to those parents who do not pay attention to the crying child.
The first thing to do is to check if the little ass is dry and comfortable. Then - attach to the chest, and only after that - try to determine the cause of crying, if it was in something else.
Types of crying
"Change me!"
The baby cries loudly in pain, as urine and feces cause irritation and a rash.
What should be done:
If necessary, wash the baby thoroughly, blot the skin with a diaper, lubricate with oil, change the diaper.
If it's itching, untie the baby, wash it, and let him lie down in the crib naked on a terry towel.
Change diapers more often. Use a special cream.
"I want to eat!"
Most often, "hungry" crying begins with the "draft" crying of the child. If the mother takes the baby in her arms without offering the breast, the cry turns into an angry cry. And if both the cry of the baby and his search for the breast (the baby “catches” air) do not make the mother think that the child is hungry, the baby begins to choke on crying.
Usually, "hungry" crying differs from other "types" of crying in its exactingness and perseverance.
With "hungry" crying, the baby, if you touch his face, immediately turns his head towards you, starting to look for the chest. And when he finds her, he sucks with greed, and only after satisfying his hunger with all his peaceful appearance shows how good he is.
What should be done:
Feed him at the breast or give him a bottle if he is formula-fed.
"I suffer from colic!"
If the crying of the baby is either sharp or plaintive, turning into a squeal, and he pulls his legs up to his tummy, then he is tormented by colic - spastic pains of unclear origin.
What should be done:
Take the baby in your arms, press it to you, shake it, put it on your tummy.
You can also put a warm heating pad on the baby's tummy or massage it. By the reaction of the crumbs, you can easily understand what works best for him.
"I'm suffering from gas in my stomach"
Crying is sharp, loud, the baby spins and twists its legs.
What should be done:
Gently stroke your tummy in a clockwise direction. Raise the bent legs to the tummy, then lower them. Do this exercise several times.
You can also give your baby a drink of fennel tea or dill water. All this will help to remove gases and soothe the tummy.
"I'm tired"
Crying is uneven, non-rhythmic, its tone and volume change all the time. In addition, the baby shows other, non-vocal, signs of fatigue: sucking fingers, rubbing his eyes, pulling his ears.
What should be done:
Since the baby wants to sleep, then, most likely, he will not like your attempts to play with him, and the baby will turn away. If you try to comfort him in other ways, he will get even more excited, because all he really wants is to sleep. So put him to sleep.
As your child develops a sleep schedule, you'll learn how to tell you when he's tired and when he just wants to be left alone.
"I'm in pain" Usually such crying sounds the same regardless of the nature of the pain, whether it is external or internal. It starts without warning, it is loud, long and shrill. If the baby is in pain, he will let out a loud long cry, then make a long pause, gaining strength for the next. With this scream of the baby, you will surely notice other signs of pain: the child’s body will tense up, he will pull his arms and legs towards him, open his mouth wide, and by the expression of his face it will be clear that he is very unpleasant.
Here are some signs, in addition to the above, that you can also tell if the baby is in pain: redness, swelling, sensitivity to touch, fever, changes in bowel habits (changes in the color and smell of stool), nausea, fast, noisy or labored breathing.
What should be done:
Check if any external factors are the cause. Maybe a finger or toe was caught by lightning? Maybe he got a rash? Perhaps the clothes make him uncomfortable? Undress the child and check if everything is in order.
The cry of inner pain is more difficult to interpret. The baby may have otitis media, may have a sore throat or stomach.
IMPORTANT!
If this type of crying continues, be sure to call your doctor immediately.
"I got sick"
This type of crying is somewhat similar to crying in pain, but is weaker and is a whimpering nasal sound.
An ill baby may be red and hot.
What should be done:
If the temperature remains elevated or other symptoms of the disease appear, consult a doctor.
"I'm bored!"
Whining and crying, which usually stop quickly as soon as the infant is given solicitous attention.
What should be done:
Already at the age of several weeks, the child is awake at least 8 hours a day, and he does not want to look only at the white ceiling. He wants his mother and father to take care of him. The most important and favorite incentive is confidential communication with a loved one.
Indeed, no toy can react so wonderfully to any wink!
"I don't like this procedure"
Angry, displeased crying of the child accompanies the corresponding facial expression and movements. For example, the child "grins", arches his back or turns his head, thereby showing with all his might how he does not like your actions.
Usually such crying does not drag on for a long time and subsides as soon as its cause is eliminated.
What should be done:
Many children do not like to dress, undress, bathe, treat a runny nose ... But these procedures cannot be canceled, no matter how loudly the baby expresses his indignation. There is only one way out - try to do everything quickly, and then caress the child so that he calms down.
"I'm scared!"
It is a loud and piercing cry. It usually starts suddenly. It breaks off quickly, because the child needs to take air into the chest. And just as suddenly it stops.
What should be done:
Some children are very sensitive to noise, temperature, or unexpected stimuli. Perhaps the child is cold. The optimum temperature in his room is 18-21 °C.
If the baby has a hot, wet back, then he is hot. Change your little one.
Also, the child may be bothered by too bright light: check that the lamp above the changing table or the sun does not hit him in the eyes.
Rules for using a pacifier
Let your child decide whether to use a pacifier or not. Offer him a pacifier a couple of times, and you will understand if he needs it. If the baby sucks it with enthusiasm, becomes calmer and more fun, then the nipple will become your assistant. If the perturbed baby spits out a foreign object, put the dummy away until the right moment. Or you may not need a pacifier at all.
A pacifier should be offered to a child only when necessary: if the baby is excited, overtired, or if the sucking reflex is too strong. For example, a nipple may be needed while traveling by car, on public transport, while waiting for your turn to see a doctor, during a winter walk when your baby is teething...
A pacifier should not be the usual way to soothe a baby. It is much more important to find out the causes of the baby's disorder and find a solution to the problem. Remember that a pacifier exists to meet the needs of the crumbs, and not to solve your problems, so it is up to the child to decide when he needs a pacifier. Do not give a pacifier to the baby at a time when he is calm and can do without it.
Once your baby is on a breastfeeding schedule, keep track of how often you give him a pacifier. Babies who suckle are less likely to breastfeed, and as a result, mothers gradually lose breast milk and stop breastfeeding earlier.
Always check the pacifier before giving it to your baby. Check for damage to the latex or silicone. If the pacifier is torn, broken, or cracked, discard it immediately.
So that the pacifier is not lost, it can be hung on a ribbon with a special clip. Some parents put a pacifier around their child's neck. In no case should this be done, as this can lead to suffocation.
Do not sweeten the nipple with honey or syrup. Sucking on a sweet pacifier can result in oral thrush or tooth decay if teeth have already erupted.
There should be several nipples in stock. Before giving a pacifier to a baby, boil it for 1-2 minutes. A dirty pacifier poses a health hazard to the baby.
Store the pacifier before use on a clean saucer under an upturned glass.
Do not keep the pacifier in the sun or near another heat source for a long time.
You need to change latex nipples once every 2-3 weeks, silicone - after 4-5 weeks of constant use.
Do not give a silicone pacifier if your child is teething.
IMPORTANT!
Weaning a baby from a pacifier should be when he is 6-9 months old (you can give it only during sleep), and if it doesn’t work out, try it at 1 year. Until the age of 2, you should not force weaning if you see that the baby is not ready for this.
Situations when it is undesirable to use a pacifier
In the first 3-4 weeks of the baby's life, until the feeding regimen is established. At this time, the sucking skill is still poorly developed, and the baby first needs to get used to the mother's breast, and then to the nipple. The fact is that children require less effort to suck on a pacifier. And if you hurry with its use, then problems may arise with feeding. If your baby latch on the same way as a pacifier, he will get less milk and damage your nipples. In addition, the child may refuse to breastfeed. Some pediatricians generally do not recommend giving the baby a nipple in the 1st month of life and advise to compensate for the sucking reflex by more frequent attachment to the mother's breast.
Do not use the pacifier as a substitute for feeding or to increase the interval between meals. This is inhumane to the baby!
Do not replace the pacifier with the attention and affection your baby needs. If a naughty baby asks to be held, take him, and do not try to calm him down with a pacifier.
Carrying a baby in arms (holding)
The importance of holding
Carrying a child on the handles is also an element of care, and this must be done!
The famous child psychoanalyst D. W. Winnicott coined a specific term for this style of interaction with toddlers - "holding", giving it a fundamental importance in the mental development of the individual. This means holding the baby, babysitting him, taking care of him, providing frequent tactile contact.
Life in the hands of a mother is one of the most important needs for harmonious development. The child is bored to lie alone in the crib. He needs to change the position of the body and learn about the world around him, observe the life of adults and touch his mother. Skin contact with the mother stimulates the metabolic processes in the child's body, regulates the rhythm of breathing, helps to improve daily biorhythms and hormonal changes in the crumbs, protects his tummy from swelling with his warmth, eliminates the problems of hyper- and hypotonicity of children's muscles and helps the development of spinal curves and the maturation of the vestibular apparatus in case of motion sickness.
It is also important that, being in the arms of the mother, the baby sees her face and, in particular, her mouth, sees how she speaks, learns the language “in theory”, and this contributes to the early development of speech.
There is such a thing as hospitalism. Children who receive only the necessary care (wash, feed, clean their nose) lag behind in psychomotor development. There may even be a reverse development of physical skills, that is, children who can speak and eat with a spoon, because of the lack of contact with their mother, forget how to do it. This phenomenon is often observed in children's hospitals and orphanages.
Carrying a baby in her arms is good for mommy too. Slingomams almost never experience postpartum depression. In addition, frequent touching increases the amount of milk, improves mutual understanding between mother and baby.
IMPORTANT!
Learn how to hold your baby correctly, use a sling, a kangaroo backpack.
How to carry a baby in your arms without hurting yourself
Your burden is precious, but very difficult, and often by the end of the day your neck and back may begin to hurt. Therefore, it is important to make this process comfortable for both the crumbs and you.
You can hold the baby in your arms both sitting and lying down - which is especially important in the first weeks after childbirth. This must be done in such a way that he does not have the slightest chance to fall, hit, burn himself. This is especially important when you move while holding the baby in your arms.
Here are the main provisions:
"The whole world before my eyes"
Holding the baby upright, press his back to your chest, and his feet to his stomach. One of your hands holds his legs, the other - his tummy. In this position, the load on the mother's spine does not change, but the likelihood of distortions and curvatures disappears. Comfort is also provided for the baby: his head leans on his mother's chest, which relieves tension from the cervicothoracic region, and it becomes easier to hold the head. The legs, feeling supported, occasionally tense and relax, becoming stronger from this. The digestion of the crumbs improves, it is easier for him to leave gases.
"Column"
The baby is in an upright position, belly to the mother.
"Like Feeding"
The baby is in the prone position at the chest (as when feeding), on the back ...
"On the swing!"
In this position, the baby's head is in the crook of your elbow, and your hands, supporting his torso from one side and the other, meet under the bottom. In this position, the baby can relax.
"Under the Wing of an Airplane"
This position is very comfortable and helps the baby relax, especially if he has a tummy ache. Put it on your left hand: your feet should be below the level of your head. Turning your head away from you, lean it against the crook of your elbow. Pass your right hand between the legs so that the open palm is on the tummy.
IMPORTANT!
The baby does not yet hold the head, as the neck muscles are still very weak. Therefore, the baby should be kept horizontally with support under the head in 2 cases: when he eats and when he sleeps.
The rest of the time, it is better for the baby to be in an upright position - pressed against the body of an adult, facing him or back.
How to lift a baby
Remember that in the first months the baby does not hold his head and does not control his muscles. So be careful. Support the baby so that the head does not collapse, and the arms and legs do not hang down.
Baby lies on his back
If the baby is lying on his back, put one hand under the lower part of his body. Put your other hand under your neck and head. Slowly lift it up, making sure that the head does not tilt back. Gently lower him onto your bent arm so that his head rests in the crook of his elbow.
The baby lies on its side
Bring one hand under the baby's neck and head, and the other under the lower body.
The baby lies on his stomach
Make sure your head doesn't tip back, then grab your baby. Raise slowly. Bringing the child closer to you, move your head into the elbow crease. Now his head is on your hand and he feels at ease.
Bring your hand from below so that at the moment of lifting it serves as a support for his chin. Support your lower body with your other hand. Raise the baby slowly, gently turning over. Press it towards you, bringing your hand forward, so that your head rests on the crook of your elbow. Use your other hand to support your child's lower body and legs.
swaddling
Benefits of using a diaper
Thanks to swaddling, you can quickly get ready for a winter walk. The procedure for wrapping in diapers or blankets takes only a few seconds for an experienced mother. During this time, the baby does not have time to get tired.
Swaddling can comfort your baby. If he finds it difficult to fall asleep, if he cries or is sick, the diaper "doubles" the tenderness of your hugs, making them softer, stronger and warmer. The purpose of the diaper is, as it were, to “give” the baby intrauterine comfort again: a certain constraint in movements, clearly marked boundaries of space, warmth and security.
Swaddling the baby is mainly before going to bed. And since he basically only sleeps during the first weeks of his life, the diaper can be used almost around the clock. In the future, the baby will decide for himself when he wants to fall asleep unwrapped. This usually happens after 3-5 months.
How to swaddle a baby
Many modern pediatricians advise using free swaddling, in which the baby can move his arms and legs. The baby appears as if in a bag. At the same time, the less clothes under the diaper, the better the sense of touch develops, because the child bumps with his arms and legs not only on the diaper, but also on his own body.
Free swaddling can be without hands. It is believed that the baby develops better if his hands remain free.
The baby is put on a warm blouse with sewn up or open sleeves (and anti-scratch mittens are put on the handles), and the lower part of the body is wrapped in a diaper and diapers. The baby's legs do not stretch.
If the child is restless, wakes himself up with spontaneous hand movements, then it is better to swaddle the hands at night. Over time, the baby will learn to coordinate his movements and already at the age of 1 month, most likely, he will stop waking himself up with sudden movements. Although some babies continue to raise their arms and legs up to 3-6 months.
IMPORTANT!
If you use disposable diapers, choose ones that will help spread your baby's legs apart. Using gauze diapers, additionally lay a diaper folded in a rectangle between them.
Clothes for the little ones
Some parents from the first days dress the baby in rompers and overalls, not recognizing swaddling. However, it has been observed that newborns who are kept completely without a diaper and left to lie for a long time, waving their arms and legs, subsequently adapt much more slowly to their hands than those who were introduced to the handles gradually. The child becomes restless, and when he falls asleep, he easily wakes himself up. Therefore, perhaps, you should not completely abandon swaddling.
IMPORTANT!
Keep in mind that many babies sleep better when swaddled. Watch your baby and make the right choice.
Also, keep in mind that changing your baby will take more time than swaddling.
. What to do if the baby begins to cry or worry at this time:
♦ use simple models of children's clothing;
♦ try to dress the baby as quickly as possible;
♦ at the same time gently talk to the baby;
♦ try to distract him with calm music or a rattle;
♦ return to swaddling (perhaps temporarily).
Sleep baby
Sleep duration at different ages
If the baby is healthy, feels good, alert and active during the day, but sleeps a little less than recommended, do not worry.
Scientists have found that children living in the city need more time to sleep, as their brain is exposed to the aggressive visual environment and the frantic rhythm of the metropolis. Away from factories in the fresh air, children fall asleep faster.
0 to 3 months
Need for sleep
Newborns can sleep up to 18-20 hours a day. Thus, your baby will sleep almost all day long. However, his (her) sleep time is unlikely to coincide with yours.
A month-old baby sleeps about 16 hours a day, a three-month-old - 15 hours. Children rarely sleep more than 3-4 hours in a row (both day and night).
What happens during sleep
Most of the time falls on shallow sleep, accompanied by twitching of the muscles of the face and the movement of the eyeballs under the closed eyelids.
In adults, this happens during dreams. A small part of the time falls on deep sleep, when the muscles of the face are relaxed.
During sleep, a gamut of feelings wanders on the child's face, and a reflex smile is suddenly replaced by discontent. Babies are very light sleepers, but sometimes they don't wake up with noise. When falling asleep and waking up, the baby usually dozes.
Setting sleep time
Help your little one by instilling good sleep habits from the very beginning. The first 6-8 weeks, the baby cannot be awake for more than 2 hours in a row. If the interval between laying down is longer, then he will overwork and will not be able to fall asleep immediately. Watch your baby, and after a while you will already understand when the baby is ready for bed.
As soon as the baby is 2 weeks old, you can begin to teach him to distinguish between night and day. Before the night period of sleep, close the curtains tightly on the windows, turn off the lights and turn on the nightlight, turn off the phone, TV.
Bathe the little one. Gradually, this will become a signal for him to fall asleep.
Helpful hints
Before the age of 2, the child should not sleep on a pillow because of the risk of suffocation.
Lay the baby on his back - this is the safest position.
Remove plastic covers from the mattress, do not use plastic bedding.
Cover the child, but do not wrap him too much - this is harmful. If the room is warm, use a terry towel instead of a blanket.
The baby will sleep better if he is wrapped in a sheet or bedspread. Swaddling will not only give him a sense of comfort and security, but will also limit movements that can prevent the baby from falling asleep.
Keep in mind that not all babies like to sleep with their hands wrapped around. If your baby will try to release them - do not worry, this is normal. Then it is better to swaddle it so that the handles remain free.
Can a baby sleep in the same bed as his parents?
In my opinion, from birth, the crumbs should have their own bed, their own cozy nest.
Being next to the child even at night, the mother does not fully rest, does not relax completely, since a “watchdog focus” is formed in her brain, which controls all movements during sleep so that she does not accidentally damage the child. And after a busy day filled with caring for a baby, it is very important to be able to rest at night.
Parents may be unwell. Runny nose, slight cough - ailments that do not cause much concern to adults. But under these conditions, a large number of pathogens (microbes) are released into the external environment, which can cause serious illness in the baby.
Pungent odors of perfume, cologne, deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, tobacco smoke and other overly odorous substances that are very well absorbed by the hair - adults acquire some insensitivity in the process of life, but they can have a negative effect on a small child, making his sleep restless .
An adult bed does not meet the requirements for a baby crib.
A baby does not need a pillow. "Heavy" adult blankets are uncomfortable for the baby and can cause him to overheat the body, because thermoregulation in newborns is insufficient, the sweat glands are not fully formed (and up to 4-5 months they do not function at all). A baby crib needs to be washed and disinfected frequently, but an adult bed is not suitable for this.
IMPORTANT!
However, it is reasonable that in the first months of a child's life, his bed should be in the same room and next to the bed of the parents or mother. Then you can immediately respond to the call of the crumbs and satisfy his needs.
Preparation for sleep
Is the baby bathed, fed, dressed? Already yawning sweetly? Okay, time for bed.
Preparations:
Room Before you put your baby to sleep, be sure to ventilate the room. Babies fall asleep easier and sleep better in the fresh air. The temperature should be 20-22 °C. Draw the curtains.
Crib
Remove from the crib all the toys that "moved" there during the day. To make the baby cozy and comfortable, attach a special soft cover made of a pleasant, soft and not too thick fabric to the inner walls of the bed.
. Doctors do not advise putting pillows, bolsters, duvet covers and bedspreads in the crib: it is believed that their absence reduces the likelihood of accidents.
Discard pillows and replace them with a cotton diaper spread out in two layers. Then the baby's bed will remain clean if he suddenly burps.
Cloth
You can put on a baby's undershirt or T-shirt, and then sliders (overalls) or pajamas, and then put the baby in a sleeping bag. This is the perfect sleepwear. True, before placing the crumbs there, it is probably better to put a diaper on him so that the bag stays dry all night.
Skip a thick blanket or sleeping bag if the room is warm or your baby has a fever. In these situations, it is better to cover the child with a terry sheet.
Getting ready for sleep
The feeling of satiety sets the child up for a blissful sleep. However, sometimes he needs your help. In your arms, the baby is looking for peace and a sense of security, therefore, while cradling the baby, be calm and gentle.
The baby can be put to sleep by rhythmic stroking on the tummy. Stroke it without changing the rhythm until the child closes his eyes.
Play a tape recording of the lullabies you listened to during your pregnancy, or better, sing the lullaby yourself. Moreover, a song performed by mom will calm your baby faster than an audio recording.
Russian traditions. Lullabies
The child was supposed to rock to sleep under lullabies. The measured rocking of the cradle imitated the movements of a mother lulling her baby to sleep.
Lullabies were sung to the baby from his very birth. The soft, affectionate intonations of the mother's or grandmother's voice, the rhythm of the songs, the content of the poems helped the baby calm down and fall asleep faster, despite the fact that he still did not understand the meaning of the words.
The lullabies were sung at a slow pace, in a soft, gentle voice, in the measured rhythm of a rocking cradle. They had a simple melody with repetitive melodic turns and refrain words (“buy-by”, “lyuli-lyuli-lyulushki”).
The name "lullaby" comes from the words cradle, to shake. And among the people such songs have long been called tales, from the ancient Russian words "baykat", that is, to lull, lull, pump, and "bayat" - to speak, say, whisper.
The baby listened to lullabies and gradually began to distinguish individual words. By the age of one, he already understood the simple plot of a lullaby!
Lullabies not only helped the child to master speech and created a feeling of security, happiness and peace, but also gave the baby the first idea about the world around him, objects, animals, birds.
Mom sang different lullabies to the baby depending on his mood. If she could not manage to calm her child in any way, she turned to mythological images - Ugomon, Dream, Sleep - with a request to help her with this.
Bayushki-bayu, bay my baby.
Dream da Dream
Walked along the street
They went to my Mitenka.
They lay down to sleep under their heads.
Baiushki-bayu, Baiyu, my baby!
The gulls have arrived
We sat on the cradle
They began to rumble
Mitenka began to swing,
Lull:
Sleep, Mitenka, sleep,
Ugom take you.
Gurkot, gurkot!
And Mitenka is a nap,
Hush, Little Baby, Do not Say a Word,
Bye, my baby.
Sleep walks
Near the windows
Sandman wanders
Near the house
And they look:
Is everyone sleeping?
The mother “scared” a too noisy baby with a gray top, Mamai or a beech, who could come and pick up a rascal:
Bye-bye-bye
Go, beech, under the barn,
Don't let Sasha sleep!
Hush, Little Baby, Do not Say a Word,
Don't lie on the edge
A gray wolf will come
And drag him into the woods.
And drag you into the woods
To the green meadow.
Let's protect the baby.
Baby gotta sleep tight
Hush, Little Baby, Do not Say a Word,
I love my darling.
I love my darling.
Quietly sing a song.
I will drive the wolf into the forest,
I threaten him with a finger:
"Do not go bad wolf here,
and then trouble awaits you.
Hush, Little Baby, Do not Say a Word,
Quietly I sing a song.
If the baby was calm, the mother sang him a lullaby, which said how beautiful and handsome her baby was and how strong and good he would become:
And bainki-bainki,
We will buy boots for our son,
Let's put on the legs
Let's go down the road
Our son will walk
New felt boots to wear.
Oh, bayushki-bayushki,
Bunnies in the garden
Grass is plucked
Marina is amused.
Marina is smart
Yes, very reasonable.
Sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep.
Take a sound sleep.
To date, scientists have found that lullabies have a huge impact on the nervous system of a child.
The baby hears the mother's voice in the womb. After birth, he is surrounded by a wide variety of sounds. Some of them disturb, frighten, others - soothe. When the baby hears how his mother sings a quiet gentle song, he understands that he can sleep peacefully, he is safe. Through the melody, the baby feels the mood of the mother, her love for him.
In addition, lullabies stimulate speech more actively. The kid quickly remembers words, phrases. If you sing lullabies to a child under one year old, then, having gone to school, he will memorize verses in a singsong voice - this way they are remembered faster.
German scientists tested the effect of drugs and lullabies on the quality of sleep. Melodies turned out to be much more effective than drugs, and after listening to them, the sleep of the subjects was strong and deep.
How to put a baby to bed
Now, when the baby is already starting to doze, he can be put to bed, where a sleeping bag is waiting for him.
You can also put the baby on its side, while placing rollers from a folded flannel diaper under its sides on both sides so that the baby cannot roll over onto his stomach. If the baby lies on the tummy, the risk of sudden death is much higher. At three months, the child will begin to roll over on his own in a position that is convenient for him.
So, put one hand under the baby's head and neck, with the other hand support your back. Gently and slowly lower the baby and put it in the crib.
Release the hand that supported the back, then, slightly lifting the baby's head with it, release the other hand. Do not pull it out too quickly, with a jerk, so that the head, having lost support, does not fall back.
Mom's lessons. How to help your child develop
Already on the 3rd week after birth, the newborn, on the basis of unconditioned reflexes, begins to form conditioned reflexes that contribute to his adaptation to the world around him. The baby is ready for "learning".
Starting from the first days of a child's life, adults caring for him should help the baby develop. At the same time, it is important to promote the development of precisely those organs and systems that are not yet sufficiently developed in a newborn. And this is, first of all, vision, hearing and muscle feeling, which is closely related to the intellectual and physical development of the child.
vision development
Features of the vision of a newborn
Newborns do not see everything upside down, as previously thought, but their visual acuity is much lower than that of an adult. And this means that the baby, awake, needs very good lighting to study the world around him.
The baby is born farsighted. However, he does not see objects that are located further than 1 m from his eyes (only by 3 months this distance increases to 2-3 m). Toys located closer than 15 cm also remain invisible to him. And even those objects that are at the optimal distance for him - 25-30 cm, he sees indistinctly.
The child sees the world in color. But the defining factor for him is still not color, but contrast. At first, he is interested exclusively in high-contrast subjects, especially the combination of black and white. The simpler the drawing, the better. The child will love large stripes, squares and circles, black on white or white on black.
The field of view of the child is also not sufficiently developed, therefore, if the father is standing behind the mother or somewhere on the side of the newborn, the child does not see him and does not perceive him.
From the middle of the first month of life, the child is already able to fix his gaze at a distance of 20 cm or more. The look of a newborn may be attracted by some bright and large toy in his field of vision, or by any light source.
We teach the baby to fix the look
Take a bright toy. Slowly and gradually bring it closer to the eyes of the crumbs at a distance of at least 20 cm from them, ensuring that the child notices her and fixes his gaze on her. After making sure that this goal is achieved, and after that, begin to slowly move this toy from side to side,
and by the end of the first month of life also up and down. The kid himself, tired, will take his eyes off her.
Arrange tours of the apartment, holding the child in your arms. Tell him everything you see and show him. If you notice that the baby has fixed his eyes on this object, do not distract his attention with something else until he himself wants to be distracted.
Developing color vision
For the development of color vision, experts recommend hanging a multi-colored garland in front of the child at a distance of approximately 30 cm, the elements of which should be quite large, and the colors should be arranged taking into account the peculiarities of the newborn's vision. It is best to place red elements in the center, after red, orange or yellow should be placed and only then green, and blue around the edges.
In recent years, a variety of mobiles have appeared that are hung over the baby's bed. The bright toys that make up them help to attract the attention of the child. These mobiles are not only able to develop vision, but also hearing, if they have ringing metal tubes that make melodic sounds during the movement of the mobile.
Helpful hints
Mom's face is the most favorite object to study in a newborn baby. Eyes and lips clearly stand out against the general background and create the necessary contrast. In addition, such interest is provided by nature: by imitating the expression of the mother's face, the baby develops his communication skills.
While you are busy in another room, let the newborn entertain a funny smiling face drawn in black felt-tip pen on a piece of white paper. The picture must be larger than 10 cm in diameter.
In addition, portrait black-and-white photographs of parents, grandparents, and other children can be used to stimulate visual skills.
Wear a striped sweater or a sweater with large polka dots more often.
You can make and wear bright beads from multi-colored large buttons, beads, flaps, ribbons. The beads will not only entertain him, but also teach him. Especially if you use not only different colors, but also different textures of fabrics. The fact is that a baby’s vision develops in close connection with touch, so smooth blue, rustling yellow and rough red will give him a lot of new impressions.
IMPORTANT!
To make it comfortable for the baby to get to know you, position yourself at a distance of 20-30 cm from his eyes and actively grimace: smile, frown, be surprised.
Development of the baby's auditory system
Features of the hearing of the newborn
The baby easily recognizes the voices of the parents that he heard before birth. In one experiment, newborns were given a recording of the voice of a mother reading nursery rhymes to them for the first time, and poems that the mother had read aloud during pregnancy. It turned out that the newborn child “learned” from all these verses exactly those that he heard while in the womb.
Having been born, the child immediately distinguishes sounds by tone and timbre. Moreover, it is easiest for him to distinguish high sounds. Many parents realize this and begin to talk to the baby in a high, squeaky voice that is completely uncharacteristic of adults.
In the first weeks of life, almost all newborn babies start at every unexpected sharp sound. Sometimes, to the great chagrin of the mother, the reason for this is her own voice. At the same time, the baby can tremble with his whole body, wave his arms, and begin to cry. This happens whether the baby is sleeping or awake, and does not mean that your baby is nervous or very excitable. Such a reaction is only proof that the baby hears well. By the way, in the same way, the baby reacts to bright light, the touch of cold hands. After all, newborns are very sensitive to external conditions.
If he flinches at the sound of your voice, it is only because he is afraid of the unexpected. To prevent this from happening, start talking with the baby from afar, gradually approaching him. Soon he will get used to the familiar sounds and stop reacting to them so sharply.
Newborns listen to the ticking of the clock, the rhythm of which reminds them of the beating of the mother's heart.
While still a fetus, your unborn child constantly and constantly heard some kind of noise - from the beating of the mother's heart to the peristalsis of her intestines. Therefore, in the first days after birth, the newborn does not need sound insulation. But one should not go to extremes. You should not create a permanent musical background in the apartment or drill walls in the presence of a small one. Loud, sharp noises can scare a child!
Already in the first month, the baby not only hears the sound, but also distinguishes all sounds in height, preferring meaningful speech to a set of words. He usually listens to your voice with pleasure. When you talk to him, he may freeze while listening to you. The child is able to find the source of the sound and track where it is being moved.
IMPORTANT!
Your careful attitude to the baby will determine whether he will become "nervous" or in a good sensitive way, a person who perceives the world around him.
How to develop a child's hearing
Speak softly to your little one at all times.
Include classical music and various children's songs for the newborn. Sing lullabies to your baby.
Holding the baby in your arms, dance with him to the tunes he knows.
Take a rattle with a melodious sound and, holding it at least 10 cm from the child's ear, play it with a sound, but only so as not to frighten the baby.
Teach your child to find the source of the sound. For this purpose, gently shake the rattle, which is not visible to him. Then increase the volume by shaking the rattle to the left and right of the baby. The child will soon realize that this sound is coming from somewhere from the side and will begin to look with his eyes for the source of the sound.
Music in the life of a newborn child
The newborn also distinguishes musical sounds. Scientists from the Institute of Pediatrics of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences have proven that classical music has the most beneficial effect on babies. It even changes the enzymatic activity of cells! For example, it is best for sluggish sucking newborns to include melodies in the “allegro” tempo from the works of Mozart, Haydn, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, Schubert, and for easily excitable ones - in the “adagio” tempo from the works of the same composers.
Rock music is absolutely not suitable for newborns. The child may even be frightened of her, as well as other sharp sounds, such as a vacuum cleaner or a loud ringing phone.
Thanks to classical music, your baby not only improves his mood, but creates a positive attitude to everything that happens around him.
Babies enjoy listening to the music of Mozart and Tchaikovsky, Chopin and Prokofiev, Grieg and Strauss. They are fascinated by waltzes and sonatas. During pregnancy, you already listened to classical music with your unborn child, which you both liked. Keep doing this now.
Music specially adapted for kids is also well suited. As well as songs from fairy tales and cartoons.
Watch your child's reaction. If the baby looks in the direction of the sound source, waves its arms and legs, hums, or even manages to shake the rattle to the beat, then everything is in order. If the baby does not like the music or he feels the sound is very loud, then the baby begins to move randomly and even cry, trying to move away from the sound source.
Do not forget that the child loves very much when his mother sings lullabies to him. He calms down and falls asleep.
IMPORTANT!
At the first sign of dissatisfaction of the child, listening to music must be stopped, then allowing him to listen only to melodies that cause him a positive attitude.
Toys
The Importance of Toys and Play for an Infant
Thanks to play activities and various toys, the baby not only develops, but also improves his development.
Toys help children from the first year of life to receive visual, sound, tactile information and get to know the world around them.
An infant who is not played with and who does not have a variety of toys, despite breastfeeding and high standards of care, is unlikely to lead a full life. In addition, a child born completely healthy may even experience a delay in neuropsychic and sometimes physical development!
IMPORTANT!
In the first months of life, and especially during the neonatal period, the infant must learn to concentrate his attention on the objects in his field of vision and the sounds available to him. You can help him with this by using the various toys needed to develop these skills.
Toys for baby from 0 to 3 months
Cuff toys (when the baby moves with his hands, they remind him of themselves with melodious sounds);
Large bright toys with big eyes - little men, animals, cars, etc. (it's good if, moreover, these eyes move);
Rattles with handles and rings for hanging (they should be of different colors and different shapes);
Toys with melodic sound;
Mechanical carousel with various toys;
Tumblers;
Various dolls with large expressive eyes (dolls must be over 40 cm).
IMPORTANT!
Remember that in the first 10 days of a child's life, the functions of toys (fun and entertainment) for him are performed by your hands and your face.
A child of the first months of life with pleasure for a long time looks at baby dolls and tumblers, as well as various animals with big eyes. Moreover, the more these toys will make some sounds, the longer he will pay attention to them. And even without playing with toys, but only looking at them, the baby feels positive emotions. He even tries to smile at them!
Helpful hints
In the first year of life, the baby discovers aesthetic sensations primarily through toys.
From the very beginning, toys should be beautiful, bright, contrasting in colors. For example, color combinations such as yellow and red, green and orange, white and blue will help the baby to concentrate, activate the work of visual analyzers in color perception.
It is important that the toys are of different textures (silk, fur, wood, plastic). When the baby feels them, his brain work, fine motor skills are stimulated, and thus sensory sensations develop.
Baby Achievements
What can a child do by the end of the 1st month:
The kid notices bright objects, he can distinguish some colors, ornaments, patterns;
The child can copy the simplest movements of adults: pull out the lips, stick out the tongue;
Notices a light source and a ring moving from the side in the direction of his gaze; follows the object with the eyes - the maximum angle of tracking movements is 45 °.
The child can fix his gaze on a human face bent over him, mainly on the eyes;
The child can focus his gaze on a stationary object and with its smooth movement;
He flinches or blinks when he hears a sharp sound, tries to listen to what is happening around;
He starts to walk;
The first smile appears;
Lying on his stomach, the baby can hold his head upright for a few seconds;
The body is mostly in a bent position;
In the position on the back, involuntarily brings the hand to the mouth;
The resistance to opening the fist is stronger from the side of the little finger;
The kid stretches, tries to push off with his feet and crawl;
From birth to 2 months, the baby sleeps about 20 hours a day;
The child can make various micro-movements and make various sounds in time with the speaker's speech ("synchronous interaction").
weight gain
During the first month of life, the average weight gain for your child is 600-650 grams. And at the end of the neonatal period, a healthy full-term baby weighs approximately 3800-4000 g.
What should alarm you
The baby does not respond to sharp sounds;
Sleeps a little (is awake between 2-3 feedings) or, conversely, a lot (when you have to wake him up to feed him);
Poor eating (does not eat up the required amount of food);
In an upright position, he cannot hold his head for a moment;
Does not follow the movements of the light source (electric flashlight, candle) to the right and left:
Does not look into the eyes of an adult leaning towards him;
Does not scream at discomfort (for example, before feeding, when he wants to eat);
Does not stop crying when mom puts him to her chest or cuddles him.
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The first year of a child's life month by monthSecond month
After 9 months of waiting, the mother finally meets her baby and takes him in her arms. For the first four weeks of life, a child is considered a newborn. This is a period of adaptation and getting used to new conditions for both the baby and his parents. During this seemingly short period, significant changes occur with the baby. It’s good when dad and mom have an idea about the developmental features of a newborn child by weeks and are ready to provide him with the necessary conditions for successful adaptation.
The first four weeks of a child's life
The first week will be rather poor in events. The baby will sleep a lot. The task of this period is to try to establish a regimen of feeding, sleep and wakefulness.
- Stage features. The baby is born with already innate search and sucking reflexes. These functions inherent in nature allow the newborn to receive food in the first minutes of life. If you stroke the corner of the baby's mouth, he will immediately turn his head in the direction of touch and open his mouth in search of "food" (breast or bottle). This is a search reflex. The baby's sucking reflex begins to develop as early as the 32nd week of intrauterine life, and by the 36th week it is already fully developed.
In the first day after birth, the child loses the weight established at birth. This is not scary, and is due to the fact that the baby is cleared of intrauterine fluid, which, among other things, filled it. Usually, by the end of the first week, the newborn regains the weight that was lost in the first few days.
During childbirth, the baby's head may be slightly deformed from passing through the birth canal. Within a few days, it should straighten out and take a rounded shape.
In order for the baby's head to easily pass through the birth canal, his skull has two soft spots called fontanelles. Normally, by the year they are overgrown with dense bone tissue.
The end of the umbilical cord will still be attached for some time. It is advisable to keep this area dry and be sure to treat with antiseptic agents as prescribed by the doctor.
The first walk could be as early as this week. For this purpose, a quiet, calm place in the fresh air is better suited.
- Physical development. Most of the time a newborn baby spends in a dream. Every 3-4 hours he wakes up to eat, then goes back to sleep until the next feeding. In a short period of wakefulness in an infant, chaotic and inconsistent movements of the limbs can be noticed. This is normal, the child is not yet able to control the movements of his arms and legs, they can even scare him.
From the third day, the newborn shows a crawling reflex. If you put it on the tummy, then the baby will begin to depict crawling movements. If a support is attached to the feet of a baby lying in such a position, then the child will reflexively push off from it, crawling more actively. Normally, this reflex disappears by 3-4 months.
- Psychosocial development. In the first week of life, the child can already distinguish sounds and voices. He turns his head in the direction of the noise, may be frightened by a sharp knock or a loud scream.
Vision is still blurry. But babies already in the first week recognize the human face well. Only a born child is able to clearly see his mother holding him in her arms.
Development of the newborn of the second week
- Physical development. By the end of this week, the movements of the baby become smoother compared to the first days. During the moments of wakefulness, the child actively stretches out his arms and legs. If you take the baby by the armpits and let the legs touch a hard surface, then he will straighten up and will “stand” on half-bent legs. This is an innate support reflex. If the child is tilted slightly forward, then he will take a few steps - reflex walking. These skills are physiological (normal) up to a month and a half, then they fade away. The presence of reflexes is an indicator of the healthy development of the baby, if after three months they continue to persist, there may be a disorder of the nervous system.
Another vital innate instinct is the upper defensive reflex. Having still rather weak neck muscles, a newborn baby, lying on his stomach, tries to raise his head with swaying movements, turning it from side to side. Thus, the baby reflexively creates conditions for free access of air to the nasopharynx. In other words, being in a face down position, a newborn baby instinctively saves himself from suffocation.
- The development of perception. Newborns are very sensitive to bright light, so their pupils remain constricted. This is how nature restricts light from reaching the baby's eyes.
Vision of a newborn
The pupils begin to increase approximately two weeks after birth, then the babies begin to distinguish between light and dark shades.
In moments of longer wakefulness, the baby gradually begins to explore the world around him. A two-week-old baby is already able to see and recognize black and white images, shapes. The development of perception can be stimulated by offering the newborn to consider, for example, bright patterns on fabrics or wallpaper.
- Psychosocial development. In the second week of life, the period of wakefulness of the baby becomes longer. The child begins to communicate. When a feeling of hunger or other discomfort appears, the baby signals this by crying. If the needs of the baby are satisfied, then he is calm.
At two weeks, the baby can already distinguish between the mother's voice and the voice of a stranger.
Development of the newborn of the third week
- period features. It happens that a crying child is not comforted by anything. The incessant screams can last up to three hours. Usually the reason for this is colic associated with the adaptation of the baby's gastrointestinal tract. Not all newborn children develop the digestive system painfully. Only about 15-20% of babies experience tummy discomfort. Usually, the first signs of colic appear just at the beginning of the third week of a baby's life, they peak at six weeks and by three months they stop.
- Physical development. The child has better control over his body. The movements of his arms and legs become less abrupt. If you put the baby on his tummy, he will slightly raise his head.
From birth, the baby has a grasping reflex. Every week it gets better and better. If you put a finger or some object inside the baby's palm, he should grab it. The baby cannot yet grab an object located outside his palm, since the coordination of his hands and eyes is not fully developed. Gradually, by six months, this skill will also develop.
- Psychosocial development. In the first two weeks of a baby's life, a mother may notice that her cries and cries differ depending on her basic needs. If the mother learns to recognize these signals over time, then the episodes of daily crying can be significantly reduced.
At three weeks, the baby can already follow moving objects. For him, complex forms are more attractive than simple ones. You can train the baby's visual muscles by slowly moving an object in front of his eyes - the child will follow his movement with interest.
4th week newborn development
- Stage features. At the beginning of the fourth week, a rash may appear on the baby's face. In most cases, it is physiological, and passes after some time without any intervention.
Hair covering the shoulders and back of a newborn
Fine hairs that cover the shoulders and back of the newborn from birth will begin to disappear by the end of the week.
- Psychosocial development. The first conscious smile will appear in the baby by the end of the first month. If earlier a smile was an involuntary movement of facial muscles, now the baby smiles in response to a positive stimulus for him (mother's face, her voice, etc.).
A one-month-old baby already willingly makes emotional contact, becomes attached to the adults around him, recognizes familiar faces and reacts warily to unfamiliar ones. In the moments of wakefulness, it is already possible and necessary to communicate with him: tell something, smile at him, sing. This stimulates the emotional and social development of the infant.
- Physical development. At four weeks, the baby already grasps objects placed in his palm well. But hand-eye coordination is not yet sufficiently developed, so he is not yet able to pick up an object placed in front of his eyes. By the end of the first month, the neck muscles will get a little stronger, and the baby will not be able to hold his head for long.
- The development of perception. The child can maintain eye contact for a longer time, he is already following moving objects more closely. Black, white and bright colors are more attractive to his eyes.
The baby may enjoy looking at himself in the mirror. If you hang his children's counterpart to the crib, the baby will be able to watch himself. This will be a useful developmental tool.
Stages of development of a newborn, features of nursing in the first four weeks in the table
| First week | Second week | Third week | Fourth week | |
| What's special about this week | In the first days, the baby loses weight: swelling disappears, the intestines are cleansed. The rest of the umbilical cord will fall off by the end of the week. | The baby regains the weight it lost after birth. | There may be colic associated with the development of the digestive system. Because of this, the baby may wake up more often and cry more. | A frequent rash may appear on the face of the baby. It is physiological and will pass by itself. |
| Feeding | The child eats every 2-3 hours. If the baby is breastfed, then he may require the mother's breast more often, thus increasing the flow of breast milk. | When breastfeeding, the baby can receive food on demand. On average, 8-12 feedings can occur per day. A bottle-fed child has a stricter framework - 60–80 g every 2–3 hours. | A baby who eats mother's milk can regulate the frequency and duration of feeding himself. The baby on the mixture eats in the same volume until the end of the month. | The amount of breast milk a mother has is determined by the needs of the baby. The more the baby eats, the more milk is produced. |
| Dream | The baby sleeps 18-20 hours a day, waking up for feeding every 2-3 hours. Awakenings happen regardless of the time of day. | The daily sleep time of the baby is 16-18 hours. To maintain the round shape of the head, the baby should sleep not only on the back, but also on both sides. | You can gradually teach your baby to distinguish between the times of day: during the day - active and exciting wakefulness, at night - constant sleep. | The child develops a certain sleep pattern: usually 3 times a day, and somewhere around 8 hours of sleep at night, but still with interruptions. |
| Physical development | Movements are chaotic, involuntary. The first congenital motor reflexes appear (crawling, walking). | Movements become less abrupt. If you take a lying baby by the palms, he will reflexively begin to pull himself up slightly. | The movements are already smoother, but still involuntary. The grasping reflex continues to develop. Every week, the baby is getting better and better at holding his head. |
Finally, what you have been waiting for so long has happened: you have a baby!
Everything in this world is new and unknown to him. During first month of life , the baby will carefully study this world, get used to it and, of course, grow rapidly. During this time, babies are called newborns.
Probably every parent wants to know how to neonatal period what he should learn within a month, what he should react to, how he should eat and sleep.
Therefore, we invite you to find out more today about the development of the newborn by week .
Physiology of the newborn
Immediately after birth, the child's body begins to adapt to extrauterine life. His body is working hard: the circulatory system is changing, the endocrine and digestive systems begin to work differently , skin, intestines, respiratory tract get acquainted with new bacteria, the immune system is activated.
It is possible that in the first week of life, the baby will lose about 10% of its birth weight. This is quite natural, because a small organism is very tense. About 10 days after birth, the weight of the crumbs will begin to increase. During the first month of life, the child should gain about 500 g.
During the neonatal period (in the first 28 days of life) baby sleeps most of the time , about 20 hours a day he spends in a dream.
Reflexes of the child
Everything baby does during the neonatal period , adjustable . Availability basic reflexes It's a sign of your baby's health.
The main reflexes are sucking and grasping reflexes.
Tatyana Konstantinovna Znamenskaya, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, President of the Association of Neonatologists of Ukraine: “In the neonatal period, the baby has two main reflexes: grasping and sucking. It is these skills that help him grow and develop. Immediately after the birth of the baby, they lay it on the mother’s chest, and it is applied to the breast - this is a sucking reflex, due to which the child is saturated. If we give a finger to a child, he grabs it - this is a grasping reflex, thanks to which he can pull himself up. All other reflexes are also important, we also pay attention to them.
Also among the main reflexes can be noted:
- (if you put the child in a vertical position so that the feet touch, for example, the table, the baby will begin to straighten the legs to become, if the child is slightly tilted forward, he will begin to move his legs, imitating walking);
- crawling reflex (Baera) (if you put the baby on the tummy and put a little pressure on the feet, the baby will begin to move his legs, simulating crawling);
- proboscis reflex (if you easily touch the child's lips, he will stretch his lips in the form of a proboscis, this reflex is associated with the process of nutrition, like suckling);
- (if the baby is placed on the tummy, he will turn his head to the side, this movement allows the child to breathe while lying on his stomach);
- hand-mouth reflex (Babkina) (if you gently press your fingers on the child’s palms, he will open his mouth and turn his head towards you).
There are many other reflexes of newborns , which are just as important: the Moro reflex, Perez, the Galante reflex. Most of the reflexes of newborns fade or transform by the age of one, when the baby becomes conscious, and completely controlled movements replace the reflexes.
Development of the newborn by week
1 Week
- baby in the first week of life getting used to the new environment , every day his face expresses more and more emotions;
- the baby begins to gain weight;
- the baby urinates about 15 times a day, relieves a great need about 8 times;
- every day baby;
- while the child moves arms and legs spontaneously;
- child behavior regulated by unconditioned reflexes .
2 weeks
- the baby's stool becomes mushy, usually it has a yellow or greenish color;
- in the second week, the child gains about 150 grams;
- by the end of this week, the crumbs usually go away, hormonal crises and hematomas;
- at this time, the umbilical cord residue disappears, now the baby can bathe in regular tap water ;
- in the second week, the baby begins to be more awake.
All responsible and conscientious parents are worried about the proper development of their newborn baby, and therefore want to know what are the stages and norms for the development of children up to a year old. In this article - a detailed description of what should be the development of an infant by month. So, everyone will be able to observe their baby and compare whether he is developing properly, whether he is gaining weight correctly. The stages of development of a child up to a year by months will be given on the basis of general averages. But since all children are different and their development is individual, there may be differences from these norms. If serious concerns arise, you can always consult your pediatrician.
Evaluate the rate of development of a child up to a year for the following main indicators:
- child's height;
- child's weight;
- proportionality of body development (circumference of the head, chest);
- statistical functions of the child (movement);
- teething.
Baby development by month
After birth
At the time of birth, the baby's height is usually from 50 cm to 52 cm, weight 3-4 kg, head circumference 34-36 cm. Barely born, the baby can already hear and observe what is happening around. He has the basic reflexes of swallowing, sucking, blinking. During this period, he still does not control his body, therefore he does not know how to hold his head and roll over. And if you communicate with the baby, lying on the side, then he can automatically turn his head in your direction. Babies sleep a lot, more than twenty hours a day. However, he will never miss feeding hours. And during this period he eats every two to three hours.
One month
In the first month, your baby has grown a little and now his height can be from 53 cm to 54 cm. During this period, children can put on weight very well and gain more than 500 grams. Usually the weight can be 4.1-4.3 kg. Head circumference 36.6-37.3 cm. The baby will gain weight well if, while breastfeeding, the mother follows a moderate diet. During this period, the baby can hold his head upright for a very short time, for several seconds. He seems to be trying to lift her lying on his tummy. During this period of life, the baby can express his attitude to sudden movements or loud sounds, spreading his arms to the sides and again pressing them to himself, holding his hands in fists. You can watch his legs, which supposedly step over reflexively. A baby of one month remembers the smell of his mother, by which he recognizes her.
Two month
In the second month of life, an infant's height can vary from 56 cm to 58 cm, and weight from 5.0 kg to 5.3 kg. The volume of the head is 38.4-39.0 cm. At this stage of development of a child up to a year old, the baby already holds his head in an upright position for about a minute and a half. And when he lies on his tummy, he raises his head and chest. He easily turns his head to the interlocutor and recognizes the voices of those who often communicate with him. It is important to address the child in a friendly tone. The baby especially likes bright objects, he can grab them with his palm and hold them tightly. From the second month, children are open to receiving information, so right now you can start reading fairy tales.
Three months
In the third month, the developmental norms for children up to a year are as follows: height 59-61 cm, weight 6.0-6.3 kg, head volume 40.0-40.9 cm. At this stage, the baby can hold his head well for 5 minutes, while in a vertical position. When the little one lies on his tummy, he tries to lean on his elbows. He already has better control of his body and can roll over from his back to his side. During this period, children become more active and observant. The baby watches moving objects, pulls a diaper, a toy, pulls his fingers into his mouth. More and more he needs to communicate, he walks for a long time, loves when they play with him.
Suddenly, you may hear the first “aha” from the child. The kid is more emotional and can express joy, smile during the game. Sleep and wake patterns change slightly. Night sleep becomes longer and daytime shorter. During this period, the baby needs more time to be in the fresh air. It is not necessary to warm the child much during a walk, but make sure that he does not freeze.
Four months
Physical development of the child of the fourth month of life. At this stage, the baby's height is 62-64 cm, weight is from 6.5 kg to 7.0 kg, head circumference is 41.0-41.9 cm. Now the baby can raise his head while lying on his back, easily roll over. Being in a vertical position, it rests on the legs. When lying on his tummy, he leans on his palms and watches for objects that move. The baby is able to grab and hold small objects during this period. Now you can entertain him with rattles that he wants to put in his mouth. At this stage, the child's short-term memory works well, so repeat the same nursery rhymes to him and over time you will see that he recognizes them.
Breastfed babies in their fourth month of life go through a lactation crisis and may suddenly refuse it. At this stage of physical development, the baby begins to realize himself as a person separate from his mother.
Five months
At the fifth month of life, the baby's height is 64-68 cm, weight is 7.4-7.8 kg, and the head circumference is 42.2-43.2 cm. The baby may not be half-sitting for long. If you hold it under the handles, it will rest well on the legs. Now your baby recognizes acquaintances and distinguishes them from strangers, and therefore reluctantly goes into their arms. The baby distinguishes the intonation and tone of the mother's voice. You can teach colors with your child and show objects of different shapes. From the age of five months, you can try to introduce complementary foods. If the baby does not like some puree, then replace it with another.
Six months
At six months, your baby has already grown quite well. Its height varies from 66 cm to 70 cm, weight 7.7-8.0 kg, head circumference 43.2-44.2 cm. At this stage of development of a child up to a year old, the baby can sit independently and evenly. Can easily roll over from tummy to back. He seems to be trying to step over with his legs, imitating walking. You may notice his desire to crawl on all fours. Playing with rattles, the baby knows how to rearrange them from hand to hand, swing, and pick up fallen toys. Kids love to play peek-a-boo with their parents. The baby stretches out his arms for you to pick him up.
It is at six months that you can hear the long-awaited “ma-ma” or “ba-ba”. Also during this period, you can rejoice at the appearance of the baby's first tooth. Usually at the age of six to seven months, the lower incisors erupt. At this stage, you can try to deal with the child according to the method of Glen Doman.
Seven months
At seven months, height is 68-71 cm. Weight 8.3-8.9 kg, and head volume 44.0-44.8 cm. The baby sits perfectly, keeping his back straight. Crawls freely, knows how to bend over and straighten up when sitting, examines himself in the mirror. During this period, he notices large objects that you call him. You can start drawing with your child. He happily begins to repeat what adults do. Shows interest in games with food.
Eight months
At the eighth month of life, the child's height is 70-72 cm, weight 8.5-9.5 kg, head circumference 44.3-45.4 cm. The child learns to clap his hands, get up and sit down himself. Tries to walk holding hands. On the baby's face, you can notice different emotions from surprise to joy. The child may be persistent, wanting to take exactly the item that he wants. Tries to throw rattles and tap them against each other. During this period of development, the upper central incisors begin to appear in the child. From eight months, you can begin to learn letters and numbers, as well as simple rhymes. Explain to your child what sounds different animals make. Teach your child to dance.
Nine month
In the ninth month of a child's development up to a year, his height can be 71-73 cm, weight 9.3-9.9 kg, head circumference 46.7-47.9 cm. The child rises freely from a sitting position and moves around holding on to a support. For a while, he can sit and play with cubes himself, collect small parts, a pyramid. Now he remembers their names. A kid at this age remembers his name and responds. At this stage, children distinguish colors, shapes of objects. You can ask him to perform simple tasks: wave bye, give a pen. Now he understands the meaning of the words: give, go, on, drop. At the age of nine to eleven months, the upper lateral incisors appear. Since the child tries to imitate his parents in everything, then teach him to hold a spoon and brush his teeth.
ten months
At the tenth month of the child's physical development, his height can be 72-74 cm, weight 9.5-10.4 kg, head volume 45.6-46.6 cm. The baby can rise and stand independently without help and support. Can walk holding hands or in a walker. The kid knows how to repeat the movements of adults, as well as complex movements to open-close, hide, pick up. During this period, you can hear simple words and easy names of animals from the child. The child can already try to feed, for example, an apple, a doll, rock her to sleep. However, the baby does not yet understand that it is possible to feed a toy hedgehog, and not just a doll. It is important for adults to show different options for similar actions so that children learn to find the relationship and remember it. Indeed, at this stage of development of the child, his brain works incredibly powerfully, which we cannot understand.
eleven months
At eleven months, a child can be 73-75 cm, weight 9.8-10.5 kg, head circumference 46.0-46.9 cm. From movements - the child easily sits down, gets up, walks with support. The kid understands well what the parts of the body are called and can show them to you. Also shows other objects and toys. If he doesn't feel like something, he shakes his head. During this period, children are very fond of tearing paper, sorting out small objects. From eleven months to a year, lower lateral incisors appear in a child.
Twelve months
At twelve months of life in the first year, the height of the child is 74-76 cm, weight 10.1-10.7 kg, head circumference 46.0-47.2 cm. Your baby already walks by himself, goes to the call, bends down to take the object , gives toys on request, opens the door. He is involved in the simple affairs of dressing, washing, brushing his teeth. There are about ten words in his arsenal. Likes to play with moving, musical toys. After a year, children gradually appear first the upper molars, then the lower molars, and later the upper and lower canines.
Parents should not forget that the level of physical development of a child up to a year may differ from the above indicators. And this can be influenced by factors such as genetic characteristics, social conditions. For example, if everyone in the family of the parents started walking late, then perhaps their baby will also not be able to walk freely on his own at 11-12 months. The same can happen with the appearance of milk teeth. Not all children have them at six months. For some, they appear after a year, and someone is born already with teeth.
Pediatricians give many useful tips for the proper physical development of children. Some of them are moderate physical activity, massages, hardening of children.
In addition to physical health, parents need to pay attention to the emotional and mental development of the baby. After all, it will depend on how balanced and mature the child will be when he grows up. And since children are our future, it is worth remembering that our future will literally depend on our efforts. First of all, your own. So let your child develop correctly and harmoniously!
In this article:
There is a happy addition to your family: a baby was born. All the difficulties of the birth period are over, and now the happy mother is holding her precious bundle of happiness in her arms. With cloudy gray or blue eyes, the baby looks into space, not yet realizing that he was born into the world. Now the most important thing for him is to be with his mother, to feel her, to hear her voice, to know the smell. So the child feels safe.
First minutes together
Newborn babies are like small flower buds: they seem to be compressed into a tight fist on a pedicel, but tomorrow you will see a lot of changes. The skin of the baby is smoothed literally by the hour, it acquires a normal color, the face becomes prettier, and the child seems to begin to focus on his mother's face.
Discharge and arrival home
After giving birth, mother and baby remain in the postpartum ward for several days under the supervision of doctors. Mom receives the necessary instruction on handling the child, learns to swaddle, wash and process the navel, ears, nose. After discharge, mother and baby are left alone. Yes, often older relatives and close friends rush to the rescue 
young mother.
However, in many cases, a woman wakes up after childbirth maternal instinct, which can be compared with an animal. Mommy is not happy with the guests, she is annoyed by advice, she has a feeling of discomfort, even from the really sincere help of the child’s grandmother. This is the normal behavior of a healthy woman who has given birth. Therefore, it is better for friends and relatives to arrange a possible visit in advance.
Mom devotes all her time to caring for the baby. He looks at him, takes care of him, enjoys every minute spent together. And the baby, capturing the positive vibes of the mother, begins its development.
The first week of life: how the baby should behave
The first week of life is adaptation. Now the main things for the little man are good food and sleep. The baby may suddenly start crying and calms down just as quickly. There are a number of legitimate reasons for this.
Taking the baby in her arms, the mother intuitively begins to guess why her child is crying. How such mutual understanding occurs remains a mystery to science. It is generally accepted that instinct is based on a common DNA linking all living chromosomes.
Second week: what's new?
In the second week, adaptation to ambient temperature, air, smells comes to an end. The baby begins to be more active in the crib. He develops a focus of his gaze, and he can look at his mother's and father's faces for several minutes. To awareness 
visual communication came to him as soon as possible, you need to smile in response to your child, speak kind words.
The sucking reflex is confirmed. The child sees the breast and is already aware that this is his "plate of delicious food." Often a week-old baby can suckle and nap at the same time - this is a healthy skill. At such moments, your baby is especially good. At the end of the first week, you will notice that your baby is lying and just blinking, looking at a chandelier, a carousel in a lullaby or a curtain.
Three weeks of proper child development
At three weeks, the child begins to be interested in absolutely everything that happens around him. If you flip it to 
tummy, he will raise his head for a short time to see what is happening right in front of him. The chaotic movements of the limbs are replaced by successive ones, and the baby realizes that his own hands are in front of him. At the moment, the child has already remembered his mother's smell and basic outlines, he knows that there is a father and several other close people (grandmother, grandfather), but with a change in mother's hairstyle or a change in perfume, an association problem may arise, and the child does not recognize a relative.
What should a baby be able to do by the first month of life?
In the first month of life, a child learns to laugh, focus on relatives, and reach out to mom and dad. In the 4th week, you increasingly hear how the baby “hums”, and see how he reaches out to meet you consciously and with joy. By this time, many children begin to laugh excitedly and squeal, expressing their emotions. The kid is interested in sounds, reacts to a smile, listens to fairy tales and songs.
Further development of the child by weeks to a year
After the first month of life, your little "flower bud" is strong and ready to bloom, showing itself from new sides. Changes come daily, delighting 
parents discoveries.
In the 5th week, the baby increasingly raises his head in curiosity and perseverance. He gets bored just lying in bed. It requires mother's and father's hands. Lying on his stomach longer and longer with his head up, he can begin to sing the drawn-out "uh-huh-ayy." Laughter and squealing in the house is heard more and more often and speaks of the good mood of your baby. If for some reason the child does not do any of the above, then he will start doing it next week. Remember the individual development of each child and do not forget about monthly trips to the local doctor who keeps your baby's health card.
6th week
In the sixth week, the child will show you the readiness to explore the world. You will notice crawling-like movements. Very soon, your little one will move around the house on his knees. But while he looks like a little frog, making his little way with the help of funny movements of his legs and 
body.
A child at the 6th week knows how to sing along to his favorite melody, squeals if he sees a bright picture - he likes it. Even though your little one often looks pleased at the sight of the TV or the sound of music, don't get carried away with these procedures. Now the child gets tired very quickly. Sometimes he himself does not understand that it is time for him to sleep - whims begin, arching his back, refusing to eat. In such cases, the child must be distracted by affectionate mother's words, washed, caressed and covered with a soft blanket. After a short sleep, the baby will return to normal.
7th week
During this period, children's fists are unclenched, and the child begins to show you his hands. In addition, he enjoys demonstrating the exact hit of “pallets” and the capture of his favorite toy. By three months, the child is able to roll over from side to side and even on his stomach. 
The crawling reflex develops very dynamically - leaving the baby alone on the bed is no longer recommended. The concept of the distance from the edge of the sofa to the floor has not yet been formed, but the skills of falling can easily be acquired if you overlook the child.
The kid speaks to you with intonations: he cries if he is uncomfortable or hurt, laughs if he is in a playful mood, sings his songs “agululu” if he is in a state of comfort.
8th week
Weeks in childcare fly by like a couple of days. Before you realize the importance of parental care, your little son or tiny daughter has already realized that you are their parents, and not the aunt who came with a big gift in her hands. The child remembers the voices of relatives and knows what they look like. He continues to strive for crawling, grabbing toys. This week he begins to be interested in rattling dishes, colored rattles.
9th week
The salivary glands begin to work intensively. Getting ready for the first teeth. The kid gets acquainted with the world around him by trying on 
the taste of everything that falls into his little fist. Including the cam itself at the moment has the amazing property of being in the mouth of a young researcher every now and then. The first tooth does not necessarily appear exactly at the 9th week. There are children already born with milk teeth, and there are those whose teeth begin to break through at 7-9 months of age. But abundant salivation is a 100% sign of the imminent appearance of the first teeth.
10th week
By 3 months, the child is already aware of the usefulness of communication. With pleasure "guts", "sings", communicates with people. Asks for handles, requires attention. His movements become meaningful, not spontaneous. You can see how he smoothly sorts through the toys in his hands, looking at them from all sides, and puts objects in his mouth less often.
11th week
Now the child not only holds the head, but also rises to the chest. Its support is the elbows and open palms. The baby crawls on the sheets and on the floor with pleasure, but not for long. His bones, muscles, joints are strengthened. Now you can keep your baby upright more often.
12th week
Having reached the age of three months, the little prince or princess of your parental heart enters into full-fledged thinking members of the family. Yes, the first reasonable conversations are still far away, but intonation, gestures and 
facial expressions unmistakably let you know what your child wants.
Crawling around the house gradually turns into a race in a circle. The arena becomes relevant. At 3 months, the child is able to independently lift the bottle with the nipple and consume food. The development of thinking makes adjustments to the desire to communicate, and the child becomes somewhat wary of strangers. The same can be said about unfamiliar places where the baby can get accompanied by his parents.
4 months
At the age of four months, the consolidation of all skills and the gradual development of new ones begin. In one week, there are small shifts in development. This does not mean that development itself stops. 
Or your child has some kind of abnormality.
It's just that the baby is growing up, and his elementary skills that need to be reinforced open up new opportunities for him, more than just beating toys against each other. Soon the baby will understand that monotonous blows are boring, and he will want to collect and lay out other toys, open boxes, play with his reflection, etc. But for this, he needs to prepare and consolidate everything that he has learned, having lived on earth for only 3 months.
5-6 months
The baby is moving into a new phase - let's call it vertical. The bones and joints of the child were strong enough for him to begin his own training in getting up on both legs. To do this, he needs a floor or a bed and any improvised stable 
thing.
Using a support located above his sitting position, the baby begins to pull himself up and takes up a vertical position. Such actions can begin at 7-8 months. It may also happen that it is your baby who does not want to crawl at all, but at 8 months he will already go without support. If there is a lack of development, it will definitely be seen by the local pediatrician, to whom you are obliged to regularly take the child up to 12 months and after as prescribed.
From half a year to a year
During the first six months, your child gradually turns into a small demanding man, similar to a fairy-tale elf. His funny voice expresses discontent and preferences in an incomprehensible language. He enjoys hitting a toy piano with his fingers, making magical melodies of a little genius. The child can pick up a pencil and begin to drive zigzags and circles on the sheet. He really likes to wield different bright pencils.
He can crawl through 
home and afterwards, with rapture and giggles, “tell” about your little - big trip. The child handles the drinker well, sits in the stroller for a walk. His sleep is reduced to one full meal a day, or sometimes two short rests. In jerky sounds, you can hear infrequent "mom, dad, give." Whether these words are meaningful or not, frankly speaking, no one can prove, but it is during this period that they sound most touching.
The child does not know how to talk, but he understands his native speech perfectly and can pay attention to objects that adults are talking about. Development allows the child to independently learn to walk and memorize short words. By the turn of the 12th month, it becomes clear that it is better to go to the toilet, and not in panties, that you need to eat from a spoon, that pets are friends. In other words, during the first year of life, a child settles into his own world and is already preparing to take a step towards conscious communication with his peers.
How noticeable is the development from week to year?
For the first 3 months, you can notice changes in your baby every day. The development of elementary skills is quite fast. In one day, a child can acquire up to 3 skills and consolidate them in the next day. After three months, obvious changes can be noticed with a difference of a week to two, when the baby's head begins to be constantly raised, when he tries to crawl away from you, when he pulls a toy into his mouth - everything happens a little slower, as the child's actions become more complex and more conscious. In the following months, when the child reaches the age of six months, the child acquires even more complex skills. He has a desire to learn to walk, eat on his own, communicate with relatives.
If the development of the child does not quite meet these standards, this is not a reason to worry about his health. Most likely, the environment and genetic factors play a role here.If by 6 months the child does not yet have teeth, this is not a retarded development. If your baby refuses to crawl - this also does not mean poor development of the child. The main thing is to seek advice from a specialist in time. Even if you are completely sure that everything is fine with you, you need to write down all the positive indicators in the child’s card for a convenient comparison of his growth and development in the future.
