Newborn Development

Your Newborn's Development

Comfortably curled

Because he was curled up inside your uterus until recently, your newborn baby will probably look "scrunched up" for a while, with his arms and legs not fully extended. He may even appear bowlegged. Don't worry. He'll stretch out, little by little, and by the time he reaches his half birthday, he'll be fully unfurled! In the meantime, as he adjusts to life outside the warm, safe confines of your womb, he may enjoy being swaddled.

By the end of his first month, your baby may lift his head briefly -- and maybe turn it from side to side -- when he's lying on his stomach. Jerky movements give way to more fluid ones as his nervous system and muscle control mature. Still, your baby's primitive reflexes, such as sucking and chewing on his hands, remain dominant.
Ruled by hunger and sleep

Food is the most important thing in your newborn's life, with sleep running a close second. Most newborns will eat every two to three hours around the clock. Sleeping schedules are equally intermittent and quite variable from one infant to another. Most newborns sleep for a total of 16 to 17 hours in a 24-hour period, but that's usually broken up into eight or so naps. By the end of the first month your baby may have developed something of an eating and sleeping pattern. But don't count on it; you may not notice real regularity for months.
Crying is his main form of communication

Having undergone the trauma of birth, your baby is now trying to deal with an onrush of stimulation. You may not be able to detect much of a personality just yet, as he spends his time moving in and out of several different states of sleepiness, quiet alertness, and active alertness. Although the only way he knows to communicate is by crying, you can communicate with him through your voice and your touch. Most babies love to be held, caressed, kissed, stroked, massaged, and carried. He may even make an "ah" sound when he hears your voice or sees your face.
He only has eyes for you

Your baby's sight is still pretty fuzzy. And since his range of vision is just about 12 inches or so, he can see your face clearly only when you're holding him close. Studies show that newborns prefer human faces to all other patterns or colors. (High-contrast items, like a checkerboard, are next in line.) Give him plenty of opportunity to study your features by gazing at him from a close distance.
Learning begins immediately

You may notice short periods of time when your newborn is quiet and alert. This is prime time for learning. Use these intervals to get better acquainted with your child -- talk to him, sing to him, give him a tour of the pictures on the walls of your house. But if you try to interact with him and he doesn't seem receptive, don't insist. He may have gotten sleepy or moved into a state of active alertness (when he's working on new physical tricks).

Even this early, babies can recognize faces and gestures intuitively -- and sometimes even imitate them. Give your newborn a chance to imitate your facial expressions by putting your face close to his and sticking out your tongue or raising your eyebrows a few times. Repeat it. Then give him some time to mimic your gesture. Even if he doesn't copy you yet, he's keeping close tabs -- and learning.
Newborn play

Mobiles with high-contrast patterns and books with photos of babies' faces will captivate your newborn. So will his own reflection, so you may want to prop an unbreakable mirror next to him, or sit him in front of your mirror with you when you do your hair. A play gym with plenty of compelling things to watch, swipe at, and listen to will give your baby practice with arm, hand, and finger coordination skills — and make lying down less boring. In the first few months, he won't move his arms purposefully to reach for particular objects — this sort of movement comes later, in a couple of months.
Remember, your baby is an individual

Each baby is unique and meets physical milestones at his own pace. Developmental guidelines are just yardsticks of what your baby has the potential to accomplish — if not right now, then soon.

If your baby was born prematurely, keep in mind that he'll almost always need a bit more time before he can do the same things as other children his chronological age. That's why most preemies are given two ages by their pediatricians — their chronological age (calculated from their birthday) and their adjusted age (calculated from their due date). Doctors generally assess a preterm child's development from the time he should have been born and evaluate his skills accordingly.

If you have any questions at all about your baby's development, check with your practitioner.