A baby’s first year is a very exciting and reverent period. But along with joyful emotions and happy moments, parents also experience anxious feelings. Is the child developing correctly? Does it fit into the age norms? These worries can ruin the first year of parenthood. Therefore, it is important to know how the baby is developing up to a year, and what you need to pay attention to.
1 month
After birth there is a period of adjustment. The baby – to the environment, the parents – to their new status and responsibilities, get acquainted with the baby. In the first month, the infant sleeps practically all the time, and he eats during the breaks. His movements are chaotic, and he focuses his eyes very poorly. By the end of the first month, facial features appear and swelling passes. The baby begins to recognize his mother by smell and voice.
During this period it is important to talk to your baby in a calm tone or sing songs. For your baby to develop well, he needs tactile contact very much.
2 month
During this period, the baby’s activity increases, daytime sleep decreases, and he reacts to sounds: turns his head, walks, and has sucking reflexes.
For your baby’s development it is important to talk to him a lot and give him tactile contact. You can put a mobile in the crib so that the baby learns to observe objects.
3 month
Parents begin to notice the baby’s new skills: he holds his head well, begins to turn over on his side, sleep time decreases. The child pulls into his mouth everything in his hands, the grip reflex is actively developing.
The baby uses crying to demand attention and show his or her feelings. He begins to recognize his relatives and smiles at them. At this age, it is advised to buy a developmental mat, small toys and rattles. You can tell him simple short stories, imitating the sounds of animals and changing the emotional coloring depending on the storyline.
According to American research, the first 1,000 days from conception to the end of the second year of life is an important period that affects the rest of life. For the fetus to develop fully, the mother must have a proper prenatal diet, and after birth – exclusively breastfeeding the baby for the first 6 months, if there are no contraindications, after that – adequate complementary feeding.
The child is totally dependent on the care of adults, so it is extremely important to create a favorable and friendly environment, necessary for the development of strong bonds with caregivers, laying the foundation for a full and healthy growth.
4 months
The baby begins to understand speech addressed to him or her and reacts to the words of others. He turns over on his sides and back more and more easily, crawls on his stomach, and picks up objects consciously.
The baby begins to respond to his name, babbling the first sounds, there are favorite toys. The baby begins to listen to music, so you should buy toys with sound effects, rotating or vibrating.
5-6 months
The child is already beginning to sit up, can try to crawl, and has abundant salivation due to teething. It is advised to introduce complementary food – at this age the body is ready to get acquainted with new food.
The child is very active and enthusiastic about everything. Communication skills develop, the child is happy with loved ones and wary of strangers, habits and rituals appear.
At this age it is important to offer toys for the development of fine motor skills: sorters, coarse lacing, fascias, pyramids. Make sure that there are no small parts, because a child can swallow them or stick them up his nose.
7-8 month
At this age, babies begin to consciously imitate their parents and other adults around them. The child already sits confidently, tries to stand up, crawls, and is constantly curious about food and drinks from the common table.
The baby distinguishes many objects, recognizes people, and shows interest in different toys. You can already start to learn with him the names of animals and the sounds they make.
9 -11 months
Many babies are already beginning to walk by holding the adult’s hand. Their teeth are erupting, so more and more solid food is in their diet. The child’s behavior becomes more and more conscious, he understands what he wants and learns to achieve it.
The child becomes interested in other children, he fulfills simple requests, shows the first care for his mother. At this age, you need to offer your baby books with bright pages, cards with animals, fruits and vegetables, toys. Clearly and understandably for the baby to pronounce the names so that his vocabulary expands.
American scientists conducted a number of studies and came to the conclusion that peculiarities of intrauterine growth may be associated with diseases in adulthood, such as atherosclerosis or coronary heart disease. And subsequently, according to scientists at the Institute of Mother and Child in Warsaw, a strict vegetarian diet is not suitable for babies – for the full development of the child’s body must receive animal protein.
1 year
At the age of one, children are constantly on the move, they are actively exploring the world and interacting with others. The child adopts the habits and facial expressions of its parents and increasingly strives for independence. He understands the speech addressed to him and tries to express his thoughts.
At this age you can offer children different toys and creative games. The main thing is that there are no small parts. The child may already have his/her own preferences and favorite activities. It is important to develop its potential and direct the baby’s activity towards learning new skills. In a playful way, you need to show your child how the world works.
It is important for parents to remember that all norms are relative. A child can develop at his own pace. Only a specialist can assess his health after a comprehensive examination.
Used Sources
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- Nutrition in infancy and childhood. Giovannini M, Fiocchi A, Agostoni C, Riva E.Monogr Allergy. 1996;32:25-9.PMID: 8813179 Review. No abstract available.
- Maternal and child nutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa: challenges and interventions. Lartey A.Proc Nutr Soc. 2008 Feb;67(1):105-8. doi: 10.1017/S0029665108006083.PMID: 18234138 Review.
- The pediatrician’s role in the first thousand days of the child: the pursuit of healthy nutrition and development. Cunha AJ, Leite ÁJ, Almeida IS.J Pediatr (Rio J). 2015 Nov-Dec;91(6 Suppl 1):S44-51. doi: 10.1016/j.jped.2015.07.002. Epub 2015 Sep 6.PMID: 26351769 Review.
- Update on pediatric nutrition: breastfeeding, infant nutrition, and growth. Fulhan J, Collier S, Duggan C.Curr Opin Pediatr. 2003 Jun;15(3):323-32. doi: 10.1097/00008480-200306000-00017.PMID: 12806265 Review.
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