Baby Care: First Year

Lesson 4: Stages: Growth and Development

Your baby grows and develops at his own rate. There is a wide variation in what is considered normal. During this first year, his brain grows to sixty or seventy percent of its adult weight. He learns mostly through seeing, hearing, and doing. In this lesson, we will discuss how you influence his development by providing an enriching environment and by responding appropriately to his needs. You help your baby learn by providing him with an environment that he can explore freely, by being dedicated to your own interests, by seeing the world through his eyes, and by encouraging him to be curious, play, and explore his interests.

When viewing growth and development charts, remember that your baby's progress from one stage to the next is more important than when he meets milestones. (See pages 410 to 413 in The Baby Book to view a development chart, and visit babycenter.com for more information on baby development.) Your baby's development is observed in four skill areas: gross motor, fine motor, language and social, and cognitive. His gross motor skills determine how he uses his large muscles. His fine motor skills determine how he uses his fingers and hands. This first year is his prelinguistic stage of language development. He learns to communicate by crying and making other sounds before he can say words, so by responding to his signals, you help him learn to talk. By interacting and playing with him, you help him develop social skills. His cognitive skills include his ability to think, reason, and solve problems.

Birth to Three Months

During these first three months, your baby pays a lot of attention to you. She studies your face and listens to your voice. Encourage her by making funny faces and funny noises, and by reading to her. Each day you see more of her personality emerging. By three months, she tracks objects well with her eyes. Try holding a toy about ten inches from her face and move it slowly from side to side and up and down. Try using a rattle or noisy toy to help her locate it. Her eyes may cross as she learns to focus. This is normal. Everything you do with your baby is an opportunity for play and learning. Sing to her while you change her diaper. Name her body parts while you bathe or massage her. All of her senses function well, but she can become overstimulated. Let her relax between different activities.

Your baby will grow and develop better if you hold her most of the time during this stage. Her place in your arms is her transition from her time spent in your womb. She is calmer and learns more when she is in your arms. Let her become part of your daily life. She is biologically compelled to be near you and to observe you to learn about being a human. If she is apart from you, she will cry to let you know that she is not where she belongs.

Monthly Milestones

Newborn to One Month: She lies with her limbs flexed close to her body and her hands fisted. She sucks reflexively, startles, and moves her arms and legs jerkily. She cries to communicate and grins in her sleep. She sees up to ten inches, and recognizes your voice. (See pages 416 to 425 in The Baby Book for more information on your baby's first month.)

Two Months: Her limbs begin to relax. She swipes at nearby objects, and opens and closes her hands. She may bring her hand to her mouth, and suck her thumb. She studies faces, and smiles. (See pages 425 to 432 in The Baby Book for more information on your baby's second month.)

Three Months: She stretches her limbs out and opens her hands. She holds her head steady when held in a sitting position. She kicks her legs, and pushes against surfaces. She rolls back to side. She looks at her hands, reaches for objects and places them in her mouth. She recognizes familiar people. She makes vowel sounds, laughs, and cries differently to signal different needs (See pages 432 to 437 in The Baby Book for more information on your baby's third month.)

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