So, a baby was born in the family. Happy event! Now parents have to master the new roles of caring dad and mom. And of course, they will closely monitor how rapidly their baby is changing. How does the development of a newborn crumb after birth take place in weeks and months? How will it change over the course of a year?

1 Week

Of course, the child is still far from handsome. He may have a swollen face and eyelids, a reddish (or yellowish) skin tone, whitish hormonal acne on the nose, the shape of the skull is not yet formed and may seem strangely elongated, the body is covered with “newborn fluff”, there is practically no subcutaneous fat, the arms and legs are in hypertonicity and constantly compressed. However, all these manifestations will pass in the near future (except for muscle tone - it goes away by about 4-5 months), and the baby will acquire the cuteness characteristic of all babies.

Normally, a newborn is born with a height of 45–56 cm and a weight of 2.6–4.6 kg. At the same time, in the first 3–4 days, physiological weight loss occurs (it should not exceed 10% of the child’s weight), and then an increase of 20–30 g per day will begin.

The sweat glands will begin to work by the beginning of next week, but the tears will appear at 3-4 weeks. By the end of the first 7 days, the umbilical wound should dry.

For the first three days, the baby's stool of newborns is excreted - meconium (thick, dark green, odorless), then it becomes yellowish, acquires a sour smell. The child can empty the bowels after each feeding or 4-5 times a day. With artificial feeding, the baby's stool has a pungent odor, its frequency is lower - up to 2-3 times a day. Urination at the beginning of the week occurs up to 6 times, by the end of the week the frequency will increase to 16-20 times.

Sleep takes up most of the time - up to 20 or even more hours a day, about three hours each with breaks for feeding and short wakefulness. At the beginning of the week, the baby can eat up to 300 g (from 30 to 60 g at a time), by the end of the seven-day period - up to 400 g.

How does a newborn experience the new world? Of course, not as fully as adults. He hears much better than he sees. At the same time, it reacts only to sharp sounds, monotonous noises are perceived by them habitually, as in the womb. The child sees only light and dark blurry spots. If a large object is located no further than 20 cm, the baby tries to follow it. But it is not yet possible to examine the face of the mother, he recognizes her by her voice and smell (the baby already has a sense of smell, as well as a sense of taste).

Reflexes of newborn babies

Reflexes are involuntary reactions to a certain type of stimulus. They determine, first of all, the correct development of the nervous system of the baby.

We list the main reflexes of newborns.

• Protective (in the position on the tummy, the baby turns the head to the side).
• Sucking (if you insert your index finger into the baby's mouth, it will begin rhythmic sucking movements). The reflex can last up to 2 years, and sometimes longer.
• Proboscis (if you touch the baby's lips with your finger, he pulls them into a tube). Keeps up to about 3 months.
• Search (when stroking the corners of the mouth, the baby begins to look for the breast, turning the head towards the stimulus). Fades away after about 3-4 months.
• Moro (a sharp sound or a sudden movement of the crumbs in space makes the baby arch its back, spread its arms and legs to the sides, scream). Fades away by 5 months.
• Support and walking (having touched the surface with the legs, the child rests against it and pushes off, making a “step”). Fades away by about 1.5 months of age.
• Grasping (when pressing on the baby's palm, he reflexively squeezes it). It can be traced up to 3-4 months.
• Crawling (in the position on the tummy, the baby makes crawling movements with arms and legs, and when he feels support under his heels, he pushes off from it). Can be kept up to 4 months.
• Babinsky (if you press your finger on the child's foot, the fingers bend, if you run it over it, they open like a fan). The reflex can last up to 2 years.
• Galanta (manual irritation of the line along the spine causes the baby to arch). Fades away by the end of 4 months.

As the baby's nervous system matures, conscious movements and skills will take the place of reflex ones.

Never test a newborn's reflexes yourself. First, you don't know how to do it right, so you might get the wrong effect. Secondly, by your actions you can harm the crumbs, causing a strong fright. Reflex manifestations should only be assessed by doctors!

2 weeks

Starting from the 8th day after birth, yellowness of the skin, redness, and swelling disappear. The baby's head gradually acquires the correct shape. The umbilical cord falls off, so the baby can be bathed (and cut off regrown nails). Now the newborn should begin to gain weight, having survived the stress of birth and learning to eat with the help of his mother's breast.

The limbs are still half-bent, and the fists are tightly clamped (the hypertonicity is still preserved, it can be traced up to several months), and the movements are still reflex. Muscles relax only in sleep, which still takes up most of the day.

The baby does not yet hold the head, which requires caution from parents. It is also important to monitor the baby's body temperature, because its natural thermoregulation is still far from perfect.

During the 2nd week, the baby will gain about 200 g, eating 80-90 g of milk at a time. At night, he eats, as well as during the day, every 2-3 hours.

The sense organs and the nervous system continue to develop, although they are still far from perfect. Therefore, the baby is still very sensitive to light, the face of an adult is recognized from a distance of no more than 20 cm, the gaze is not focused. The child looks at the object with each eye separately, so that it seems that they constantly mow or move in different directions. This will pass by 2 months. Sounds become more distinct for the baby, he reacts to them more actively.

3 weeks

The baby still sleeps most of the time, eating up to 12 times a day, because the size of his stomach is extremely small. By the age of 20 days, the baby will add about 150–200 g more, grow a few mm. The daily norm of milk at this age is equal to a fifth of the weight of the crumbs, and it will remain so for another three weeks. By the way, now the baby is starting to spit up, because the digestive system is being rebuilt to a new type of food. The child's stool acquires a more pronounced texture and an oily-milky smell. With artificial feeding, it has a greenish or brown tint and a sharper smell, the frequency of bowel movements in this case is several times less.

The activity of the child is gradually increasing. This week, irritability begins to appear in the evening due to the large number of daytime impressions. The best way to relieve tension is crying (now more harsh). The sense of smell and reaction to sounds are aggravated (the pulse and sucking movements become more frequent, the baby freezes, may blink or startle). Touch is important. The child should be able to constantly touch different surfaces with his body and limbs.

What can the baby do now? Hold the head for about 10 seconds, cling to the fingers of adults, trying to pull up, lie on the tummy, turn the head to the sound, smile (though still reflexively), briefly stop looking at a large object or mother’s face, catching her emotions. The baby has the first facial expressions and the first cooing-smacking sounds.

4 weeks

At this stage, the first “ahoo” appears in the “speech” of the child, especially in response to mother’s affectionate words. With each week, the cooing will become more active until it develops into babbling (by about 4 months).

Muscle tone is still preserved, so the baby's fists are clenched, and the arms and legs are constantly bent. But with discontent or colic, he moves them and cries, signaling discomfort. By the way, crying becomes “wet” (tears appear) and intonational, it can be used to determine the needs of the child (wet, hungry, lonely, something hurts, tired).

Sleep now takes up to 19-20 hours (of which 8-9 hours fall at night), the time of wakefulness slightly increases. By the end of the first month, the baby should gain an average of 600–800 g and grow by 2–3 cm.

What can a monthly baby?

• Hold the head for a few seconds while lying on the tummy.
• Look around.
• Keep in sight large objects, faces of adults.
• Listen to the sound and look for its source by moving the arms and legs.
• Track an object in motion for a few seconds.
• Firmly hold mom's finger or an object inserted into the pen.
• Lie (even sleep) on your tummy.
• Respond with movements, a smile, cooing to the smile and voice of the mother, expressing joy.

5 weeks

Now the complex of revival begins to appear. When an adult appears, especially when they gently talk to the baby, he responds with a joyful smile, active movements, and pronounced cooing.

From this week, the maturation of organs and systems is accelerating. Colic, shuddering disappear, breathing evens out, the reaction to smells and sounds increases, the need for communication with the mother grows (now the baby needs her constantly, not only for food and motion sickness, but also for active communication), a conscious smile appears, interest increases to the surrounding world. Waking time can reach half an hour. But at the same time, the baby still cannot cope with a large number of impressions, so there should not be too many visual, sound and other stimuli, and at least 19–20 hours should be allocated for sleep, monitoring the baby’s body temperature, since its heat exchange is still imperfect .

During this week, the child will recover by about 200 g and grow a little (by 5–7 mm). The volume of an average portion of milk increases to 100-140 g with a total number of feedings of at least 7 in essence.

Progress in the development of the crumbs is noticeable.

• He tries to keep his head upright for a short while, and while lying on his tummy, he even tries to look around.
• Vision begins to focus (now the baby looks at objects with both eyes at the same time), the baby begins to examine toys, especially being interested in bright, contrasting ones.
• The expression of emotions corresponds to the situation: if the baby is unwell, he cries, if it is good, he smiles, coos (moreover, the cooing gradually becomes more and more diverse: gurgling, grunting, squealing, “chuckling”).
• Of particular interest is the mother's face when she coos affectionately with her child.
• Everything that gets into the hands, the baby pulls into the mouth.

6 weeks

So, a month and a half has passed since the birth. Since that time, the baby has grown by about 4.5 cm, gained weight from 800 to 1000 g. The chest has increased in volume by 2 cm.

Sleep time is still large (about 18–19 hours a day), the number of feedings is at least 7. Night snacks are preserved. The work of the intestines and urinary system is now individual: the baby can walk “in a big way” both 2 and 8 times a day, urinate at least 6 times.

The child is increasingly interested in the world around him, looking and listening to everything. Now the baby is beginning to like new toys, he tries to examine them, watches them with his eyes, tries to grab, but so far he can only push. Hearing a new sound, the child tries to find it by turning his head. Harsh sounds can cause crying and even fear.

The revitalization complex manifests itself more and more brightly, the baby actively requires communication and attention from mom and dad, preferring them to other adults, walks for a long time, trying different intonations, trying to repeat them after adults, capturing their facial expressions.

The movements of the arms and legs are still reflex, but he can hold his head a little longer than last week. Some babies may even roll over from side to back.

These are the main stages in the development of babies in the first one and a half months of life. Further development will take place more and more actively, reaching its peak by the age of one.

7–12 weeks

The skills and achievements of the child, as they approach the age of 4 months, progress in accordance with the development of all its organs and systems. Thus, vision improves, muscle tone decreases, reflexes fade, the nervous system strengthens, and intelligence gradually improves. All this allows the baby to be more awake (about 17 hours a day remains for sleep), strengthen physically, replace reflex actions with conscious ones, and explore the world. Therefore, he already confidently holds his head in any position, begins to listen intently to everything that happens around, examine objects from a distance of up to 3 m, purposefully and consciously knock on them, and then grab and pull into his mouth for study (the subjects of study are also his own arms and legs).

Physical improvement is aimed at mastering the skills of turning over, getting up, sitting, crawling. So far, this is only the foundation for future victories.

An understanding of one's own and others appears, speech gradually moves to the stage of babbling, when consonants are added to vowels (something like syllable chains is obtained), facial expressions and emotions are improved.

By this period, colic practically stops, which makes the little one calmer, and the growing volume of the stomach allows the child to withstand up to 3.5 hours between feedings. Some babies are already able to wake up at night for feeding only once.

So, what will the baby learn in these 6 weeks?

• Roll from back to side, and then to the tummy and even back.
• Lean first on the handles, and then on the forearms, lying on the tummy.
• Hold your mother's breasts while breastfeeding.
• Rise, holding the hands of an adult, from a supine position to a sitting position.
• Find the source of the sound with your eyes.
• Push off from the support with the legs, lying on the tummy, make “creeping” movements.
• Grab toys.
• Walk with support under the armpits.
• Distinguish all colors.
• Laugh.
• Grimace.
• Understand your name.
• Play on your own for a while (studying toys or your body).

Development up to a year

Over the remaining 8 months, the little one will turn into an almost independent little man. His vision is almost equal to that of an adult, he will learn to sleep all night without waking up for feeding, understand causal relationships, remember faces and upcoming events, perform logical actions (search, build, add, compare), fulfill requests, use gestures; will master a spoon, a cup, will begin to learn self-service skills and communication with others. The baby will have teeth, he will be able to eat solid food. Sleep time will be reduced to 10-11 hours, during the day the child will be able to sleep 2 times. Growth and weight gain will decrease due to increased physical activity.

In the motor plan, the baby will go through the stages of sitting, getting up at the support, crawling, walking (first at the support, and then independently). In speech development, babble will be replaced by autonomous speech, the baby will accumulate a passive vocabulary, and then begin to pronounce his first words.

Parents need to remember a few important things. First: the baby will learn, imitating the surrounding adults in everything. Therefore, the example must be worthy. Secondly, the most important for the proper development of the child is communication with relatives - speech, games, common affairs. Third: at the age of one, the crumbs will begin the first serious age crisis, which will require patience, understanding and participation from mom and dad.

Since the life of a large family has been replaced by a separate residence of a newly created family, young mothers have had uncertainty and a feeling of helplessness after childbirth in the correctness and timeliness of the development of the newborn.

Not having a rich experience of "nanny" with young children, a woman is literally thrown into a stupor by everything related to the peculiarities of the physiological and mental development of her baby, especially in the first year of a child's life.

We offer you a brief overview of the development of a child up to a year. The first month of life, the most difficult in terms of adjusting each other for a young mother and baby, we will consider in more detail - by weeks.

Week one, get to know each other

Sense organs of the newborn. Long awaited homecoming. Now the baby can get to know his mother in a calm atmosphere, see, hear, smell and touch the world around him from a new perspective, already familiar to him in absentia from the muffled sounds from the outside during intrauterine life.

The vision of a newly born child is blurry, he can only distinguish large objects located nearby, which is a kind of protection against the suddenly surging variety of colors and shapes. Hearing, smell and touch in a newborn are quite developed, these sense organs were developed during life inside the mother.

Breast-feeding

In the first week after birth, it is very important to establish breastfeeding. Get used to the fact that the first time after birth, the child, during the moments of wakefulness, will be in your arms almost all the time and constantly demand the breast.

It's not even so much about hunger, but about the need to feel the unity broken with mom. Breastfeeding at one week of age is perhaps the single most effective way to soothe a crying baby.

First bath

The first bath after birth is the most frightening procedure for new moms and dads. Try to spend it correctly and calmly, so as not to spoil everything the first time and not cause the baby's dislike for water.

Physiological features of the newborn, most often causing concern:

• Regurgitation. Many mothers worry that the baby spit up often and a lot and does not eat up. Spitting up is normal for a baby up to 6 months old.

They occur due to the immaturity of the alimentary tract, the immaturity of the nervous system and the incorrect organization of the breastfeeding process, in which air is swallowed.

For a week-old baby, the norm is regurgitation after each feeding with a volume of no more than 2 tablespoons and once a day with a “fountain”. You can check the amount of milk spitting up by pouring 2 tablespoons of water onto the diaper and comparing the stains formed from water and milk.

• Weight loss. In the first days after birth, breastfed babies tend to lose weight. This is normal and temporary. They will gain weight when breastfeeding is fully established.
• Jaundice. You may notice that 2-3 days after birth, the skin tone of the newborn has acquired a yellow color. The phenomenon is also normal, it is an adaptive process, as a result of which an excess of bilirubin is formed in the blood, which stains the skin yellow. If jaundice is not pathological, then it disappears on its own in 7-14 days.
• Strabismus. Sometimes it may seem that the eyes of a newborn mow. This is due to the weakness of the muscles of the eyeball and the inability to focus the gaze. Help your baby learn to use his eyes - hang a large, bright toy in the center above the crib, and the eyes will move in sync in a few days or weeks. In very rare cases, strabismus can last up to six months, which is not yet a cause for concern.
• Starting in sleep. Does your baby jerk violently while sleeping? It is not at all necessary that he has problems with the nervous system. Swaddle it tighter while sleeping to create similar living conditions during pregnancy and the baby will become calmer. Such shudders pass on average by 3-4 months after the birth of a child.
• Peeling of the skin. After giving birth, the baby does not look very attractive due to the special lubricant that covers his body to facilitate the birth process and initially protect the skin from contact with air. It is not necessary to remove it for the first 2-3 days. Then it is absorbed and the child's skin adapts to new conditions, resulting in peeling.

The benefits of walking with a newborn on the street and when you can start walking

Do not use detergents, if the skin is dry, lubricate it, preferably with any vegetable oil, previously sterilized in a water bath. When walking, ensure the isolation of the baby from gusts of wind and direct sunlight. If these recommendations are followed, peeling will soon pass.

Week two, getting used to it

A week has passed. For a newborn, this is a huge period, which includes a lot of new experiences, getting to know your body and the world around it. The umbilical wound heals. The baby is fully adapting to the new way of getting food. The number of intestinal stools is normalized and is 3-4 times a day.

Weight gain begins. The kid is more and more interested in what is happening around and begins to listen to the surrounding sounds and examine objects more carefully. He can see all the details from a distance of 20-25 cm. At this time, facial expressions begin to develop - your pet can even please you with the first smile.

Now your happiness can be overshadowed by the onset of intestinal colic, accompanied by long crying and squeezing, twisting of the legs. You can start fighting them, but there is no consensus among doctors about both the cause of their occurrence and ways to alleviate the condition. Tip one: be patient, sooner or later they will stop.

Week three, small victories

The third week is marked by the first achievements in the life of your baby. Lying on his tummy, he tries to raise his head and examine the surrounding objects. He manages to do it for a while. The movements of the crumbs become more and more ordered, he makes attempts to reach the toys suspended above him.

When you turn to him, the baby calms down, looks into the face of the speaker, reacts to the intonation of the voice and, in response, can walk and smile. During this period, it is more difficult to calm the baby, to relieve tension of the nervous system overflowing with new impressions, he can cry for a long time. For some babies, 20 minutes of crying before falling asleep becomes the norm. The intonation of crying becomes more and more demanding.

Week four, recap

The first month of life is coming to an end. The baby goes from newborn to the stage of infancy. The child's vestibular apparatus is improving - he feels the position of his body in space, which will allow him to soon roll over and grab objects.

The flexor muscles are still stronger than the extensor muscles and the limbs are in a semi-flexed position.

Muscle hypertonicity is a normal physiological condition for children under a month old.

A month after the birth of a child, you need to undergo a medical examination, where doctors will assess the physiological development and compliance with its age norms.

What should a child be able to do by the end of the fourth week of life:

• focus on the object in question, turn your head in the direction of the outgoing sound;
• recognize parents and perk up when they appear in sight;
• try to keep your head in a prone position for a short time.

Height and weight

Here are the average figures developed by the World Health Organization. In parentheses, we will indicate the critical values ​​indicating the need for a medical examination. Anything that falls within this range is a variant of the norm.

Second month

The period is characterized by the establishment of a semblance of sleep and wakefulness. The baby still sleeps a lot, but now mom knows when and how much time he needs to rest. Now he can firmly grasp everything that falls under his hands.

What the baby should be able to do:

• focus not only on moving, but also on stationary objects;
• roll over from barrel to back;
• briefly hold the head from a position lying on the tummy, try to rise on the handles, arching your back, turn your head to the sound;
• demonstrate the support reflex: feel the support under the legs and push off from it;
• demonstrate a “complex of revival” when adults appear: smile, move arms and legs, arch, “walk”, making long vowel sounds.

How to care for your baby immediately after birth and throughout the first year of life

third month

If development proceeds in accordance with the average pace, then a child at the age of three months has learned to roll over from his back to his tummy and rise from his tummy on his arms, holding this position for up to several minutes.

Don't worry if your baby doesn't succeed, he will catch up by 4-5 months.

Due to the increase in subcutaneous fat deposits, the baby acquires rounded shapes, swelling with folds appears on the arms and legs. The child puts everything in his mouth and tastes it. At three months, you need to undergo a second medical examination.

Skills and abilities:

• the revitalization complex is further developed, the child is trying to talk with the help of “cooking” and is very happy to see mom or dad;
• rollover from back to stomach
• emphasis on hands with raising the body while lying on the stomach and holding in this position.

fourth month

Most children by this age end with problems with intestinal colic, and mothers can breathe easy, but not for long - the first teeth may soon come out. Someone is destined not to wait for the long-awaited respite.

Skills and abilities:

• holding small objects with ease;
• babbling, cooing, pronouncing the syllables "ba", "ma", "pa" and others;
• reaction to one's name;
• confident holding of the head in a vertical position on the hands of an adult;
• capturing, pulling towards you and tasting the items of interest;
• first squat attempts.

Fifth month

The motor activity of the baby has increased so much that the best place for him now is the floor, where he can do all sorts of tricks with pleasure. The bed by this time had already bored him. Now the fidget needs vigilant supervision. Most teeth begin to cut, which is accompanied by itching, anxiety and profuse salivation.

What a child should be able to do:

• roll over from back to stomach and back, pull yourself up on your hands, make the first attempts to crawl and sit down;
• play with toys on their own for 5-10 minutes;
• "talk" in syllables that are vaguely reminiscent of human speech.

sixth month

The child is trying to crawl, and many are good at it. Attempts to sit down turn into a triumph, but the spine does not yet have strength, and the little one cannot sit for a long time. He actively explores the world, showing capriciousness because of his disturbing teeth. At six months, you need to undergo another medical examination.

Skills and abilities:

• short sitting in pillows, high chair, stroller;
• crawl;
• laughter, mutterings, and even something like singing;
• jumping on the hands of an adult with the support of the handles, which become a favorite pastime of the little one.

seventh month

By this time, the child has learned to understand the meaning of many words, points his finger at objects of interest. He understands that the trick with the disappeared things is just a trick, and they can be found.

Many peanuts begin to experience fear when parting with their mother, which is a high indicator of the development of the psyche.

Skills and abilities:

• the child gets up with the help of a support and moves while standing;
• he crawls confidently, but it also happens that the baby skips the crawling period, and immediately begins to move, holding on to the support.

Jaundice in newborns, and everything connected with it

eighth month

Your little one is learning to get things done by being persistent and measuring limits. He already understands well the word cannot, which is very upsetting for the little man. Character traits appear. A child may already have 4-6 teeth, but there are no clear terms for eruption, for all children the process takes place individually. The level of distrust towards strangers increases even more.

What the child can do:

• sit down independently;
• throwing toys and shifting them from one hand to another;
• take the first steps holding the hands of an adult.

ninth month

The child is growing before our eyes. Once helpless, he now tries to do everything on his own, despite the fact that it does not work out well. It is good for the crumbs to sit, get up and walk with the help of a support. Speech skills are developing, some children already pronounce the first words.

The child can communicate using facial expressions, gestures, syllables and words. Copies the intonation of adults well.

At 9 months, a physical examination is necessary to assess the development of the baby.

What the child can do:

• holds a spoon in his hands and tries to eat on his own, drinks from a mug or drinking bowl;
• at the request of an adult, he takes objects that are called to him;
• independently sits, sits, crawls and walks with support;
• transforms babble into words.

tenth month

Receive further development of the skills and abilities acquired at the 9th month of life.

In no other period of life does a person reach so many heights, both physically and psycho-emotionally, as in the first year of his life. Just think - in just a year, the weight of a child increases by almost 3 times, growth - by one and a half times.

From a screaming bundle, the baby turns into a little man who can move independently. The simplest words are made up of indistinct sounds.

It's a good idea to write down all your child's achievements. When he grows up, re-reading all the entries will be interesting not only to you, but also to your grown-up son or daughter. Despite the individual development of each individual baby, they all master certain skills at about the same time.

These skills are summarized in a calendar of child development by months from birth to a year. Referring to it, you will know whether the baby is developing correctly, and you will be able to adequately and timely respond to deviations from the norms described in the calendar.

First month

It is also called the adaptation period. This is an important moment in the life of the crumbs when getting used to life outside of the mother's tummy. In the first month, the newborn is mostly asleep. Sleep is an important part of a child's life, in a dream he grows, gains strength. The waking period is only 4 hours. At this time, the baby is eating. Ideally, of course, my mother's breasts.

When feeding a child, do not rush him, these are wonderful moments of unity between mother and baby, when he feels love, care and security. Despite the very young age, the child already has certain skills:

• he pays attention to bright toys; in the supine position, place a bright toy at a distance of about 30 cm from the eyes, slowly move it to the right, left, down, up, the baby will follow it with his eyes;
• pays attention to sounds: you can check this by rattling the rattle to the right or left of the baby's head, in response, the baby will turn his head towards the source of the sound.

The child has the following reflexes of the newborn:

• sucking: sucks everything that gets into the mouth;
• prehensile: put your finger in the baby's open palm, he will squeeze it into a fist;
• swimming: place the baby on the water with his belly down, he will begin to swim;
• step reflex: in an upright position, the child sorts through the legs, imitating walking;
• search reflex: scratching the baby's cheek, he will begin to stretch his lips, looking for the breast.

Physical achievements of the first month:

• weight gain is 600-700 grams;
• height gain- 2-3 cm;
• when lying on his stomach, he tries to raise his head.

Second month

This is the month of "revival". The periods of wakefulness increase. The baby may not sleep for 50 minutes. The child recognizes the mother and other close people. If you bend over the crib where the baby lies, he, seeing you, actively moves his arms and legs.

He already “understands” your mood: are you sad or cheerful, peaceful or anxious. The reflexes of the newborn begin to fade gradually.

Second Month Achievements:

third month

The physical capabilities of the baby are improving: in the prone position, the baby confidently holds his head, turns it to the source of the sound or in an attempt to reach an interesting object. Tries to get up on his forearms. If you sing songs to your baby, he will sing along to you.

Third Month Achievements:

• weight gain- 700-750 grams;
• height gain- 3-3.5 cm;
• makes attempts to roll over: can turn from back to side;
• legs come into view, this is the beginning of acquaintance with them;
• learns to laugh out loud, parodies parents;
• loud cry demands attention to itself;
• turns head towards a source of light or sound;
• holding a toy in hand
• everything that falls into the hands is immediately sent to the mouth.

fourth month

There is a leap in both physical and emotional development. The baby already confidently holds his head in a position on his stomach, can rise on straightened arms, actively rolls over. He knows exactly where his mother is, often does not want to let her go anywhere. Be with the baby - this is a temporary phenomenon, and soon it will pass.

Fourth month achievements:

• weight gain- 700 grams;
• height gain- 2.5 cm;
• rolls over from back to stomach
• tries to sit;
• crawls in a plastunsky way, actively working with his hands and pulling up his torso;
• identifies favorite toys, reaches for them, tastes them, can throw them or knock them;
• when feeding, supports the breast or bottle with his hands;
• consciously follows moving objects;
• begins to respond to his own name;
• forms understandable syllables: "ma", "ba", "da".

Fifth month

Month of honing physical skills. The kid rolls over well, tries to sit, crawl, rise to his feet. It perfectly distinguishes its own from strangers, can burst into tears at the sight of strangers. Learns to act up when he lacks attention and gets bored.

Achievements of the fifth month:

• weight gain- 700 grams;
• height gain- 2.5 cm;
• attempts to sit: reclining on one thigh, leaning on the surface of the handle of the same name with the thigh;
• can reach the feet, takes them in his mouth, sucks;
• plays with toys (throws them, knocks them, licks them);
• examines books with large pictures; it’s good if they are made of thick cardboard (it’s hard to tear, but you can take it in your mouth);
• listens with interest to mother's reading of simple rhymes;
• can repeat simple words: “mom”, “dad”, “woman”;
• he knows how to laugh out loud or, conversely, be sad.

sixth month

Most babies have their first tooth and begin to introduce complementary foods. The baby can already sit on his own, makes attempts to get up on all fours from a prone position. He knows how to hold toys in his hands, play with them, shifting from hand to hand.

Achievements of the sixth month:

• weight gain- 700 grams;
• height gain- 2.5 cm;
• sits independently;
• mastered crawling in a plastunsky way;
• in the process of mastering crawling on all fours, so far the baby only rises on his hands, pulling up his legs and swaying in this position;
• learns to drink from a mug, gets acquainted with complementary foods;
• studies the device of objects, takes them in his mouth, can break them;
• confidently holds toys in his hands, consciously shifts them;
• favorite games: "coo-coo" and "palmies";
• clearly shows emotions (laughter when it is fun, cry when you want attention or are dissatisfied);
• causal relationships are being studied: he pressed a button, the light came on; pushed the ball, it fell;
• separate consonants appear in speech: “s”, “z”, “f”.

seventh month

This is already a real fidget: the baby easily rolls over from his stomach to his back and back, he can sit, crawl in a plastunsky way, and sometimes even on all fours.

Achievements of the seventh month:

• weight gain- 600 grams;
• height gain- 2 cm;
• bathing goes into the category of entertainment with toys: the baby sits in the bathroom and plays with toys thrown into the water;
• drinking from a mug on his own;
• shows interest in food: picks it up, rumples it;
• usually, holding on to the partitions in the crib, the baby begins to stand up;
• with support under the armpits, learns to walk;
• studies parts of the face and body, can show his ears, nose, eyes;
• flipping pages with interest;
• copies adults;
• masters new games for fingers "Magpie-crow", "Finger-boy";
• knows how to pronounce many words, such as "woof", "give", "qua";
• understands the intonation of the prohibition: the word "no".

eighth month

This is a month of active attempts to stand apart from the support. Do not leave the child at a height, he may fall. The socialization of the baby is increasing, he responds with pleasure to the greeting, waving “bye”.

Achievements of the eighth month:

• weight gain- 600 grams;
• height gain- 2 cm;
• showing interest in eating independently;
• sits, gets up, crawls independently;
• can walk holding on to a support;
• well oriented in a familiar space;
• performs simple instructions: pick up, bring;
• masters the folding of pyramids, work with sorters;
• says conscious words: “mom”, “dad”, “give”;
• expand available emotions: able to express joy, surprise, delight, perseverance;
• listens to music and makes rhythmic movements to it.

ninth month

Walking continues. The kid can “along the wall” move around the familiar space. He is well mastering the ability to climb on sofas, armchairs, chairs. And also learns to get off them. Be careful to keep your baby safe.

Achievements of the ninth month:

• weight gain- 600 grams;
• height gain- 2 cm;
• gets up and sits down from any positions, walks with the help of a support;
• studies the environment: sofas, armchairs, chairs, trying to climb and get off them;
• shows interest in the contents of drawers and kitchen cabinets;
• like to tear paper;
• you can offer plasticine for creativity (it is better if it is modeling dough, it does not stick to your hands), make sure that he does not eat it;
• crawls in the direction he needs, knows how to turn around;
• knows where objects of interest to him are removed, can shout out exactly what he wants;
• achieves success in independent eating;
• remembers the names of things and objects, can show them;
• likes public recognition: likes to carry out assignments and receive praise;
• speech is rich, however, understandable so far only to relatives.

tenth month

Walking on your own is within easy reach. Some children at this age begin to walk without support.

Tenth Month Achievements:

• weight gain- 350 grams;
• height gain- 1 cm;
• fine motor skills are improved: in one hand the baby can hold several objects, the leading hand appears;
• comes an understanding of how to play: you need to roll the car, put the doll to bed;
• if adults show how to play games with other children, the baby actively participates;
• gets acquainted with the concept of form: tries to put small objects into a large form;
• is interested in constructors with large blocks, mainly disassembling them;
• already familiar with the main animals, can find them in the picture, reproduce the sounds they make;
• knows parts of the body and face well: he can show them on himself, on his mother, on a doll, in a picture;
• loves to dance to the music.

Eleventh month

This is almost a small adult. The kid understands that they are turning to him, he can fulfill simple requests, communicates.

Eleventh Month Achievements:

• weight gain- 350 grams;
• height gain- 1 cm;
• can walk a short distance on its own, without support;
• loves praise, understands the prohibition;
• masters self-service: he tries to eat himself, take clothes from the drawer, try to put them on;
• knows how and where to put toys;
• in addition to screaming, can express his desires by pointing his finger at the desired object, actively learns and applies new words;
• knows how to nod in agreement or shake his head negatively;
• consciously waves in greeting and farewell.

twelfth month

Sometimes it's hard to believe, but for almost a year, the baby has become an integral part of your life. Almost all babies by the age of one already walk on their own, try to eat, dress themselves, collect their toys with the help of their mother.

Twelfth Month Achievements:

• weight gain- 350 grams;
• height gain- 1 cm;
• almost all children already move independently;
• can get up on their own after a fall;
• step over obstacles;
• try to eat, dress, wash, brush their teeth themselves;
• in the vocabulary of crumbs from 8 to 10 words understandable to everyone;
• the baby’s games become more complicated, he no longer just puts the doll to sleep, but can feed it before “sleep”, shake it;
• the child remembers perfectly where his toys lie;
• the baby understands almost everything that his parents say to him, perfectly reads their emotions.

Useful purchases from 0 to 1 year

Maybe a video with must-have things from 0 to 1 year old will be useful to you

A grand leap in the development of a child takes place in his life from birth to a year, all his achievements can be kept in a personal calendar. So you can track all his successes: from the first smile to independent steps. Record his first words, videotape his first dances. When he grows up, he will be interested to learn about his childhood, and you will have something to tell and show.

If you have not decided on the method by which you will teach your child the skills of reading and writing. Pay attention to the Methodology, or.

From the moment of birth and up to a year, the newborn grows and develops rapidly, at the same time, his body is finally formed and adapts to the new environment. Changes affect all the organs of the baby, he himself is changing, actively mastering new, necessary skills. Why is it so important to develop a child by months up to 1 year, what a baby should be able to do - these are the main questions that parents have when their first child appears. This article will help them understand the features and significance of each month for the health and success of children in their future lives.

Happy parents who have a son or daughter need to be prepared for the fact that every month the baby will change. And this applies not only to his external changes, but also to internal mental states. He will acquire new skills, improve his senses, in the future, dramatic changes relate to the formation of character, habits, and his own behavior.

How not to miss the significant stages of the formation of a small personality, make the adaptation of the baby more comfortable and maintain his health? This will help the calendar of child development by months up to a year, using which parents will always know whether the baby is behind or ahead of their peers. In general, you are aware of how a newborn butuz grows, well, we will try to characterize in more detail the features of each month lived by the baby from the beginning of birth, perhaps you will learn something interesting and important.

First month

The first weeks after birth for the baby become a period of adaptation, when he is already outside the womb. And all his organs are subject to change in order to adapt to independent work.

Physiology

Within a month, the baby gets rid of excess fluid and begins to gain weight up to 600-700 g. By the month it grows by about 2-3 centimeters. The development of a child at 1 month is closely related to the formation of the digestive system. At this age, children do not actually smell, but they may be disturbed by bright lights and loud noises.

psychomotor development

The baby has developed all the necessary reflexes, thanks to which he can make, so far, limited movements with his mouth, arms, legs and head. However, he enjoys being hugged and fed by his mother, feeling her warmth and care.

First month results

The main achievements of the monthly crumbs:

• the ability to smile and cry, but without tears;
• distinguish bright colors
• focus on a stationary object;
• raise the head for short moments;
• make sounds like humming.

The child should be fed once every two hours, and he sleeps at least 16 hours a day. At this time, proper care is very important. Knowing the development of a child up to a year by months, you can create a daily routine, adhering to which, it will be easier to manage to take care of the baby and maintain his health in optimal condition.

Second month

In the second month, the baby has already adapted to the new conditions and a certain daily routine has been developed for him. Although he still sleeps a lot, he develops a “complex of revitalization”, which makes his parents so happy.

physical formation

The development of a child at 2 months proceeds rapidly, it becomes heavier by 700-900 grams and grows up to 4 centimeters. His head and chest are also enlarged. The enzymes that began to be produced in his body allow him to better absorb his mother's milk.

Psychomotor activity

Two-month-old children have improved vision - they distinguish objects at a distance of 40-50 centimeters, try to reach and grab them. Of particular interest to them is the human face, which they carefully examine, trying to focus their eyes. Children are already able to recognize the voice of their mother, the sound of a rattle and a musical mobile.

Achievements of the second month

The child gradually masters new actions for himself:

• knows how to hold toys;
• squeeze, unclench the handles, wave them;
• turn from side to side and back;
• raise your head for a few seconds.

At the same time, the systematic extinction of reflex movements begins.

third month

Three-month-old babies look like chubby adorables with folds on their arms and legs. They are open to communication, show a high need for caress and hugs of their mother. Their gaze becomes more meaningful, and their movements become coordinated.

Changes in anatomy and physiology

At the age of 3 months, sweat and lacrimal glands form in babies. The digestive system continues to improve, so they are often worried about colic.

Mind and motor function

The normal development of a child at 3 months contributes to the formation of the nervous system, so children begin to more actively control their handles. They violently express their emotions and babble, stretching out some sounds.

Special Skills

The success of kids, no doubt, can surprise:

• they hold the head in a supine state for 20 seconds;
• can spread their hands and grab toys;
• reach out to their legs, examining them;
• with the support of the mother, they push off and bounce on the crib or playpen.

Most of all, three-month-olds love to be in an upright position, carefully looking at everything around them.

fourth month

Despite some slowdown in growth, babies add about 700 grams of weight and grow by 2 centimeters. At the same time, the proportions of their bodies look more harmonious.

Features of physiology

The lungs in children become twice as large as in the first days after birth, the circumference of the chest increases, nails and hair begin to grow intensively.

Improving motor skills and thinking

The most important motor skills in children are associated with their hands. They are not yet fully open during the day, but are completely relaxed at night. They can take toys with both hands. The child is able to lean on the forearms, hold the head for about a minute. The emotional spectrum of babies is expanding - they can speak loudly, quietly, joyfully, express surprise.

Development Highlights

The development of a child at 4 months gives amazing results:

• babies are able to freely hold the head on weight;
• wiggle your fingers;
• focus on objects and distinguish them by shape and color;
• play with your legs
• keep a bottle of food.

At four months, babies are already pronouncing the most important syllables in their lives, Ma and Pa. It is important for parents to control the development of a child up to a year by months, not only the improvement of his speech and the vocabulary aspect, but also other aspects of the formation of a human personality depend on this.

Fifth month

A child at five months is extremely inquisitive and continues to develop already acquired skills. In addition, he is increasingly striving for independence and begins to show character.

Physiological changes

In children, many reflexes fade, visual acuity increases, they accurately determine the voice of mom, dad and other family members. By the end of the month, many children already have their first milk teeth.

Psychological development and physical activity

The development of a child at 5 months allows him to quickly determine the source of the sound, speak in syllables and sing in a singsong voice, and easily roll over. The character of the crumbs also manifests itself, if he is denied communication, and his mother is not around, he can be outraged and upset. This is expressed in crying, screaming and kicking with legs.

Basic Skills

The main successes of five-month-old children:

• first attempts to sit and crawl;
• the ability to laugh and make enthusiastic sounds;
• skill of independent play;
• the ability to speak in syllables.

It is desirable for kids to pay more attention and play hide-and-seek, drawing with them, pull-ups, encouraging games with musical toys are no less important.

sixth month

Starting from the sixth month, the baby's growth process slows down, and up to nine months he adds only one and a half, at most, two centimeters. At this age, artificial children and babies are already on complementary foods and begin to try adult food.

Child physiology

At six months, the baby no longer has the opportunity to receive high-quality nutrition exclusively in the form of mother's milk, and his immunity decreases, so the correct diet and diet are important. All children at this age already have teeth. As a result of building muscle mass, children become stronger and more resilient, their vital activity increases. Many reflexes in children are already absent, but the main ones remain - grasping, searching, sucking, Babinsky's reflex, when when touching the baby's foot, his fingers diverge.

Psychomotor and intelligence

It is considered normal if the development of a child at 6 months reaches a level when the baby's hands become so dexterous that they can grab various objects - toys, cubes and rings. In addition, with the support of the mother, he can stand on his legs apart, quite confidently. The baby should already recognize his relatives, respond when he is called by name, express positive and negative emotions.

Achievements of a six-month-old baby

Children have time to learn a lot, both physically and intellectually:

• they can sit down themselves;
• crawl well;
• they drink their mugs, holding it with their hands;
• pick up fallen things;
• clap their hands;
• consonants begin to appear in their speech.

The thinking of children is also developing - now they are able to understand the simplest cause-and-effect relationship.

If the parents do not know how the child develops by months up to 1 year, what the baby should be able to do, and what signs the deviations mean, it is best to contact a specialist. Children have various problems - strabismus, a temporary decrease in immunity, some adults are not even aware that flat feet in children is a reversible phenomenon, and not a pathology at all. Rather than guessing and getting upset, there is always an opportunity to dispel your fears by talking to your doctor.

seventh month

A seven-month-old baby is an inquisitive little rascal who needs to explore everything that is in his field of vision. Therefore, often, his favorite toys in his hands are dismantled or broken. For a child, this is a time of discovery and learning new skills.

Physical transformations

The main changes in anatomy and physiology are the strengthening of bone and muscle tissue, increasing strength and endurance, slowing down breathing to 35-45 breaths per minute, which is gradually approaching the performance of an adult.

Neuro-psychomotor development

Toddlers manage their hands well, they can shift things, grab them, pull them towards themselves, throw them. The pronunciation of syllables becomes more meaningful, the understanding of logical connections begins to slip in children, but, of course, at the children's level.

New abilities

The development of a child at 7 months occurs in all directions:

• babies can sit for a long time;
• they crawl not only on their bellies, but also on all fours;
• trying to sit down themselves;
• able to distinguish relatives from strangers.

Children are already beginning to be interested in books and leaf through them with pleasure, looking at the pictures.

eighth month

The movements of the child by eight months become extremely diverse, thanks to muscle strength and dexterity. Toddlers are emotional, impulsive, and it is necessary to constantly look after them.

Physical state

Most babies have 2 to 6 teeth already and can chew semi-solid foods. They crawl a lot, play while sitting, honing the skill of sitting down on their own. This is facilitated by strengthening the spine and stronger muscles.

Improvement of intellectual abilities

In the absence of health problems, the development of a child at 8 months helps to increase his sociability, sociability, and he already shows interest in his peers and can contact them. The baby's speech also progresses - he pronounces different sounds and syllables more clearly and understandably, understands even long phrases and questions addressed to him.

Successes of an eight-month-old baby

The new skills of the child are still closely connected with everyday life. He understands perfectly well what a mug and a spoon, a towel and a toothbrush are for. In the presence of strangers, he behaves constrainedly, and, at the same time, joyfully meets loved ones. Imitation of adults can be observed in the behavior of children all the time, moreover, and the memory of the baby now retains many things.

The motor function of the children cannot but rejoice - they independently take any poses, lying down, quickly crawling, sitting down and can sit up straight holding their backs for up to 10 minutes.

Understanding how a child develops up to a year by months, it is possible to stimulate certain abilities, track the backlog, and always be prepared for unforeseen problems.

ninth month

The development of a child at 9 months provides a basis for assessing the main achievements to which he has come from the moment of birth. A healthy, cheerful butuz is active, cheerful, and needs to expand the space around him.

Changes in physiology

At the moment, it is important that the baby crawls a lot - this is how he trains the muscles of the whole body and will be ready to walk very soon. In addition, this type of movement is very useful for strengthening connections in the right and left hemisphere, due to which the child’s speech and his mental abilities are better developed.

Motor skills, psyche and intelligence

The psyche of children is quite developed, so the baby can easily recognize his household, can respond to their requests and wishes. He will also easily point with a pen or finger to the subject that they are talking about. Positive changes are also taking place in speech, and now the baby can address parents, grandparents, combining syllables into short words “Mother”, “Baba” or “Grandfather”.

Characteristic manifestations of age

Nine-month-olds can:

• take objects with two fingers;
• sits down from a lying position;
• climb on a chair and sofa;
• take out and put small items;
• understand the questions addressed to them;
• dance and play ball.

Now the kids are cramped in the arena, and they play on the floor, so you have to take care of their comfort and impeccable cleanliness.

tenth month

At this age, children become more independent and try to prove it at any opportunity. The main thing in the life of the baby remains cognitive activity, which contributes to the increase of his intelligence.

Physical Capabilities

The child continues to grow and has gained about 500 grams in weight. His chest became much wider, the volume of his head increased. Due to the fact that the baby plays a lot, he has stronger arms. Children feel fatigue only during long activities and games, which indicates their endurance. Only teeth cause trouble - they already have lateral incisors.

psychomotor function

The development of a child at 10 months implies an improvement in memory, practicality of thinking, progress in speaking. The infant understands praise and rejection, and can reflect joy, displeasure, and sometimes even protest in his behavior.

Main achievements

The acquired and improved skills of children make parents proud of them, these are:

• the ability to hold two objects at once in one pen;
• jumping on two legs;
• the use of improvised means to get the desired thing;
• stable standing position;
• opportunity to take their first steps.

Children continue to crawl, are able to sit for a long time, copy the actions of adults and their words with pleasure.

Eleventh month

At 11 months, the kids changed significantly, learned a lot of necessary information and learned how to manage their bodies well.

Physical training

The kid gained another 400 grams, grew by one and a half centimeters, built up muscle tissue - because of this, he has an ebullient vitality, however, and spends it very quickly. Due to the formation of the vestibular apparatus, he is well oriented in space, he can get up, walk hand in hand with his parent, bend down and jump.

Psychomotor and intellectual level

The development of the child at 11 months continues. Now kids can pronounce separate words of two syllables, they like to dance to the music, they know how to wave a pen, take off their socks themselves, they are happy to look for hidden things.

Successes and new abilities

Children have sufficiently improved many skills, and now they can:

• crawl in different directions;
• it is easy to recognize familiar things and objects, point to them at the request of adults;
• walk, not too confident, taking small steps;
• eat with a spoon and drink from a mug;
• wash yourself.

But the most beautiful thing is that they have their own personal passions and hobbies, and communication becomes a need.

twelfth month

In a year, the baby is already aware of himself as a person, has his own interests, understands toys, has preferences in communicating with different people. He has a sense of purpose, which, combined with increased independence, sometimes gives rise to stubbornness. Children actively learn and do it with pleasure.

Physical development

By this time, children have up to 8 teeth. Their body is relatively long, in contrast to short legs, so the center of gravity is shifted. The arch of the foot is also underdeveloped. On the other hand, this does not prevent them from climbing and descending from a hill perfectly, stand and walk without support.

Psycho-emotional activity and motor skills

Despite the fact that the development of a child at 12 months (1 year) is a little slow, he develops his mental, intellectual and motor abilities perfectly. He can recognize various objects not only in life, but also in images, has excellent hearing and is able to imitate the voices of animals, the sounds of passing cars. In excellent condition is the coordination of the movements of the baby and his speech capabilities. Children love praise, approval, mother's hugs, they are happy to meet relatives and get upset when they leave.

Basic Skills

One-year-olds have many skills:

• they move a lot - crawl and walk, climb onto the sofa;
• can climb several steps on the stairs;
• help mom dust and clear the table;
• they can take care of themselves - take off outerwear, shoes, socks and a hat, brush their teeth, wash their face, eat with a spoon;
• their vocabulary is about 20 words.

Moreover, they know how to hug and kiss their loved ones, understand the emotional state of nearby adults, remember both good and bad.

Many fathers and mothers are concerned about how to ensure the normal development of the child for months up to 1 year, what the baby should be able to do, you can always find out from the pediatrician. In general, it is necessary to visit him regularly so as not to miss serious violations. The main thing that a baby needs during this important period is parental care, attention and love.

The first days and weeks of a child's life are difficult for both parents and babies. Moms and dads in the neonatal period, which lasts 4 weeks after birth (28 days), learn to care for and take care of the baby, and the child adapts to new living conditions. How successful these processes will be depends on many factors. And one of them is understanding exactly how newborns develop in order to respond in time to any problems and turn to a pediatrician to eliminate them.

Milestones of development

Even during the stay in the maternity hospital, the child begins the stage of adaptation to the changed living conditions. At this stage, all organ systems of the crumbs adapt to new conditions:

• The lungs begin to work, and blood circulation is rebuilt to function with the inclusion of a small circle.
• baby head in the first days of life, it is quite often elongated, which is associated with the compliance of the bones of the skull and the passage of the baby through the birth canal. Its shape becomes correct by 2 weeks of age. In addition, many babies have a birth tumor on their heads, which disappears without a trace after 1-2 days.
• The skin immediately after childbirth has a reddish tint. In many children, from the third day it acquires a yellow tint - this is how physiological (non-dangerous) jaundice manifests itself, which normally disappears by 2 weeks of age.
• The nervous system is very sensitive and works actively. Various unconditioned reflexes appear, among which the main ones are search and sucking.

• Thermoregulation is still imperfect, therefore, the crumbs often have sudden changes in body temperature. The baby overheats easily and freezes quickly.
• The newborn has well-developed hearing, smell, taste and touch. At the same time, the child's vision is weak, he sees everything fuzzy and blurry.
• Many babies have a slight strabismus after childbirth due to weakness of the eye muscles.. This condition goes away on its own with time.
• Urination in the first day occurs 4-6 times, and then the number of urination per day reaches 15-20 times. In many children, urine becomes reddish on the first day, which is normal and is associated with a low water content in colostrum.
• Various microorganisms enter the intestines of the crumbs, which were previously completely sterile. Meconium (the so-called dark feces that have accumulated in the baby's digestive tract at the time of birth) begins to stand out from the intestines, and then the feces lighten and become more liquid.

The release of the program of the famous pediatrician E. Komarovsky, dedicated to newborn babies, see below:

At the next stage of development, which begins after discharge, parents have to face various difficulties, for example, colic, which often bothers the baby from 2-3 weeks of age.

Also, a new mother can expect difficulties in establishing lactation, which are best dealt with by frequent applications.

By the end of the neonatal stage, babies change markedly - their facial features become clearer, postpartum puffiness disappears, and the gaze focuses on faces and objects.

The muscles of the crumbs are strengthened, which allows him to briefly raise his head and move his limbs. In addition, the baby pleases loved ones with a “complex of revival” - recognition of their faces, active movements and the manifestation of positive emotions.

Development calendar by weeks in the table

Calculate the vaccination calendar

First week

In the first days of life, the baby and mother get to know each other, and The basic need of the baby is close contact with the mother. The best food for a toddler is colostrum, which after a few days is replaced by mature milk, adjusting to the needs of the crumbs.

Outwardly, the child does not yet look like babies on the pages of a magazine. The face of the baby after childbirth is asymmetrical, swelling often occurs on the head, and the head itself is flattened and slightly elongated into an oval.

The skin is often red and only turns pale towards the end of the first week. Some children on the 3-5th day of life have peeling of the skin on the chest and tummy. A slight yellowness from the 3rd day of life is also considered the norm.

In addition, the following features are noted in the first week:

• Muscle tone increased in the first week.
• The baby has no tears in the first weeks of life, and the sweat glands are still developing (their function is getting better by the 7th day of life).
• There should be no plaque on the mucous membranes, it should normally be moist and pink.
• By the end of the first week, the umbilical wound dries up and tightens.
• The baby's nose sometimes covers a rash in the form of small white dots.
• The heart of the baby is reduced 110-170 times per minute, and the normal respiratory rate per minute is 30-50 times.
• From the second or third day, instead of meconium, a yellowish stool with a sour smell begins to stand out about 4-5 times a day (with breastfeeding).

To see how the baby looks in the first days after birth, see the video.

Second week

Skin redness, swelling and jaundice often go away this week. The baby begins to gain weight, and hypertonicity in the limbs, which is considered the norm for a child in the first month of life, is still preserved. The baby has not yet learned to hold his head, but the movements of the legs and arms of the baby are still involuntary and chaotic.

There are also such nuances:

• The baby sleeps most of the day (about 16-20 hours).
• Thermoregulation has not yet improved.
• The palms and feet are covered with dry skin.
• The nails are growing, so they already need to be cut.
• The skin of many children begins to peel off.
• Urination counts at least 15 per day.
• The child's intestines are emptied 3-4 times a day, and the feces are mushy, yellow.

Third week

The movements of the limbs of a toddler older than 2 weeks are already becoming less chaotic, and the skull of most babies of the third week of life has restored its shape.

The activity of the baby is growing, and due to the abundance of impressions, many babies become irritable in the evening.

The crying of the crumbs changes, acquiring intonation, for example, when something disturbs the baby, the cry will be loud and demanding.

For a child of the third week of life, the following features are also characteristic:

• The baby's sense of smell becomes sharper.
• The baby begins to feel the balance and position of his own body in space.
• Breastfeeding meals at this age are at least 10-12.
• The peanut begins to recognize the faces and voices of loved ones.
• The daily routine is only being established, the baby still spends most of the day in a dream.

Bowel emptying at this age occurs from 2 to 8 times a day. When breastfeeding, the stool is yellow, with butter-milk odor and mustard consistency . If the baby receives the mixture, the chair is 1-4 times a day, and the feces are darker and harder, with an unpleasant odor and a brownish tint.

Fourth week

The development of the baby this week is going at a high pace. The baby is getting better and better at adapting to the world around him, rejoices at his parents, follows the toys and begins to coo. Sleep in the day of a child of the fourth week of life takes approximately 17-19 hours, and the number of feedings is at least 6-7.