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Baby's First Year - What to Expect


As a new Mom, you are probably wondering about many things: how will he react to his new surroundings? when will she sleep for more than 2 hours? what can I expect in the following year? an so many other questions.....

Each baby is different. Your baby's rate of growth, appearance, and personality, will all be unique to him or her. As you embark on this journey with your new baby, take time to enjoy their presence in your life.

Here are some of the milestones to watch for in the first year of your baby's development:

Newborn stage

You have just brought your baby home from the hospital to his or her newly decorated nursery, and we are sure you are very excited. In these early days, your baby may have a pointy head from the delivery process, or jaundice - yellow eyes and skin tone. These things are perfectly normal, and should go away in a few days. It is important to cuddle and love your child as much as possible now, as this is when mother/child bonding begins. Breast-feeding is very important to your child's health both now and in later years. Newborn babies often sleep 10-12 hours per day, but will wake every 4 hours or so for feeding.

From 1 - 3 Months

Babies will begin moving more, discovering their hands, and making little sounds. They will smile now, and follow the sound of your voice as you move through their room. Babies love seeing their faces in a mirror now, and the addition of a brightly colored, baby-safe mobile in their cribs will provide them with great entertainment and stimulation. Babies can now lift their heads, move them from side-to-side, and focus on objects that are 8-12 away.

From 3-6 months

This is one of the most exciting times in your baby's growth; many changes appear in this period. At the end of the third month, your baby will be opening and closing his little hands, holding his head up with control, reaching more and more for objects, and imitating sounds. In the fourth month, he can usually sit up with some help and is probably sleeping six hours at a stretch. It will become clearer that he or she recognizes familiar faces, and will coo and show how happy he is to see you when you enter the nursery! In the fifth and sixth months, your baby will be rolling over, making two syllable sounds and drinking from a cup. You will also be introducing solid baby foods at this time. Now is the time to baby proof the house, as your baby may be crawling during this period as well.

From 6-9 months

During this high growth period, many babies say their first words. Even if they don't yet start talking, most begin enthusiastically babbling to themselves and develop a much wider range of facial expressions at this age. He or she will have developed specific cries for specific needs now, and will react differently to different family members. Babies in the seventh and eighth months will start to feed themselves basic finger foods, and will enjoy throwing food or dropping it on the floor to see what happens! A cuddly blanket or bear may become a favorite item now, and your baby may be stressed when separated from it. Baby will now sit unsupported too.

From 9-10 months

During this month, baby will reach for toys, try to grab the spoon during feedings, and in general, become quite a bit more active. He or she will be waving goodbye to the delight of the grandparents, will be able to pick up things using opposable thumbs, and will also start to look for things that have been dropped, like favorite toys. She will also be able to move from crawling to a sitting position, and will be quite mobile!

From 11-12 months

Baby is much more curious now, and responds well to new sounds, colors and shapes. Story time is much appreciated, and he or she will enjoy cuddling on your lab while being read to. Babies now understand and can mimic simple gestures, and can say simple words. Before turning one,your baby should enjoy stacking objects, and filling and emptying containers. Short play sessions with other children are a good idea now, and can teach baby a great deal about sharing and other social skills.

Babies are a wonderful reminder of how precious life is!

Enjoy your child's first year of life - it will go by quickly.

Adriana Copaceanu is a busy mom of 2. Visit her Busy Moms Online if you are looking for ways to maximize your precious time. And if you are a new mom, you'll find everything you need to know at her Baby's First Year website.


MORE RESOURCES:

The Guardian

Baby's First Foods Should Be Finger Foods
MedPage Today
By Nancy Walsh, Staff Writer, MedPage Today Baby-led weaning emphasizes infant self-feeding with solid finger foods from the outset, rather than parental spoon-feeding with purees. This study found that compared with the spoon-fed group, the baby-led ...
Forget the mush – baby-led weaning puts the joy back into mealtimesThe Guardian
Maybe babies don't need the spoon-fed mushLos Angeles Times
Baby's better off feeding himselfGlobe and Mail
Jezebel -Healthcare Today -Health.com
all 98 news articles »


NICU babies sleeping with HALOs
nwitimes.com
With a $2500 contribution from the Nathan C. Splant Foundation, Community Hospital staff has been able to spread the message of safer sleeping practices and provide HALO SleepSacks for babies born in the NICU. Displaying a SleepSack are, ...
Donation helps SUID programPost-Tribune

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Us Magazine

Beyonce Reveals Sexy Post-Baby Body 1 Month After Giving Birth
Us Magazine
'Look at how amazing I look after only 4 weeks of my baby's birth! Her surrogate mom, of course is still catching up with her sleep and recouping after the c-section.' Everybody's pregnancy is different, granted but this chick is so damn ridiculous.
Beyonce dons red for first post-baby eventCNN (blog)

all 546 news articles »


Daily Mail

Chun Chun: 15.5 pound baby is biggest ever born in China
Daily Mail
By Mail Foreign Service Chun Chun, who was delivered on Saturday, is possibly the country's heaviest baby on record. Mother and baby are both in good condition in a local hospital in Xinxiang city, Henan province. The arrival was auspiciously timed, ...
Massive Baby Sets Record!KHQ Right Now
Chinese mum's 7kg son 'nation's biggest baby'Ninemsn
A 15.5 Pound Baby Breaks Records In ChinaHollywood Life
GlobalPost (blog) -IBTimes.co.uk
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It's a Boy for Robert Downey Jr.!
People Magazine
Baby boy weighs in at 7 lbs., 5 oz., is 20 inches long and joins big brother Indio, 18, Downey's son from his previous marriage. “I could never really stay mad at him, but I can tell you it genuinely wasn't something we planned to reveal,” Susan, 38, ...

and more »


ABC15.com (KNXV-TV)

PD: Abandoned baby left at Phoenix home
ABC15.com (KNXV-TV)
PHOENIX - Phoenix police say an abandoned baby was left in the front yard of a Phoenix home Tuesday afternoon. Sgt. Tommy Thompson, of the Phoenix Police Department, said the resident returned to her home near 7th Avenue and Greenway Parkway and found ...
Newborn baby abandoned outside of Valley homeKTAR.com

all 20 news articles »


Bikya Masr

18 babies killed in Syria's Homs as power cut
Bikya Masr
CAIRO: Activists in Homs have reported that at least 18 premature babies died on Wednesday at a local hospital after electricity was cut, causing their incubators to shut down. “The babies were in al-Walid Hospital in al-Waar neighbourhood near the ...
Syria: 'Dozens killed' in renewed Homs shellingBBC News

all 14,171 news articles »


Ten Major Corporations Support Babies and the Power of Cause Marketing
Sacramento Bee
The March of Dimes® announced its national sponsors as it kicked off the 2012 March for Babies® the nation's first and most beloved charitable walking event. The annual March for Babies walk will take place this spring in nearly 900 communities across ...

and more »


MD News

Babies at Highest Risk for Child Abuse, New Study Says
Yahoo! Contributors Network
Babies are not all sweet smiles and breast-milk breath. They are a stressful, time-consuming, and emotionally trying experience. If the economy stresses parents out enough for them to hurt their children, just imagine what the stress of a new baby does ...
Ending Violence Sparked By Baby's CryNPR (blog)
Babies most abused in USWFXL FOX 31
Child Abuse Hospitalizations Too HighdailyRx
Fox News -Washington Times
all 119 news articles »


Garcia delivered thousands of babies, had passion for art
San Antonio Express
Loved ones said Garcia delivered thousands of babies in San Antonio until he “semi-retired” when his insurance rates skyrocketed as he entered his golden years. “He delivered babies like there was no tomorrow,” said his son, also named Richard Garcia, ...

and more »

Google News