South County Doulas
In- Home Postpartum Support for Mom, Baby & Family
Growth & Development
Throughout the first year of life, your baby will undergo rapid social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. He will recognize your face and imitate gestures you make, such as smiling or sticking out your tongue. Your baby will begin to crawl, and later walk, expanding his reach from just inside a crib to the entire world. He will start to babble, eventually forming sounds and then words like ‘mama' and ‘dada.' She'll start swatting at objects and eventually learn to grasp and even feed herself. These miraculous changes develop over time and at different rates for different children, but keep in mind the following developmental generalizations as you watch your child grow.
As a new parent, you've no doubt been watching your little one very closely. You may have noticed that she lost a few ounces in the first few days of life. Not to worry: most babies regain their birth weight within two weeks and continue gaining 6 to 8 ounces a week for the next few months. At each checkup your doctor will chart your child's length, weight, and growth rate (how her size compares with other babies her age). Keep in mind that all babies are grow at different rates. Length measurements shouldn't be taken too seriously either, since measuring a squirmy infant is a tough task.
Growth & Development: 0-3 Months
Within the first three months, your baby will begin to smile and track people and objects with her eyes. She may also begin discovering her own feet and hands as well as the ability to lift her head and turn towards sounds. Every day, your baby will be learning from the world around her.Social and Emotional Development
- Begins to develop a social smile
- Enjoys playing with other people and may cry when playing stops
- Becomes more communicative and expressive with face and body
- Imitates some movements and facial expressions
Physical Development
- Raises head and chest when lying on stomach
- Supports upper body with arms when lying on stomach
- Stretches legs out and kicks when lying on stomach or back
- Opens and shuts hands
- Pushes down on legs when feet are placed on a firm surface
- Sucking and grasping reflexes develop
- Is able to focus and follow objects with eyes
- Brings hand to mouth
- Takes swipes at dangling objects with hands
Cognitive & Language Development
- Watches faces intently
- Follows moving objects
- Recognizes familiar objects and people at a distance
- Starts using hands and eyes in coordination
- Smiles at the sound of your voice
- Smiles and coos in response to others
- Begins to imitate movements and facial expressions (sticking out tongue)
- Begins to babble
- Begins to imitate some sounds
- Turns head toward direction of sound
Growth & Development: 3-6 Months
It is impossible to spoil your infant. Responding to your baby's needs in a loving and consistent way helps you develop a secure and positive relationship with your child. Doing so is critical since this relationship is your infant's first one, and it teaches your baby how to form healthy, trusting connections with others in the future.Social and Emotional Development
- Begins to display a social smile – your baby is learning to recognize familiar faces and is eager to greet them
- Enjoys playing with others and may cry when playing stops
- Expressive and communicates more with face and body
- Drawn to image of self in mirrors
- Begins to learn how to comfort herself
Physical Development
- Raises head and chest when lying on stomach
- Supports upper body with arms when lying on stomach
- Stretches legs out and kicks when lying on stomach or back
- Opens and closes hands
- Can sit with and, later, without support
- Pushes down on legs when feet are placed on a firm surface
- Brings hand to mouth
- Takes swipes at dangling objects with hands
Cognitive & Language Development
- Watches faces closely
- Responds to her own name
- Follows moving objects
- Recognizes familiar objects and people at a distance
- Starts using hands and eyes in coordination
- Smiles at the sound of your voice
- Begins to babble and starts to imitate some sounds
- Responds to music and turns head toward sound
Growth & Development: 6-9 Months
As your baby starts to get older, it is exciting to see all of the developmental changes that start to take shape. You may begin to see your child trying harder to do things for himself like crawl, clap, hold onto objects, “babble” and try to stand up on his own two feet. This stage of life will allow you to play with your child on a whole new level as you watch his mind grow. As always, it's important to remember that all children develop at different speeds, so try to be patient and understanding while your child starts to explore the world around him.Social and Emotional Development
- At this stage in your baby's life, his/her developmental and physical abilities increase. Your child is unique and the timeline of when he or she will hit certain milestones will vary.
- Since you child is becoming increasingly aware of the world around him, your child may start to grab onto things, bang objects to hear the sound they make and develop a better control of their body and their actions.
- Some babies at this age develop what is called “stranger anxiety”. This is when your infant shows signs of distress when they do not recognize a person near them or their parents are out of the room. This period is not permanent, and usually fades over time
Physical Development
- Sits up without being supported
- Starts to stand. This developmental stage varies for each child, however, some infants are able to pull themselves up and hold onto furniture by 9 months
- Begins to crawl. Some infants never crawl, however, by 9 months, many babies find crawling to be an exciting way to get around.
- Develops hand-eye coordination
Cognitive & Language Development
- Many babies at this stage are able to “babble”, meaning they try to verbalize the sounds they hear.
- Infants between 6 and 9 months begin to develop a better awareness of the world. With this in mind, you may notice that your child starts to develop the ability to realize that objects still exist, despite the fact that they are out of sight.
Growth & Development: 9-12 Months
Your baby is about to embark on a whole new journey: walking. Help her to get there by allowing her to crawl freely and supporting her while she attempts to pull herself up. With walking comes a burst in language development, so prepare her for this by labeling. Point to objects and give its name. Even if she can't make the words now, you will help her understand the process and the meaning of pointing. Keep in mind that different babies develop at different paces, so although some may already be walking, many babies continue to crawl throughout the first year of life.Social and Emotional Development
- Baby appears shy or anxious with strangers
- May cry when caregiver leaves
- Enjoys imitation
- Tests parental responses to her behavior
- Repeats sounds or gestures
Physical Development
- Crawls forward on belly
- Sits up without assistance
- Pulls himself up to stand
- May walk two or three steps without support
- Walks holding on to furniture
- Takes objects out of containers
- Pokes with index finger
Cognitive & Language Development
- Responds to “no”
- Babbles with inflections: changes in tones
- May say “mama” and “dada”
- Finds hidden objects easily
- Begins to use objects correctly: drinks from cups, listens in a phone
- Explores object in different ways: banging, shaking, throwing, etc.
2010 Vaccine Schedule
Tips for childproofing
- Scope out the territory. Get down on your hands and knees when your child begins crawling, walking and climbing to determine which cupboards or drawers he might pull down, what spaces he might get stuck or injured in, and what furniture or appliances he might be able to pull down.Cover any electrical outlets and cords.
- Use caution with furniture and fixtures. Bookcases, dressers, and appliances can fall on children; bolt furniture to the wall if possible. Cover all sharp corners and edges of furniture with soft material like foam pieces or cloth to soften the impact if your child falls into them.
- Install gates. Look for child safety gates that your child can't dislodge, but that you can easily open and close. Install gates that screw to the wall rather than those that stay put by using pressure for added security.
- Secure your windows. Window blinds pose a particular hazard because a baby's neck could become trapped in the cords. Tie blind cords so they are out of reach. To prevent falls from windows, install window guards that screw into the side of a window frame, have bars no more than 4 inches apart, and can be adjusted to fit windows of many different sizes.
- Prevent poisoning. Keep all poisonous products out of your child's reach. Put safety locks on all cabinets and drawers that hold bug sprays, cleaning products, medications, and other poisons.
- Prevent drowning. Most in-home drowning deaths occur in bathtubs. Never leave your baby unattended in the tub for any amount of time.
Prevent fires. Experts say having a working smoke alarm can cut the chances of dying in a fire in half. Install smoke alarms in every room of the house. Check them monthly to be sure they're working, and change the batteries every year. You are also required to have at least one carbon monoxide detector in your home.
- Prepare for an emergency. Program emergency numbers into your home and cell phone and keep a list of these numbers in a visible area for you and others to easily access. Stock up on first-aid supplies
Tips for Preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome
- Be prepared for crying. It is normal for infants to cry, and they may do so for three hours a day or more. Sometimes your baby will not stop crying, even if you have met all of his needs. You can try different ways of comforting your baby, including walking with him, singing or talking to him, or taking him for a ride in the stroller or car. If nothing seems to work to calm your baby, check for signs of illness or call his doctor.
- Discuss SBS with your infant's other caregivers. Talk to all of the adults who care for your baby, including spouses, grandparents, siblings, and child care providers, even if you leave your baby in their care only for a few minutes. Share with them ways that you have found to soothe your baby, including how your baby likes to be held, under what conditions he sleeps best, and how you comfort him. Ask your child care provider how she copes with infants crying. For more tips, see OneToughJob’s fact sheet on choosing a child care provider.
- Know yourself. Recognize when you are becoming frustrated, tired, angry, or overwhelmed with the baby’s crying. If your baby just won’t stop crying and you feel yourself becoming very frustrated, leave him safely in the crib on his back for several minutes while you leave the room to cool down.
- Call for help. Sometimes you will need more than just a few minutes away from your crying baby. Make this part of your plan; let family and friends know you may call when you need their help. Call them to come over and watch the baby so that you can get a longer break. Joining a parent support group can help you normalize your feelings of frustration and learn coping techniques from other parents.
