You’re excited to finally be home with your new baby, but you don’t know what to expect. You notice that he is crying most of the time that he is awake. He is kicking a lot, the way you remember he did when you were pregnant with him. He gets startled by loud noises but when you calmly talk to him, he responds to you by cooing. You may be thinking, “is this normal?”
Every child develops at his own pace but there are signs you can watch for that show he is growing well. Knowing your child’s strengths, what to expect, and when to provide extra support goes a long way in helping your baby learn and grow. Taking the time to learn your baby’s likes and dislikes are important too.
It takes time to get to know your baby. Questions you can think about are:
- How does my baby like to be soothed?
- What play activities does he like best?
- How do you know when he has had enough?
- He has different cries, what do they mean?
Your baby from birth to 2 months will begin to:
- Turn his eyes and head in response to sound and light
- Study your face
- Calm down when you comfort him
- Make a variety of sounds
- Lift his head when he is on his tummy
5 things you can do to help:
- Move toys (or yourself) in front of your baby to help support his physical, social and visual growth
- Hold your baby close so that he can see your face and hear your voice
- Soothe your baby when he is crying
- Talk and sing to your baby during everyday activities like changing a diaper
- Place your baby on his tummy for a short period while he is awake
To help you get started, here are some signs (or milestones) and things you can do to support your baby’s development.
If you have any concerns about your child’s development, please share them with your child’s Doctor!
Stay tuned for our next post in this series about your baby’s growth from 3 to 6 months, 6 to 9 months, and 9 to 12 months.
