BABY 1 - 4 MONTH OLD

YOUR AMAZING ONE-MONTH-OLD

As small and fragile as your baby may seem, rest assured that your gentle loving caresses will provide for his most basic needs: to be loved and comforted by you.

Milestones this month

• Your baby can lift his head slightly for a few seconds when lying on his stomach.
• He focuses his eyes on your face.
  With his eyes, he'll follow an object moved about six inches above his face.

All babies have their own internal developmental timetable. If your 1-month-old hasn't yet reached these milestones, rest assured that he will in time. If you have concerns about your baby's development, discuss them with his doctor.

Your newborn's natural reflexes
After nine months in the womb, your baby will be equipped to say hello to the world with these universal reflexes:

• Grasp: His little hand will grip your finger when you stroke his palm.
  Startle: When he's startled by a loud noise or a quick movement, your baby will thrust out his arms and legs, then draw them back and cry.
• Rooting: When you rub the corner of your baby's mouth, he'll immediately turn toward your finger. This rooting instinct is what helps him to latch onto your nipple for feeding.
  Sucking: Your baby is ready and willing to suck for feeding; sucking also comforts him.
• Tonic neck: Lie your newborn on his side, and watch how he extends his arm and leg on the side he's lying on, and flexes the arm and leg on the opposite side.
• Walking: Although he's far from ready for the real thing, if you support your baby upright in a standing position, you'll see him naturally try to step out.

Your baby's developing senses At 1 month, your baby will be experiencing a symphony of the senses. What he hears and sees can make him quiet, agitated, satisfied or blissful -- sometimes all four emotions in the same breath!

• Seeing: Your baby's vision tends to be nearsighted: he's able to focus best on objects eight to 15 inches away. Bold shapes and bold black-and-white patterns attract his attention. Place a mobile over his crib so your baby can follow its movements. He's already turning his head and eyes to look at you. And your baby also is trying out his mime talents by imitating your facial expressions.
• Hearing: Your baby knows your voice well, and he responds to it by growing quieter or more excited. Speak to your baby or sing to him as you feed, diaper, rock, and bathe him. Your words will be his first tools of communication. From you your newborn will learn to speak and to listen. You'll also discover that babies like the sound of music; play soft lullaby tapes throughout the day and at bedtime to help him relax.
• Touching: Your tiny one responds to your touch. Take advantage of the opportunities to be close-feeding, cuddling or just rocking. Respond to your baby's cries; this will help him learn very early that you're there to comfort and care for him.

Snooze news During these first weeks, your little one will sleep -- and sleep -- and sleep. The average newborn logs 15 to 18 hours of sleep per day, often in the form of short naps. Though you're probably hoping that his longest sleep stretches will occur during the night, don't count on it, at least not for awhile. One way to move closer to that goal is to wake him if he sleeps for more than three to four hours at a time during the day.

Dinner! Already, your baby anticipates mealtime. If you're breastfeeding, plan to nurse him every two to three hours. You'll know he's getting enough to eat if he seems satisfied following the feeding, if he continues to have wet diapers and stays within a normal growth curve. If your baby is taking formula from a bottle, plan on feeding him every three to four hours. Initially, he'll eat about two to four fluid ounces at each feeding, but gradually the amount will increase. As he begins to recognize your face, your voice and your touch, he's also building his fledgling memory bank. And before you know it, he'll express that recognition and trust with a big, beautiful smile -- incredible! Experts agree that breastmilk is best for your baby. Not only is it the most nutritionally complete food your newborn will ever eat, but it also benefits your baby in other ways. Even if you plan to bottle-feed formula to your baby, consider breastfeeding these first few days so your baby can benefit from this nutritious natural food.

YOUR COOING TWO-MONTH-OLD


Your 2-month-old is now starting to pay more attention to her world. Most of all, baby loves the sound of your voice and follows it around the room with real concentration. Your different tones of voice fascinate her; she'll respond to your high-pitched, singsong tone just as readily as to your calm, soothing voice. Better yet, baby's already talking back with a variety of sweetly-pitched coos. But when baby isn't calm and cooing, she might be fussy. Ah, the mixed blessings of a 2-month-old!



Milestones this month*

• Your baby can follow an object as it's passed over her face, looking in an arc about six inches from her face.
• She steadily holds up her head.
• Baby rolls over in one direction.
• She can raise her chest using her arms for support while lying on her stomach.
• Baby smiles when you smile at her.
• She responds to loud sounds by becoming completely silent, crying, or acting startled.
• Baby coos.
• She focuses on very small objects, like raisins.
• Baby may laugh out loud. She may even squeal.

*All babies have their own internal developmental timetable. If your 2-month-old hasn't yet reached these milestones, rest assured that she will in time. If you have concerns about your baby's development, discuss them with her doctor. Four ways you can help sharpen your baby's senses

Your baby may coo even more when you stimulate her senses by doing the following:

• Add color Hang a brightly colored mobile over baby's bed.
• Play music Introduce more upbeat, bouncy music during playtime. If baby grows anxious, end the music and soothe her in a calm voice.
• Pay attention Watch your baby to see what attracts her and what frightens her.
• Try different tones of voice and songs.
• Cuddle Don't worry about "teaching" her a thing or measuring her every millimeter of growth. All she really needs now is your loving attention.

Four reasons why your baby may be fussy

• Colic Affecting 10 to 20 percent of babies, colic causes babies to have periods of intense crying -- which can occur several times per week and last for several hours. You'll know it when you hear it: Colic elicits sharp cries and screams that aren't relieved by a dry diaper or another bottle. Colic often shows up more frequently during the late afternoon and evening.
• Constipation Your baby's bowel movements should be soft; if they're hard and dry and resemble little pebbles and are infrequent, your baby may be constipated. Ask your doctor if small feedings of water can help soften the stools.
• Intestinal gas One good way to avoid intestinal gas in formula-fed babies is to fill the bottle with one fluid ounce of formula more than you'll feed your baby. That way, she won't end up sucking on an empty bottle and allowing air to enter her intestines. Also, keep the bottle tilted at a 45-degree angle to reduce air.
• Formula intolerance Your fussy baby may be having difficulty tolerating her formula. Babies are born with immature digestive systems that continue to develop and mature during the first 4 to 6 months of life. If she exhibits any unusual behavior after feeding (such as crying or fussiness), speak with your doctor. If you do decide to switch formulas, do so gradually.

YOUR SMILING THREE-MONTH-OLD

All the world loves babies -- especially when they smile. This is a magical time in your baby's life and your own, so enjoy every moment of it!

Milestones this month

• Your baby can bring his hands together.
• With a mighty effort, baby can raise his chest, supported by his arms, when he lies on his stomach.
• Baby can roll over (one way).
• He reaches for objects.
• Baby can put some weight on his legs when you hold him upright.
• He makes sounds like "ah goo."
• Baby laughs out loud.
• He squeals when he's happy.
• Baby smiles spontaneously.
• He can focus on very small objects.
• Baby turns toward the sound of a familiar voice.

All babies have their own internal developmental timetable. If your 3-month-old hasn't yet reached these milestones, rest assured that he will in time. If you have concerns about your baby's development discuss them with his doctor.

Finally: a little predictability! Because your baby's nervous system is maturing as well, his internal clock is becoming better regulated. More-established patterns are surfacing; the baby's eating and sleeping habits now are more likely to fit into a routine. You'll also notice less crying. How nice!

When baby cries One of the toughest decisions you may face will be about crying. Most experts recommend soothing those cries as soon as possible–at least during your baby's first few months. It's virtually impossible to spoil your new infant–hold and snuggle him continually. Coo with baby, too! As you watch baby grow and see how capable he is of entertaining himself, remember baby can use those same skills to calm himself when a crying spell occurs. If baby isn't able to calm himself, use toys, books, or music to comfort him rather than picking him up. Or direct his attention to his crib's mirror; it may distract him enough to calm him down.

Get ready to welcome a caregiver By now, your baby is getting ready to meet the world head-on. And you may feel a bit more comfortable about leaving him with a familiar caregiver Helping him become accustomed to a new face and voice, even for just a short time, will help both of you become more independent.
Here are important instructions to share with your in-home caregiver:

• How to comfort and calm your baby
• Which are his favorite toys, books, and tapes
• The most effective way to burp him
• How to prepare your baby's bottle
• The fine points of his eating and sleeping schedules
• Where to find first-aid and emergency supplies
• The phone number where you can be reached as well as other emergency phone numbers
• Authorization forms that let your child receive emergency medical attention, if needed

At 3 months, the "typical" baby weighs 13 pounds and measures 24 inches. But don't worry if your baby is smaller or larger. Babies, like adults, vary in size and shape. In fact, the "average" weight for a 3-month-old can range from 9 to 16 pounds and the "average" length from 22 to 25 inches.

YOUR LAUGHING FOUR-MONTH-OLD

Welcome to the world of the 4-month-old, where every day is filled with exciting new discoveries -- and constant reminders that your baby is preparing to take on the universe. About now, your baby's laugh is likely to be the most welcome sound in your home. She's truly learning to communicate with you and others around her. What fun!

Milestones this month

• Your baby can raise herself up on straightened arms while lying on her tummy and look all around.
• She can grasp a rattle.
• Baby laughs out loud.
• She squeals with delight.
• Baby smiles spontaneously.
• She pays attention to very small objects.
• Baby experiments by making new sounds.
• She recognizes parents and siblings.

All babies have their own internal developmental timetable. If your 4-month-old hasn't yet reached these milestones, rest assured that she will in time. If you have concerns about your baby's development, discuss them with her doctor.

What your baby is discovering

• Hands Because baby can't crawl or walk yet, your little one literally is trying to pull the world toward her. You may notice baby intently studying her hands; at some point, she'll bravely stuff them into her mouth, surprising herself with the knowledge that these fascinating appendages actually are part of her! Once your baby has mastered this skill, she'll try the tricky stuff -- grabbing one hand with the other and then pulling them apart.
• Toys New skills call for new toys. Your baby will love brightly colored, squeaky toys; soft, bumpy textures are good, too. Give your baby toys with knobs, handles, and loops -- anything that provides an easy grip. Look for safe baby toys that are one solid piece; stay away from those with small parts and ones that could fit entirely into her mouth. Crib gyms and play gyms are great at this age. Your baby can lie under them and squeeze, bat away, or kick at the brightly colored objects that hang within her reach. Mirrors and bells are popular attractions on these gyms, too. Be sure to check the toy package label for information regarding age appropriateness.
• Laughter Maybe it's a high-pitched giggle or a rumbling belly laugh, but the first few times it erupts from her mouth, your baby may surprise herself. Your positive reactions to her peals of laughter will let her know that she's truly making a joyful noise.

Oh, sweet sleep

Your baby's increased activities also may account for another major 4-month developmental step: She's starting to sleep on a schedule! Most 4-month-olds are sleeping through the night for about nine hours at a stretch. This means that her daytime sleep probably is more predictable now, too -- typically morning and afternoon naps that each last for two to three hours.

Keep in mind that your baby still may stir often during the night, make little noises or perhaps even awaken. If she's not fussing, it's best to leave her alone so she can learn to put herself back to sleep. If she can't fall back to sleep on her own, try speaking softly or patting her first. If that doesn't work, lift her out of the crib for a feeding or diaper change. Keep the lights low, and talk softly and as little as possible. Try not to turn this break into playtime; the more relaxed she is, the more likely she'll fall back to sleep soon.

Let's "chat"
Your 4-month-old is finding all sorts of ways to communicate:

• She's becoming your family's one-baby band as she tries lots of new ways to connect with you and satisfy her own curiosity. Baby's babbles, though not ready for the Top 40, may have a definite singsong quality to them. Brace yourself for a high pitch and lots of repetition.
• "Ah goo" or similar vowel-consonant combinations will make up her vocabulary, along with some carefully chosen "oohs" and "ahs." Answer her with the same tones and inflections; she'll love this chat time -- especially if you spice up your end with facial expressions and gestures. These will be her first lessons in learning the art of conversation!
• Baby's smiles will become more frequent; she may even fake a cough to get your attention. Always take the time to acknowledge these attempts at socializing. You'll know when baby especially wants to visit with you by the look in those bright, eager eyes.
• Baby also will soon learn how to let you know when she's not in the mood for parent patter. Her eyes may glaze over, she may cover her face with her arm, or she may turn her head away. Baby will begin to learn the power of the protest, too. She may cry out in anger or frustration if you test her patience, especially if you take something away from her.