What can my baby do at this age?
Although a newborn spends about 16 hours a day sleeping, the time a baby is awake can be busy. Much of a newborn’s movements and activity are reflexes or involuntary – the baby does not purposefully make these movements. As the nervous system begins to mature, these reflexes give way to purposeful behaviors.
Reflexes in newborns include the following:
- Root reflex. This reflex occurs when the corner of the baby’s mouth is stroked or touched. The baby will turn his or her head and opens his or her mouth to follow and “root” in the direction of the stroking. The root reflex helps the baby find the breast or bottle.
- Suck reflex. When the roof of the baby’s mouth is touched with the breast or bottle nipple, the baby will begin to suck. This reflex does not begin until about the 32nd week of pregnancy and is not fully developed until about 36 weeks. Premature babies may have a weak or immature sucking ability, because they are born prior to the development of this reflex. Babies also have a hand-to-mouth reflex that accompanies rooting and sucking and may suck on their fingers or hands.
- Moro reflex. The Moro reflex is often called a startle reflex because it usually occurs when a baby is startled by a loud sound or movement. In response to the sound, the baby throws back his or her head, throws out his or her arms and legs, cries, then pulls his or her arms and legs back in. Sometimes, a baby’s own cries can startle him or her, initiating this reflex. The Moro reflex lasts until the baby is about 5 to 6 months old.
- Tonic neck reflex. When a baby’s head is turned to one side, the arm on that side stretches out and the opposite arm bends up at the elbow. This is often called the “fencing” position. The tonic neck reflex lasts until the baby is about 6 to 7 months old.
- Grasp reflex. With the grasp reflex, stroking the palm of a baby’s hand causes the baby to close his or her fingers in a grasp. The grasp reflex lasts only a couple of months and is stronger in premature babies.
- Babinski reflex. With the Babinski reflex, when the sole is firmly stroked, the big toe bends back toward the top of the foot and the other toes fan out. This is a normal reflex until the child is about 2 years old.
- Step reflex. This reflex is also called the walking or dance reflex because a baby appears to take steps or dance when held upright with his or her feet touching a solid surface.
Newborn babies not only have unique reflexes, but also have some physical characteristics and behaviors that include the following:
- Their head sags when lifted up and must be supported at all times
- They turn their head from side to side when lying on their stomach
- Their eyes are sometimes uncoordinated and may look cross-eyed
- They initially fix their eyes on a face or light, then begin to follow a moving object
- They begin to lift their head when lying on their stomach
- Their movements are jerky and erratic
- They move their hands to their mouth
What can my baby say?
At this early age, crying is a baby’s only form of communication. At first, all of a baby’s cries sound similar, but parents soon recognize different types of cries for hunger, discomfort, frustration, fatigue and even loneliness. Sometimes, a baby’s cries can easily be answered with a feeding or a diaper change. Other times, the cause of the crying can be a mystery, and the crying stops as quickly as it begins. Regardless of the cause, responding to your baby’s cries with a comforting touch and words are essential in helping your baby learn to trust you and rely on you for love and security. You may also use warmth and rocking movements to comfort your baby.
What does my baby understand?
You may find that your baby responds in many ways, including the following:
- Startling at loud noises
- Looking at faces and pictures with contrasting black and white images
- Giving attention to voices, eventually turning toward sounds
- Showing hints of a smile, especially during sleep
How Long Should My Newborn Sleep?
Newborns should get 14-17 hours of sleep over 24 hours, says the National Sleep Foundation. Some newborns may sleep up to 18-19 hours a day. Though newborns spend most of a 24-hour period sleeping, they shouldn’t sleep for longer than 5 hours at a time in the first 5-6 weeks because they need to wake every couple of hours to eat. Breastfed babies feed often, about every 2-3 hours. Bottle-fed babies tend to feed less often, about every 3-4 hours.
Expect to wake your newborn every 2-3 hours to eat until they surpass their birth weight, usually within the first couple of weeks. After that, it’s okay to let your baby sleep for longer periods of time at night if they are gaining weight appropriately (about 1 pound per 2 weeks).
The first months of a baby’s life can be the hardest for parents, who might get up many times at night to tend to their baby. Each baby has a different sleep pattern. Some start to sleep “through the night” (for 5-6 hours at a time) by 2-3 months of age, but some don’t.
See Healthy Sleep for Babies for more information about newborn sleep.
How can I help increase my baby’s development and emotional security?
Young babies need the security of a parent’s arms, and they understand the reassurance and comfort of your voice, tone and emotions. Consider the following as ways to foster the emotional security of your newborn:
- Hold your baby face to face.
- Talk soothingly and let your baby hear your affectionate and friendly voice.
- Sing to your baby.
- Walk with your baby in a sling, carrier, or stroller.
- Swaddle your baby to help them feel secure and prevent startling by the baby’s movements.
- Rock your baby in a rhythmic, gentle motion.
- Respond quickly to your baby’s cries.
