Babies are usually born tiny and helpless and they continue to develop as time goes by. A parent’s greatest joy is to be certain that they are raising their child right and that nothing is wrong with their child. Just like adults, every baby is different but there are some stages that every one of them will have to go through. When your baby gets to these stages you should rest assured that everything is okay in your princess’ growth and development.
Still a newbie: 0 to 3 months
The world is a new place for the baby and she is still adjusting to it. Everything might be a little overwhelming at first so expect a lot of crying to get your attention. The baby will cry because she is wet, needs to see someone, and is hungry or even tired and irritated. She then develops a sense of security every time you respond to her cries.
You will notice her learning to focus her attention on people and things; she should be able to kick her legs and fling her arms around and even give a smile.
Settling in: 3 to 6 months
During this time your baby is a little more comfortable in her new environment and she is actually beginning to takean interest in what is going on around. There is a lot more interaction with her environment as she learns to grab things, lift her head and even rolls over. If she enjoys something you will know from the reaction she gives you.
A little security please: 6 to 9 months
The more she interacts with the outside world the more she realizes that things are constantly changing. This may destabilize a child a little and may leave her feeling insecure or vulnerable. She may therefore cry if left with strangers and will be a little more cautious.
She may even cry when you are not around because you have become her symbol of security since you are always available for her. In terms of physical development she can now sit up on her own, can crawl and even hold a bottle or a cup to drink.
Let’s go sightseeing: 9 to 12 months
There’s still a little anxiety at this stage but she is learning more skills and how to express herself. By the time a baby gets to one year she will ideally be able to move more either by standing up, crawling, shuffling her bum on the floor and some can even walk.
You can have basic communication at this point because she can shake her head or nod, say a few words and even respond to you. It may not be an adult conversation but she will be able to pass on some information to you. It may take a while before you can decode it but you will learn the dynamics with time!
The first year of a baby’s life is when social, physical and emotional skills develop. This is when a sense of self essentially starts developing. You will influence a lot of this growth as a parent since they will be watching you. The best thing is to be friendly, encouraging, loving, warm and genuinely affectionate to your baby.
Talk to her and explain what is going on and what you are doing, sing to her, play and laugh with her and sing to her. This will teach her how to handle people and her vocabulary stems from this interaction as well. Just as your baby is learning you are learning too as a parent. Keep your eyes open and you will see how amazing raising a child is.