Baby’s First Days Of Physical Development

As our baby grows,  there are many changes in his development. When born, it has certain characteristics that are completely natural to the human growth process and that, little by little, change. But what are the first days of a baby’s physical development like?

The newborn has a rounded chest, a relatively large head, rather short extremities, and a prominent abdomen. It usually measures about 50 centimeters and the most common is that it acquires a semi-flexed posture. Regarding his weight, he is usually 3-4 kg, with boys’ weight being generally higher than girls’.

Areas of baby development

The baby’s development is divided into several areas:

• Cognitive.
• Language.
• Physics, such as fine motor and gross motor.
• Social.

As the days go by, we will be able to see how each one of them evolves.

Early days of baby’s physical development

Naturally, your baby will experience many changes over time. Not only does he discover the world around him, but he also  gets to know himself little by little. In addition, the baby’s physical development starts from the head and then spreads to different parts of the body.

the senses

In the first days of being born, the baby does not know his body. In fact, he is not able to differentiate where his own body ends and where his mother’s begins. Vision is blurry and you can’t see clearly,  so you can only see some shadows at a distance of half a meter.

The child  likes to be caught his attention with toys of lights and sounds,  due to the fact that it relaxes and amuses him. If she starts to get restless, you can talk to her lovingly; it is very important that she feels affection and protection so that her safety increases.

Sleep

During the first month of life,  the baby will spend very little time awake. Most of the day you’ll be asleep – approximately between 16 and 20 hours a day – and you’ll wake up almost exclusively to eat. In addition, it is normal for your breathing to be noisy and irregular while you sleep. Your daytime sleep can be interrupted for 2-3 hours before feedings.

The feeding

Pediatricians often recommend breastfeeding as the only food  for a baby in its first month of life. If, for some reason, the mother is unable to breastfeed the newborn, she can bottle-feed the baby with a suitable milk. It is not necessary to administer any supplement, except as indicated by the pediatrician.

the maternal bond

The baby will love it when the mother picks him up. When you pick it up, be very careful and hold your head tight, as it is very delicate. You can walk him through different areas of the house so he can hear different sounds. The baby will be able to recognize its mother by the smell and, being in your arms, will hear the sounds of your heart. At this stage you will find that crying will be your best resource for getting attention.

baby weight

During the first week of life, it is best not to show much growth. It is normal for the baby to lose weight during this period and then gain weight again. By the end of the week, you will probably reach your birth weight.

the birthmarks

It is very normal for a baby’s head and nose to be flat after birth, this  is one of the consequences of having passed through the pelvis during childbirth. In turn, the eyes may be puffy and red, this will disappear in a matter of a few days. You’ll also notice how the skin color changes to a more natural color.

How to develop a baby’s fine motor skills?

There are a number of activities during your baby’s physical development that will help you improve your child’s fine motor skills from 0 to 4 months. This is directly  linked to your arm – mouth and eye – ear coordination.

• Allow the baby to put non-hazardous objects into his mouth and suck on them.
• Facing the child, without covering your field of vision,  move your face, speaking in different tones and making different sounds. If he stops following your face, try again to get his attention.
• Place your finger in the baby’s palm for the baby to grasp and press.

• Allow the baby to touch your face, hair,  etc.
• When the child drops a toy from your hand, give him the opportunity to retrieve it himself.
• Start gently rubbing the back of the baby’s hands; when you open them, take the opportunity to stimulate your palms with objects that you can press.

How to develop a baby’s gross motor skills

There are also activities to develop the gross motor skills of children from 0 to 4 months. We present some of them:

• Dress your baby comfortably. Don’t involve him too much to facilitate freedom of movement.
• Caress your legs, arms, feet and hands. This will make it move.
• Change the baby’s position in the crib and rock him gently.
• With one hand on the baby’s calves and the other on the baby’s knees,  slowly and gently induce her to stretch her little legs to a horizontal position. Watch the position of your pelvis. The child’s entire lower back should rest on the surface where the child is lying.

• Allow the baby to put his hand to his mouth.

During the baby’s physical growth and development, he experiences several changes. It is important that you pay attention to each one of them and if you notice something strange, consult your pediatrician.