Growth and development of 1 month old infant

1-month-old babies sleep for many hours a day, but they need regular feeding to meet their growth and development needs. With 1 month old baby, the baby's development will take place and change from day to day.

If this is your first time as a parent, you will feel that taking care of a newborn is an extremely difficult task with many challenges. Frequent questions about whether your baby is developing healthily can be distressing.

In this article, aFamilyToday Health invites you to learn about the development and growth of children 1 month old. This can give you more information in parenting.

Growth of 1 month old infant

A few days after birth, the baby's weight can be about 10% lower than when it was born. But don't worry, the cause of this problem is the excess fluid in the baby's body will be lost in the first few days after birth.

Then your baby's weight will increase over the next 2 weeks and begin to increase rapidly. 140 - 250 grams is the average weight your baby can gain each week in the first month after birth. In addition, the baby's length can increase by about 10cm in the first month after the baby is born. Therefore, if your baby does not reach the basic weight, you should take your baby to the pediatrician to find out the cause and find a way to fix it in time.

Child development 1 month old

With 1-month-old babies, follow your baby's development by week to get an idea of ​​your baby's growing milestones. This helps you to promptly detect the child's abnormality so that there is a suitable intervention direction.

To evaluate a child's development, doctors will usually base on the baby's weight, height and head circumference. The doctor may also cover one of your baby's eyes to check your child's ability to see and observe reactions. In addition, the doctor will test the child's ability to hear, communicate and language.

1. Newborn 4 weeks old

With a 4-week-old baby, the baby's cooing and cries are the language that he uses to communicate with you. It is important that you talk and play with your baby when he or she is awake. This is one of the most important ways to build connections and develop your baby's language skills. As a child's hearing and vision develop, he or she can recognize familiar voices, sounds and faces.

Every day, you should place your baby on his stomach for a few minutes to develop the child's neck, back and arms. Note that you should not take your eyes off the baby when tummy.

2. Children 5 weeks old

During this period, the baby has a strong growth in weight, increasing an average of 200 grams per week. With a 5-week-old baby, the muscles on his / her neck are more developed than before, so if you put your baby on his stomach, he or she may try to lift his head.

During this time, some babies have become known to smile. Babies tend to sleep more at night, and may even sleep for 4-6 hours.

She also has better development of vision and concentration, so she can focus both eyes on a particular object. In particular, you can also distinguish certain colors.

3. Children 6 weeks old

Children 6 weeks old can increase on average 140-200 grams per week.

A 6-week-old baby's hearing is fully developed, so he or she will focus attention on sounds or voices better. In addition to talking to your baby, you can let your baby listen to music, sing to him ...

Your child's memory and vision are also gradually developing, so babies can show excitement when they see their parents. During this stage, your baby will have some facial expressions such as eyebrows, pursed lips.

4. 7 weeks old

When your baby is 7 weeks old, you will notice that your baby's height has increased by about 4 - 5 cm. Brain and vision are also better than before, children can see about 60cm away. If you watch your baby, you will notice that she will pay more attention when looking at something in motion.

This is a great time to chat with your baby, let your child listen to music, watch books with colorful pictures ... to improve children's awareness.

7-week-olds also know how to control their hands to get the things they want so they try to get anything within reach. Therefore, you need to make sure your baby is not around objects that may cause an accident.

Health of children 1 month old

Most parents worry if their child is fussy and crying during this age group.

If your baby is crying frequently and you think he might be bothering with infant cramps (colic or upset baby ), check for symptoms.

Babies with colic disturbed when crying often manifest as: hard stomach, knees up to chest, eyes closed or wide open when crying. Also, your baby can hold his breath while crying. The general rule of thumb to see if your baby is having problems with colic syndrome is based on the following criteria: crying 3 hours a day, 3 days a week for at least 3 weeks.

In fact, not infant cries are a warning for a serious problem. Crying is a natural way for your baby to communicate with you, letting you know he is hungry, needs a diaper change, he wants to be comforted… At the same time, a newborn's crying is also a sign that he or she is healthy.

If your baby is not crying or just pooping, take him to the pediatrician to find out the cause.

Children 1 month old are quite young, so you should keep your baby properly hygienic to minimize the risk of infection with harmful agents, you need to wash your hands after each diaper change and before taking care of your baby. , keep children away from people with health problems ...

The first month after birth, your baby may need vaccinations for certain diseases. Therefore, do not forget to take your baby for vaccinations and periodic health checks.

The development of senses of children 1 month old

Here are some of the most important milestones for your baby's typical first month:

Physical and movement: 1 month old baby knows how to control his hands so he can jerk, wave, or even bring his hand to his mouth. If placed on their tummy, some babies may turn their heads left or right. Baby can hold hands. Many children also know how to smile.

Touch and smell: Children 1 month old can determine the smell of breast milk. Babies can also feel a bitter or sour taste and will find ways to avoid it when given foods they don't like. Children also show dislike when being petted roughly and show love for the pleasant smell.

Vision and hearing: At this age, children can focus on seeing an object with a distance of at least 25-30 cm and can track a moving object. Your baby can also recognize voices and try to find the direction where the voice came from.

Note that with premature babies, the baby may not have the above developmental milestones. The assessment of development of preterm infants should be based on the gestational age of the baby. Babies will gradually reach milestones at their own pace.

1-month-old infant's behavior

1 month old baby already knows how to smile like a reflex. When you turn 6 weeks old, your baby can smile more and recognize the faces and voices of people you know.

This is also the time when colic syndrome appears, so your baby can cry very often for no apparent reason. The good news is that this syndrome goes away as the baby gets older, usually after 4-6 months.

If colic is bothering your baby, you can soothe your baby by petting him, giving him skin- to- skin contact , singing lullabies, playing soothing melodious music for him or doing something about it. distracted baby. If your child does not respond well to these actions, be patient. You should not get angry, yell or be tense with your baby ... because your baby may overreact to these actions of you.

It is important to try a variety of remedies, consult with your pediatrician to find out what is best for your child that you can use.

Activity for babies 1 month old

Here are some safe and simple activities for 1 month old babies that can help support your baby's development.

Because the weak neck muscles are still developing, when holding the baby, you need to support the neck and head.

Every day, you should put your baby on his stomach for a few minutes to stimulate him to try to raise his head. This will help develop your baby's neck muscles. Note, you should not take your eyes off the baby when he is lying on his stomach. The reason is that lying on their back may increase the risk of sudden infant death (SIDS).

Interact (talk with your baby, massage your baby ...) while you are changing diapers or playing with your baby. Try and make your baby follow your voice and movements.

Let your baby grab your finger. This will help children develop better grip and improve hand motor skills.

Child's diet 1 month old

Other than breast milk or formula, you should not give your baby anything to eat or drink, not even water. Giving infants water can also cause water poisoning, leading to hyponatremia, seizures, tissue damage, and even death.

Children 1 month old should eat at least 6 meals / day (if fed with formula and 12 meals / day if breastfeeding). Regarding the amount of milk, mothers should breastfeed according to the needs of the baby and breastfeed when the baby is hungry.

Children's sleep time

Babies 1 month old usually sleep 14-17 hours per day. Baby sleep time is dispersed throughout the day. Babies often sleep after they are full, take a cool bath, and change diapers. Getting enough sleep is very important for a baby's growth because most growth occurs while the baby is sleeping.

1 month old baby care and advice for you

Take care of 1 month old baby

The correct care for a 1 month old baby is essential to support young child's development. Here are some 1-month baby care methods that you can consider:

Breastfeed when your baby is hungry: You should feed your baby on demand, don't force him to eat according to your schedule. However, make sure your baby eats at least 6 times a day if you are feeding your baby and 12 times a day if you are breastfeeding.

Let your baby sleep according to his needs, do not force him to sleep when he does not want or wake up when he or she is sleeping well. A good quality sleep is crucial for young growth.

Interact with your baby, talk and play with him often. This is a great way to develop infants' communication skills.

When you put your baby to sleep, you need to make sure that your baby's sleeping area does not have any risk factors (away from windows, doors, or any harmful objects or toys ... to avoid suffocation. breathing), gentle light, cool temperature… You should put your baby to sleep in a crib to limit the risk of your baby falling on the ground.

Always wash your hands before feeding your baby, taking care of your baby, after changing diapers ...

Take your baby to the health check and vaccination on time. This helps protect your baby from many dangerous diseases.

Tips for taking care of 1 month old newborn

You can follow these tips to ensure that your child is adequately supplied and on the right track.

Skin-to-skin contact: Babies will feel comforted with skin-to-skin contact with parents. Your cuddling, patting… will help you feel secure.

Give your baby a few safe toys, rattle ... for children to play.

Massage your baby and move his / her feet in a bicycle motion to build up his motor skills. This will help build muscle strength for the child to support crawling and walking later.

Take your baby to the doctor if you notice that your baby is feeding poorly, has stopped feeding, or is not sleeping well. Note that you should also seek medical attention if you find that your baby is not responding to sounds or voices.

Each stage of your baby's development is very important and if you notice any growth retardation take your baby to see your pediatrician to spot any abnormalities in time.