New mothers learn that by the first month after their babies are born, they develop their own schedules for eating, sleeping and playing. Babies at this age usually can communicate to their mothers when they are hungry or uncomfortable and need to be changed. Sleeping is usually not a problem, since they can sleep for long hours and may not even stir with loud noise. However, you might expect more challenges if your baby was born too early. Caring for premature babies may add some stress, which means that mothers should look for support and at the same time, take care of themselves, too.
How Is Your 1 Month Old Baby Developing?
1. Physical Development
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Development |
Description |
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Head shape changes |
A baby who is delivered through the vagina usually has an elongated head at birth due to moulding of the soft skull to accommodate itself through the pelvic opening. However, by one month (four weeks), the head becomes more symmetrical and rounder in shape. |
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Start to lift their head a little |
At one month, a baby who is lying on her tummy may be able to lift her head a little. Mothers must supervise their babies while they lay in this position to help strengthen their neck muscles. |
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Skin all spread out |
Your baby's skin will gradually spread out evenly each day and will lose the mottled appearance, peeling and puffiness of the eyelids by one month. |
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Move more actively |
A baby becomes more active and tends to stretch out her limbs more by four weeks. Although she does not have full control over her body movements, you will notice that she gradually changes out of the familiar fetal position. |
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Start to shed their lanugo |
While a newborn baby has plenty of soft, thin hair called lanugo all over her body, she will lose most of these as weeks pass. By one month, you will notice that most of the lanugo hairs are concentrated only at the baby's back and shoulders. However, premature babies have more lanugo at this time. |
2. Social Development
- Attempt to speak. By the fourth week of life your baby may start making some noises and coo when you talk to her. This marks her attempts to communicate, even before she can actually talk. Help her build up skills by looking at her directly, talking close to her face, and reacting positively to her.
- Get more facial expressions. The baby may not be able to make true smiles at this time, but she can do other facial expressions, especially when she is hungry, tired, or uncomfortable.
Watch this video to learn more about the development of your 1 month old baby:
How to Take Care of a 1 Month Old Baby
1. Feed Your Baby Properly
Young babies usually regurgitate small amounts of milk after feeding because their stomach valves are still immature. As a result, after taking a lot of milk they bring up milk back to the esophagus and spill small amounts of it. Have a towel ready to clean up the spills and don't worry about it, unless your baby fails to gain weight or is exhibiting projectile vomiting (vomiting forcefully).
Mothers who breastfeed need to eat a balanced diet and have enough rest to be able to produce enough milk and sustain their energy to take care of their babies.
2. Sleep Pattern and How to Cope with It
At four weeks, babies stay awake a little longer and may demand more attention from their mothers. They may exhibit the beginnings of their temperament and personality, but they cannot control their emotions. You may need to help your baby calm down with cuddles, reading, rocking, patting and soothing. This will help them feel secure and relaxed, which will make it easier to put them to sleep.
3. Play with Your Baby
Newborn babies are unfamiliar with their environment and you will need to guide them to enjoy and learn more about objects that surround them. Play with your baby by showing her colorful objects that will interest her, such as mobiles, picture books, and other toys. You can try lying down next to her while showing her objects in front of her. This will stimulate her to attempt to reach for the toy, although it will take a few months for her to develop coordination skills to hold objects.
4. Encourage Your Baby to Explore Their Body
A 1 month old baby, or young baby usually starts to discover her own hands and feet as part of her body. You can encourage her to explore her body by holding her hands or feet in front of her while talking or singing a suitable nursery rhyme. This will help her see them and feel them simultaneously.
You must remember, however, that babies do not have the ability to control their body temperatures because their circulatory system is still immature. Body heat may be lost through their hands and feet, so cover them during cold days, especially when going out of the house.
5. Talk to Your Baby
Many mothers enjoy talking to their babies who usually respond with coos, grunts and gurgling. Some can also be amusing as they squeal and laugh while gazing at their mothers' faces. Aside from talking to her directly face to face, allow your baby to hear your voice from afar as you are doing something away from the crib. You can talk about anything, but using a voice in high pitch usually attracts a baby's attention. There is no need to feel silly doing baby talk because this is the best way to teach your child about language skills.
6. Change Their Nappies
At this time, mothers are attuned to the nappy changing patterns of their own 1 month old babies, which indicates how well their children are feeding. Breastfed babies usually have at least six nappy changes per day and their stools are usually soft and yellow in color. On the other hand, babies who feed on formula have fewer bowel movements per day. However, there is no need to worry about constipation if their stools are soft in consistency.
7. Always Stay Clean
A baby's eyes may be moist and sticky at one month. Clean the discharge with warm tap water, starting from the inner corner of the eye going outward. Tearing of the eyes may be caused by a blockage in the tear duct. However, if there is bacterial infection, it is best to consult a doctor, especially if the eye discharge does not clear up with washing.
Some parents may be concerned about their baby boy's foreskin. There is no need to worry about this because it will gradually retract and separate from the glans of the penis when he is about four to five years old.
Bathe your baby on a table or a sink to protect your back from injury. Alternatively, you can also bathe the baby with older children, who can help you with the job. Take care to keep water away from your baby's face.
8. Get Your Baby in the Picture
It is important to keep track of babies’ growth and development during their first year of life. You can do this by taking pictures of your baby's milestones, their favorite toy, or spot in the room. It will also be fun to dress them up in cute outfits and see how much they have grown against a stuffed animal or baby chair.
Baby pictures will also be more memorable if for them to see when they grow older. While you will enjoy seeing your tiny babies, they will have their own fun looking at your sense of fashion back then.
