There is nothing quite like the first year with a newborn child. In only one year, your infant will go from being completely reliant on you to take his or her first steps, babbling their first words, and showing early indications of independence. However, during the first month, your baby is still getting used to this big, strange world. In this blog post, we’ll go over some of the developmental milestones your baby will reach in the first month of life. But there’s a caveat. Premature infants will develop differently than term infants. They are more likely to reach each developmental milestone on or around the day they were originally expected to be born. Premature infants often need an additional month to reach the same baby milestones as their peers.
Important Development Milestones For 1-Month-Old Babies
Even though a newborn’s nervous system and many of its bodily functions are still developing in the first month of life, certain baby milestones can be met during this period. Reflexes account for the vast majority of a baby’s actions in the first month.
- Babies will continue to exhibit their early reflexes, such as the rooting reflex (which helps her locate the breast or bottle for feeding), the sucking reflex (which helps her eat), the Palmar reflex (which causes her to grip your finger when you put it in her palm), and the Moro reflex (which causes her to jump when startled), throughout the first month of life
- A month-old baby’s eyes may also cross occasionally. The muscles responsible for eye movement are still maturing, so there’s no need to worry1
- The majority of newborns will be able to lift their head when it is placed on their stomach by the end of the first month, and they will also turn their head to one side2
Related Reading: Night Sweats In Babies- All You Need To Know
Development Milestones For 1 Month Old Baby
At one month of age, your baby’s sleeping, eating, and bowel movements are as unpredictable as those of a newborn. Nonetheless, you will observe them achieving certain milestones:
- Even at one month of age, your infant has the instinct to walk. Holding a newborn up with her feet resting lightly on a flat surface will cause her to take steps as if she were walking. (stepping reflex)3
- Favors pleasant aromas and can smell his mother’s breastmilk. In the same vein, they avoid odors that are too acidic or bitter. (smell milestone)4
- They prefer to be handled gently and strongly disapprove of any rough or forceful treatment
- At one month, their eyes should begin to focus and they should be able to track a moving object. Babies tend to prefer things that are brightly colored and are at least three feet away5
- Babies typically start to recognize their parents around this time
- The infant’s hearing is now completely developed, and she or he is beginning to distinguish familiar noises and show a preference for them over others6
- Babies who are a month old respond positively to your voice but may be startled by unexpectedly loud noises7
- Because they are nearsighted, infants of this age can focus on shapes that are up close, but they have a hard time making out details in objects that are further away8
Related Reading: Startle Reflex In New-Borns
Feeding Milestones For A 1-Month-Old
One-month-old feeding is similar to newborn feeding. Your newborn baby still needs to be fed every two to three hours, even at one month9
- 8 to 12 feedings per day (once every 2 to 3 hours) are still normal for your baby10
- The length of a feed can change. Sometimes your baby might want a very quick feed, and at other times they may like to spend a long time at the breast
Related Reading: New-Born Care After Delivery At Home: 9 Practical Tips
Sleep Milestones
Your 1-month-old baby has a very irregular sleep schedule compared to you. Compared to adults, newborns have a higher proportion of time spent in REM sleep11. This means that they may wake up more easily during those first few weeks.
- At 1 month old, your baby will sleep anywhere from 14 to 17 hours every 24 hours as per this source
- Many babies do well with 8 to 9 hours of sleep at night and 7 hours of sleep during the day
Speech Milestones
Despite his or her inability to communicate verbally, your baby’s adorable little face is already telling you a lot. Your baby will start to exhibit a wider range of facial expressions, including frowning, squinting, and pursing their lips.
Related Reading: 8 Ways To Encourage A Toddler To Talk
Physical Milestones
Babies are all sizes. What matters more is that their rate of growth remains consistent over time.
- Baby growth rates vary. At 1 month, they add between 0.7 and 0.9 kg per month to their birth weight and grow between 2.5 and 4 cm in length.
- About 1.25 centimeters will be added to their head circumference every month12
Related Reading: All About Bathing Your Baby – 1-3 Months
How To Keep A 1 Month Old Baby Busy
Are you wondering what to do with a one-month-old baby all day? There are no rules about taking your newborn outside, but it’s best to wait until they’re used to their new surroundings before looking for things to do with a one-month-old outside.
Keeping a newborn occupied and content doesn’t call for a lot of effort or knowledge. Here are some ideas for one-month-old baby activities13
- Talk to baby. It is one of the top things to do with a one-month-old inside
- Read to the baby. Pick up a picture or board book, and share the joys of reading with your one-month-old
- Give some tummy time
- Babies are fascinated by expressions, so play into their interests by making funny faces
- Your one-month-old will laugh at your scrunched nose, tongue out, or puckered face
- A one-month-old baby may begin following objects that are in motion at this time. The shaking of a colorful rattle or the side-to-side movement of a ball is both good ways to elicit this response from a baby
Related Reading: 11 Tips To Prevent Diaper Rash From Cloth Diapers
When To See A Doctor
Talk to your baby’s pediatrician if you notice any of the following signs of developmental delay in weeks two, three, or four of her life.
- Slow to feed and has a weak sucker
- Baby is having trouble keeping food down, isn’t getting enough nutrition, is turning blue while eating, or is projectile vomiting during most feedings
- Does not focus and track a nearby object that is moving from side to side.
- Are unable to move their arms or legs, or have limbs that are either extremely floppy or extremely rigid
- Doesn’t flinch when exposed to intense light
- Constant trembling of the lower jaw.
- Not responding to loud noises
- They frequently sleep much longer than 16 hours per day.
Conclusion
Remember that the timing of your baby’s developmental milestones can vary widely. At this age, failure to reach a developmental milestone is not necessarily indicative of a problem. But keep in touch with your baby’s care provider and attend all scheduled checkups to address any concerns quickly.