Articles

A New Parent's Guide to Child Development - The First 6 Months

by Reggie Moore Professional writer and proto entrepreneur

Being the parent of a newborn can be an exhilarating but terrifying time for first timers. Along with the exhaustion of way too little sleep and no longer having any personal space, babies can be one of the best new additions to a growing family. It can be hard to know what's normal during an infant's growth and development. Here are some quick facts about what to expect from a new baby and how they're experiencing the world around them.

First Month

The first month can be the scariest because the parent is getting used to the baby's signals and needs and learning to interpret the new noises and body language. At one month, a baby can focus about eight to twelve inches away from their face. They can't support their head on their own but will jerk their arms around frequently. They will like black and white patterns more than colorful patterns and can recognize and respond to familiar sounds. At this age, baby should be encouraged to engage and reach out for toys.

Second Month

At the second month, the baby will be more likely to smile at their parent and begin recognizing the frequent faces in their life. They will be able to utilize their forearms to support themselves and will be developing their hand eye coordination at this stage. They will most likely stop clenching their fists as often. Now is the perfect stage for tummy time to strengthen their limbs and coordination.

Third Month

Three months is a significant point in development for an infant. They will start to engage more actively socially, with more smiling and laughing. They may also start to babble or imitate sounds they hear around them. While developing socially, baby will also be improving their coordination and usage of limbs. They will be able to support themselves and stretch their legs out while on their stomach. The baby's white matter in their brain is growing and developing as they go through their three month growth spurt. Baby may have an increased appetite or become frustrated more easily at this stage.

Fourth Month

A baby at this age will have clearly different signs for different forms of distress. A parent will be able to recognize whether their child is hungry, sad or needing some playtime. Baby will be able to use their hands and eyes at the same time to track and reach for toys or other interesting objects out of reach. Physically, the baby is learning to roll over onto their back and can be encouraged to sit up with their own strength. Everything the baby can reach will be going in their mouth out of curiosity and newfound courage brought about by their new skills. The baby will be much more active and wiggly at this stage, wanting to go out and explore as much as they can.

Fifth Month

This month may be the first time the new parent gets a hug from their baby. This may also be the month where baby gets their first tooth or tries to pull themselves up. Their leg strength is developing, and they will enjoy rolling over and bouncing on their legs when supported by a parent. Babies have been found to really enjoy music and can recognize songs they like. Testing the baby's music preferences is a cute and fun way to engage them at this stage.

Sixth Month

At six months, a new parent will feel they've seen a great deal of their baby's development into the beginnings of a toddler. At this stage, the baby will like to look at themselves in the mirror and be able to identify faces they know and those of strangers. Baby will frequently respond to adults' emotions and words, repeating vowels back and engaging in what sounds like back and forth conversation. Six months is a good time to begin introducing solid foods while continuing a diet of breast milk. The baby will be very interested in their parents' food and will be able to see more clearly and focus better on toys and objects. Baby's social needs will only grow as they learn to better communicate their desires and interpret their parents' emotions.

Having a new baby can be terrifying for first-time parents. With the unique stress of supporting a new life that can't support itself, parents will be stressed and may not know what to expect from their little one. Babies will rapidly develop in their first six months and continue to grow and change as they become toddlers and develop further into children. The first six months can be the scariest but with a little preparation and a lot of patience, every new parent can get through this time without over-worrying or stressing themselves. If you are looking for more information and are interested in becoming a professional child care provider, check out courses like these child care courses in Sydney.


Sponsor Ads


About Reggie Moore Freshman   Professional writer and proto entrepreneur

6 connections, 0 recommendations, 22 honor points.
Joined APSense since, April 22nd, 2021, From Lehi, United States.

Created on Aug 12th 2021 17:08. Viewed 1,257 times.

Comments

No comment, be the first to comment.
Please sign in before you comment.