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Baby's 1st Month: Physical Development

Although infant development is not an exact science, babies change dramatically in the first month. The first month may seem as if all the baby does is sleep, because most crying occurs between six and eight weeks. At one month, babies are beginning to smile and make sounds. During the first several weeks, babies will spend a lot of time in position similar to the fetal position. However, this may not occur with infants born prematurely. Premature infants develop differently than full-term newborns.

  1. Face, Head and Neck Development

    • A newborn's head may have been affected by the birthing method and appear pointed or elongated. This should disappear with the first few days. If the head is bruised or swollen, this also will heal within days. The face may also be swollen from fluid accumulation and the facial features may be disjointed from giving birth. The mouth might contain white spots, which are fluid-filled cysts that will disappear within days. The first muscles to develop in newborns are the neck and shoulders. The baby will begin to look around but will only be able to see a distance of two feet. The baby's eyes may be crossed at times, but this is natural.

    Arms and Legs Development

    • The newborn's hands will be tightly closed and the fingernails may be long. The feet and legs will curve inward, but will eventually straighten. The infant will possess reflex skills. The sucking reflex causes the baby to put things in his or her mouth. The grasp reflex causes the baby to tightly close its fingers. And, the startle reflex causes the baby to throw its arms out and back in when startled. The arms, legs and chin also may shake when crying because of the infant's developing nervous system.

    Abdomen Development

    • The umbilical cord stump takes 10 to 21 days to heal and fall off. The cord will change colors from yellow, to brown or black. If it becomes red and starts to smell, call your doctor because it probably is infected.

    Skin Development

    • The trauma from birth may cause the skin to be scratched or bruised. The skin will heal in the first two weeks. The baby will also lose any hair and the top layer of skin will flake or peel. Miliaria, or otherwise known as baby acne, is harmless and will heal within weeks and can appear anywhere on the body, not just the face.

    Warning

    • Depending on when the baby was born, development may be different. However, as a general rule of thumb, if after three months, the baby should not exhibit the following.
      • No head control improvement
      • No attempts to lift the head when lying face down
      • Extreme floppiness
      • Little response to sounds or visual cues
      • Inability to focus on a parent's eyes
      • Little weight gain
      Consult a medical professional if any of these describe the baby.

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