Your Baby’s First Month Of Life: Everything You Need To Know

During the first month of your baby’s life, you will notice that he spends a lot of time sleeping. He regularly wakes up to eat. He may sometimes have the hiccups and often sneeze.

In this article, we’ll look at these and other features of your baby’s development in the first month.

There are hundreds of questions that can arise about caring for a newborn.

• How to feed your baby
• When to bathe him
• What happens to his umbilical cord and how to treat it…

If you’ve become a mom for the first time, you’re sure to have many more questions.

But don’t worry, there are many things babies do during this stage that may seem alarming at first, but are actually quite common.

The most important thing is to keep an eye on your baby. Give him the attention and care he needs. And if you notice anything unusual, consult an expert.

The characteristics of a baby’s first month of life

This is your baby’s behavior in the first 30 days of life:

• Your baby sleeps 14 – 16 hours a day. He is awake for short periods, between 7-12 times a day, usually to be fed.
• At first he can not see. As time goes on, his eyes will start to focus little by little.
• Your baby may lose some weight even if you breastfeed him whenever he wants. This is normal in newborns.
• Newborns often have the hiccups and often sneeze.  This does not mean that they have problems with digestion or breathing.
• They have to defecate 4 or 5 times a day and urinate 2 or 3 times. At this age, their stools are yellow or greenish and very runny.
• Their breathing can be loud and irregular, especially when they are sleeping. This is nothing special.

How your baby changes during the first month

You will notice that some of your baby’s functions will take time to become ‘activated’ little by little.

As time goes by, babies gain the ability to recognize familiar faces and even smile when they see them. Colors, lights and sounds will grab their attention.

In terms of their emotional development, it is fundamental that the baby feels protected and loved.

Whatever some theories may say, there is absolutely nothing wrong with holding your baby in your arms. Constant company and holding will calm them down and help them feel safe.

Building a bond of affection and love during that first month of life is the most important thing. Newborns can only recognize their mother by her scent. They cry instinctively, to get their mother’s attention so that she can meet their needs.

However, this bond of affection and love is not just with the baby’s mother. Their father can also participate actively from the very beginning.

The only limitation in what fathers can do is breastfeed. But in all other ways, the baby’s father can play a central role in their care.

What to think about in your baby’s first month of life

We should always be aware that a very young baby is extremely delicate and vulnerable. He has only just come into the world and is still adjusting to his new environment.

Be careful of the outside microbes that your baby may come into contact with. Your baby’s bedroom should be well lit. In addition, it must be warm and free from any form of contamination.

It is also important to keep visits to a minimum during this time. If people come by, try to limit the visit to a maximum of 20 minutes. Longer can be too intense for your baby: newborns are easily frightened.

When it comes to hygiene, there are three important things to know:

• It is best to bathe your baby daily with lukewarm water in a warm room. Be very careful so that he doesn’t get water in his eyes and ears.

• His umbilical cord will fall off on its own after about 6 – 15 days. A daily bath is enough to keep the area clean, but some doctors recommend using a little alcohol to clean it as well.
• His nails are starting to grow. Trim them if necessary:  you don’t want your baby to scratch himself.

In terms of nutrition, there is nothing better than breast milk during the first month of your baby’s life. If possible, breastfeeding is recommended until the baby is six months old.