Your Baby at 1 Month

Congratulations your baby is 1 month old! You are probably still getting used to life with a new baby, getting up in the night for feeds, changing nappies, and trying to soothe your little one’s cries. This can be all the more daunting if this is your first baby.

Let’s take a look at your baby at 1 month old and see what they are usually doing at this time.

Baby Development 1 Month

A baby at 1 month does three main activities: sleeping, feeding, and filling nappies. However, this is also a time of tremendous development and growth.

In fact, even during these first four weeks, you will have seen a number of changes. Below is a list of 4 week old baby milestones that your baby will have either achieved or be on the way towards by this time:

Lifting the head when lying on the stomach. Many babies at this age don’t like lying on their stomachs when they are awake, but each time you put them down they should still have a few minutes of “tummy time” before they start screaming.
Focusing their eyes on your face. Your baby’s sight is starting to develop. If you dangle an object about six inches above the baby’s face, you will notice that they will follow it with their eyes. To help the baby’s sight and focusing develop even faster, it is a good idea to put a brightly coloured mobile above the cot. This will stimulate the baby’s focus even more.
Your baby might not be able to talk to you, but they can hold your finger. Gently put your finger into your baby’s little palm and see how their tiny hand will grip your fingertip.
Your baby will tell you that they are alarmed by throwing out their arms and legs in an immediate startled reaction. This usually occurs when there has been a loud noise or if the baby has been picked up too abruptly. After throwing out their limbs in this manner, the baby will then draw them back and cry.
Rubbing the corner of a baby’s mouth will encourage the little one to turn their head in search of your finger. This is called “rooting,” and this is what encourages the baby to feed either from the breast or the bottle.
Similarly, babies find sucking a great source of comfort. This is why babies may want a top-up feed if they have been upset or if they are tired, rather than only when they are hungry. Some babies automatically suck their thumbs as a comfort habit. Ultrasounds have even shown some babies sucking their thumbs in the womb. This is also the age when some mothers give their babies a dummy to suck on, because this provides comfort when a breast or a bottle is not available, and it can ultimately be thrown away (unlike a thumb!).

Baby Feeding and Sleeping

At this age, baby eating habits are centred around either breast milk or formula. This is not yet the age to give your baby solids.

If you are breastfeeding, you will probably find that you will need to feed the baby around every two or three hours. Provided that your little one is gaining weight, seems contented after a feed, and makes plenty of wet nappies, then you are doing fine. Also remember that breastfed babies usually put on less weight than babies that are fed with formula.

If you are bottle feeding, your baby will probably want to feed every three to four hours, usually drinking around 100-150ml each time. This amount will increase as your baby grows.

Babies tend to sleep a lot during the first month of their lives. They often sleep a total of 15-18 hours a day, though this can vary. Don’t expect them to know the difference between night and day at this point. For Baby Routine birth – 3 months click here.

Another important thing to remember is to talk to your baby. Baby might not be able to answer you in words, but at this age they start to gurgle and make happy noises. At one month, some babies even laugh. Gurgle and coo back. The baby will gradually start to respond to your voice.

One month is a time for much growth. At this time, you may also need a lot of baby information, about immunisations and other questions. So make sure to stay in touch with your clinic at this time.

If you find a need for further help with baby’s sleeping, we highly recommend Sleep Expert – Helen Stevens.