THE FIRST MONTH
Activity
Baby actively thrusts arms and legs about willy nilly in a playful attitude. Movements of the arms, hands and legs are largely reflex actions. For example, when you rub your finger gently over the baby’s palm you will notice how the baby will automatically, reflexively grasp it with curled fingers. If the baby’s head is unsupported, it will flop backwards and forwards loosely. If left lying on the abdomen, the baby will try to lift the head or turn it to one side so that breathing is not obstructed. Supported in a sitting position, the baby may try to hold the head in line with the body for brief periods of time. Fingers are quite often kept clenched. If an effort is made to keep them open, the baby will automatically tend to close them. The baby may hold an object for a short time but generally drops it after a few seconds. There is a tendency to stare at things, but no effort made to reach out and grab them. The two eyes tend to be co-ordinated in their movements.
Talk
The baby tends to cry a good deal, this being a method of gaining attention as well as filling the lungs with oxygen. The baby also makes little noises in the throat. If spoken to, he or she tends to respond.
Mind
The 1-month-old baby prefers to sleep most of the time, being attentive for only about ten per cent of the time. There is little facial expression, and the baby tends to give a vague stare during waking hours. He or she seems to prefer patterns to look at, rather than be attracted by colour or brightness or size of objects; familiar objects, such as parents, tend to give a little excitement. However, at this age the baby cannot concentrate on any single object for long, tending only to pick it up automatically if it comes into the range of vision but readily letting it. slip out of view without making an effort to retain it—when a person walks past, for example. The baby tends to look up and down at objects, or from one side towards the centre of the line of vision. If objects reappear within a few seconds the baby may remember them.
The baby becomes alert to the value of crying for attention, likes receiving attention, and will tend to stop crying if held and cuddled, or if seeing familiar faces, such as mother’s. Reflexes tend to become more efficient and effective.
Relationships
The baby dislikes pain and will let you know about it by crying. He also responds to comforting, and ceasing crying quickly indicates the desire to be comforted when in distress. Occasionally the baby will react to a smiling face, and may return the smile; a familiar voice may also bring a response. The baby will tend to look at mother’s face, looking intently into her eyes, and if obviously distressed may quieten down. The response to changing a wet nappy is often remarkable.
Baby tends to adjust to the person holding him or her, to mould to the body for a more comfortable union; the little one may pluck at the person, curling fingers reflexively around parts of their body such as their fingers. During feeding the baby may suckle noisily, grasping at the breast and nipple actively.
There may be obvious recognition of parents’ voices, but for the most part there is a vagueness about the baby’s stares. He or she may lie impassively for many hours, and when awake tend to stare into space without obviously concentrating on anything. The baby tends to sleep, wake up, cry, make little noises and eat, in a very disorganized manner.
At this age, the baby likes to have two feeds at night and five or six during the day. There are two to four bowel actions each day.
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General Health
