Understanding Infant Development Stages
Understanding Infant Development Stages
Your new baby doesn't do much but sleep, eat, and poop. You may not do much but feed them, change them, and put them down for bed?and then fall asleep in complete exhaustion too. Just as soon as you get use to the strange routine of caring for a newborn, a new cycle starts and things change. Infant development stages come and go quickly, and some are so subtle that you don't see them right away. One mistake that parents make is to worry about these stages and compare their child to another of the same age. Babies hit milestones when they darn well want to, and being early or late rarely means anything.
Don't worry if your sister's baby seems to be hitting all of the infant development stages sooner than your child. It does not mean your sister's baby is smarter or better than your baby in any way. Some babies have a more laid back personality. They are just as smart as their peers, but they are not in a hurry to crawl. Perhaps they are not going to talk as soon as other babies, but when they do, they start blurting out sentences rather than single words. Comparing babies only makes you feel bad or anxious. It does not mean your child is behind or smarter than another baby. Try to relax.
Some of the first infant development stages are sleeping in longer spurts at a time. This is always a good time for mom. Just as it seems she can not take another night of getting up three times to feed the baby, the infant sleeps for six hours straight. Of course, at first, this is not at all relaxing for mom, as she may startle awake wondering if her baby is okay. Once a baby gets to this point, mom can start to sleep longer, only after she gets use to the idea of it while not freaking out that something is wrong.
Don't rush other infant development stages. If you feed your baby cereal too soon, or start with fruits and vegetables, you can put your baby at risk of obesity or other eating related issues. There are specific guidelines about when a baby should start certain types of foods and there are good reasons for these guidelines. Giving baby cereal too soon can mean they have problems later in life. It will not help them sleep through the night sooner, but it can cause them great upset because their digestive systems are not ready for those foods.
Other infant development stages like crawling, walking, and talking are all important, just as sitting up, using the pincer grasp, and rolling over are. There are places you may visit that tell you when these things should happen, but remember that they are only a guide. Your baby will do these things near this time, but there are no rules. The only concern you may have is when they go months beyond these points and do not seem to be moving towards them. That is when you talk to your doctor. Otherwise, use developmental stages as a guideline, and enjoy your baby's unique personality.
Don't worry if your sister's baby seems to be hitting all of the infant development stages sooner than your child. It does not mean your sister's baby is smarter or better than your baby in any way. Some babies have a more laid back personality. They are just as smart as their peers, but they are not in a hurry to crawl. Perhaps they are not going to talk as soon as other babies, but when they do, they start blurting out sentences rather than single words. Comparing babies only makes you feel bad or anxious. It does not mean your child is behind or smarter than another baby. Try to relax.
Some of the first infant development stages are sleeping in longer spurts at a time. This is always a good time for mom. Just as it seems she can not take another night of getting up three times to feed the baby, the infant sleeps for six hours straight. Of course, at first, this is not at all relaxing for mom, as she may startle awake wondering if her baby is okay. Once a baby gets to this point, mom can start to sleep longer, only after she gets use to the idea of it while not freaking out that something is wrong.
Don't rush other infant development stages. If you feed your baby cereal too soon, or start with fruits and vegetables, you can put your baby at risk of obesity or other eating related issues. There are specific guidelines about when a baby should start certain types of foods and there are good reasons for these guidelines. Giving baby cereal too soon can mean they have problems later in life. It will not help them sleep through the night sooner, but it can cause them great upset because their digestive systems are not ready for those foods.
Other infant development stages like crawling, walking, and talking are all important, just as sitting up, using the pincer grasp, and rolling over are. There are places you may visit that tell you when these things should happen, but remember that they are only a guide. Your baby will do these things near this time, but there are no rules. The only concern you may have is when they go months beyond these points and do not seem to be moving towards them. That is when you talk to your doctor. Otherwise, use developmental stages as a guideline, and enjoy your baby's unique personality.
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