Baby Development Week by Week

Losing up to 7–10% of birth weight in the first days is common; most babies regain it by day 10–14. Your baby may want to feed 8–12 times a day, showing hunger by sucking on hands, rooting or fussing. The first stools are dark green-black and sticky (meconium) and turn yellowish within a few days. Keeping the umbilical stump clean and dry and folding the diaper below it is enough.

Put your baby to sleep on their back every time, on a firm flat mattress without pillows, blankets or toys. Sharing a room, but not a bed, is recommended for the first months. Heel-prick and hearing screenings are usually done in the first days. Seek medical care promptly for jaundice that starts in the first 24 hours or deepens, refusal to feed, unusual drowsiness, trouble breathing, or a temperature of 38 °C or higher.

Most babies are back to birth weight by the end of the second week. Around weeks 2–3 there may be stretches of feeding almost every hour. This cluster feeding is a natural part of a growth spurt and also boosts milk supply in breastfeeding mothers. The umbilical stump usually falls off on its own within 1–3 weeks, sometimes followed by a little moisture for a short while.

If your doctor has recommended vitamin D drops, give them every day. Wet diapers are the easiest sign of good feeding: after the first week, expect at least 6 a day. Redness, a bad smell or discharge at the navel, clearly fewer wet diapers, or jaundice lasting more than two weeks are reasons to call your doctor.

Crying tends to increase from these weeks on and usually peaks around week 6. Being fussier in the evening is common. Day and night are not yet sorted out: keeping curtains open and normal household sounds during the day, and using dim light and quiet care at night, helps your baby learn the difference.

Short sessions of tummy time, a minute or two several times a day while awake and supervised, strengthen neck and back muscles. When you cannot soothe your baby, it is fine to lay them safely in the crib and take a few minutes to breathe; never shake a baby. Projectile vomiting, blood in the stool, or distress after every feed are reasons to see your doctor.

In some babies the time between feeds starts to stretch a little, while night waking is still expected. Gaining about 150–200 grams a week is typical in the early months. If you record measurements regularly, you can compare your baby's own curve with the WHO curves; the trend matters more than any single measurement.

The one-month check-up is a good time to review growth and development and plan vaccinations; ask about your country's vaccination schedule. Tell your doctor if your baby does not react at all to sudden loud sounds, or tires very quickly, sweats or turns blue around the lips while feeding.

Wanting to feed more often, not wanting to be put down and crying more are common at this time. Long evening crying spells with no clear cause (colic) may also become noticeable. Colic is usually described as crying for more than three hours a day on more than three days a week, and it mostly eases by itself by 3–4 months.

Skin-to-skin contact, gentle rocking, white noise and a dim room can calm an overstimulated baby. If the cry changes (high-pitched or moaning), or if fever, vomiting, refusal to feed or unusual drowsiness come with it, do not assume it is colic and see a doctor.

Crying may be at its highest around this week and then usually eases gradually. Another growth spurt, with more frequent feeding, may happen around week six. In some babies the longest stretch of night sleep starts to reach 3–4 hours.

Six weeks after birth is check-up time for the mother too. Deep sadness, loss of interest, trouble bonding with the baby, or thoughts of harming yourself or the baby that last more than two weeks can be signs of postpartum depression; it is treatable and asking for help matters. If your baby never looks at your face or does not react to sounds, mention it at the check-up.

On their tummy they may lift their head up to 45 degrees and hold it briefly. Their eyes follow an object sideways for longer. Sleep is still variable; catching early tiredness signs (yawning, rubbing eyes, staring) and putting them down then makes falling asleep easier.

Copy their sounds, talk with exaggerated facial expressions and sing: these back-and-forth conversations are the foundation of language. If you notice a flat spot on the back of the head, increase awake tummy time and alternate the direction of their head in the crib at each sleep.

The first vaccines are usually given around two months; a day or two of mild fever, fussiness and redness at the injection site may follow. Your doctor or health visitor can tell you your country's schedule. More frequent waking and wanting to be held may also return during these weeks.

Call your doctor if fever stays above 38 °C after vaccination, your baby is very drowsy, or there is inconsolable crying lasting more than 3 hours; do not give fever medicine without asking your doctor. A two-month-old who does not smile at you, does not react to loud sounds or does not watch moving things should be discussed with a doctor.

Awake time during the day gets longer, which means more chances to play. At this age play is as simple as face-to-face talk, singing, feeling different textures and tummy time. Drooling may increase; it does not always mean teething.

Instead of long hours in a bouncer or stroller, give your baby time to move freely on a safe mat on the floor. Use a rear-facing car seat on every trip and never hold your baby on your lap in a car.

Feeds become more efficient; your baby may take more in less time. Night waking continues, but some babies begin to sleep 4–6 hours in a row; for others this comes later. Both are normal.

A short evening routine (bath, massage, dim light, a lullaby) teaches your baby that sleep is coming. If your baby makes no sounds on their own, or one eye constantly turns in or out, talk to your doctor; brief occasional drifting can be normal in the first months.

Your baby starts to recognize the people who care for them most and smiles more when they see them. They react to changes in your tone of voice: a cheerful voice livens them up, a harsh one can startle them.

Offer a light rattle they can grasp that is too big to swallow, and avoid toys with parts that can come off. Never leave your baby alone, even for a moment, on high surfaces like a changing table or bed: they can push themselves off even before rolling.

During this short phase you may again have a fussier baby who wants to feed more often and be held more; it usually passes within a few days. Colicky crying clearly decreases as three months approach.

In a baby younger than three months, a temperature of 38 °C or higher always needs prompt medical assessment. If you swaddle, make sure the hips and legs can bend freely; tight swaddling with the legs held straight together can harm hip development. Stop swaddling once your baby starts trying to roll.

In many babies night sleep begins to come in longer stretches, but every baby has their own rhythm. Daytime naps are usually 3–4. Your baby may get distracted easily while feeding; a calm, dim room makes feeding easier.

Peekaboo with your face, playing in front of a mirror and talking in different voices are both fun and educational. If by four months your baby still cannot hold their head up, does not bring their hands to the mouth, or uses one side of the body clearly less than the other, talk to your doctor.

It can take 8–15 tries before a new food is accepted; offer a refused food again a few days later. At first one or two meals a day of a few spoonfuls are enough; breast milk or formula is still the main source of nutrition. With solids, the color, smell and texture of stools may change.

Respect fullness cues during meals (turning the head, closing the mouth, pushing the spoon away); force-feeding harms the relationship with food. If swollen lips, widespread hives, vomiting or trouble breathing follow a new food, get emergency help.

Daytime sleep settles into two or three naps for most babies. Waking once or twice at night is still common; some babies no longer need night feeds at this age, while others still do. You can discuss with your doctor which pattern suits your baby.

Place toys of different sizes and textures around your sitting baby to encourage reaching. Never leave your baby alone in the bath, even for a moment and even if they can sit; babies can drown silently in a few centimeters of water.

As solids become more varied, foods from different groups such as vegetables, fruits, grains, meat, eggs and yogurt can be on the menu. Do not add salt or sugar; offer whole fruit instead of juice. You can start offering a few sips of water from a cup with meals.

Regularly scan the floor from your baby's point of view: coins, batteries, beads and small toy parts are choking hazards. Anything that fits through a toilet-paper tube is small enough to block a baby's airway.

This new understanding also means they realize you are somewhere else when you leave the room, but not with them. So they may react more strongly to separations. A bedtime routine and a familiar sleep space give them a sense of security.

Play hide-and-seek and “where is it?” games, starting with the toy half visible. If your baby makes no sounds, does not respond to their name or to sounds, or avoids eye contact with you, talk to your doctor.

As movement increases, so does the need for energy. The number of meals can be increased gradually and food textures can progress to mashed and lumpy. Delaying lumpy textures can make accepting solid foods harder later.

Plenty of floor time is the best preparation for crawling; place toys slightly out of reach. Start planning safety gates at the top of stairs and in dangerous rooms, and covers for sockets.

Separation anxiety can show up at night too: a baby who used to fall asleep alone may start looking for you again. A short, predictable bedtime routine, leaving after brief comfort and staying calm make this phase easier.

Instead of slipping away, say a short, cheerful goodbye and come back when you said you would; this builds trust. If you are planning a sitter or daycare, start the settling-in period with short stays and lengthen them gradually.

Finger foods should be soft and easy to squash: well-cooked vegetable sticks, ripe banana, avocado, soft fruit slices, thin strips of omelette. Bread crusts, raw vegetables and whole round foods are still choking hazards.

Gagging is common while getting used to new textures and is a protective reflex; noisy gagging and coughing are normal. Silence, turning blue and being unable to breathe are signs of choking. Learning infant first aid is very valuable for every parent.

In the phase starting in these weeks, fussiness, not wanting to let you go, crying and changes in sleep may appear. Some babies lose their appetite, while others want to feed more often. These changes are usually temporary.

Name the objects around them and point out what is alike: “This is a ball, and that is a ball too.” Simple animal sounds and picture books are appealing now. If fever, diarrhea or vomiting come with the fussiness, do not put it down to a leap; talk to your doctor.

Babies who are more active all day may be more tired at night yet still try out their new skills in sleep; getting onto hands and knees in the crib and waking up crying is common. Plenty of floor practice during the day can reduce these night wakings.

Anchor heavy furniture and the TV to the wall; tip-overs of furniture that is climbed or pulled on cause serious injuries. Keep medicines, cleaning products and laundry pods locked up and high. If you suspect poisoning, call your local poison control center or emergency number.

Lower the crib mattress to its lowest position once your baby starts standing. Standing up in the crib during sleep can cause night waking; gently laying them down and returning to your routine is enough.

Shoes are not needed indoors; bare feet or non-slip socks support balance and foot muscle development. Constantly standing on tiptoe, marked stiffness in the legs, or never using one leg are reasons to talk to your doctor.

As a fussy phase comes to an end, your baby settles into their new skills more comfortably. Mealtimes become more regular; matching family mealtimes makes it easier for your baby to join the table.

Simple action songs and games like clapping rhymes support imitation. If your baby never joins in back-and-forth sounds and gestures with you, mention it at the next check-up.

Give them a chance to use the new skill at the table: soft, squashable pea-sized pieces (cooked vegetable cubes, soft cheese bits) are good practice. Cut whole grapes and cherry tomatoes lengthwise into quarters.

The same skill also makes it easier to find small dangerous objects on the floor and put them in the mouth. When guests visit, make sure medicines, batteries and coins in bags and pockets are out of reach.

At this stage most babies start having three main meals and one or two snacks a day, while breast milk or formula continues. Eggs at breakfast and suitably textured, unsalted portions of family meals at lunch and dinner can be offered.

Development is reviewed at the nine-month check-up. Tell your doctor if your baby cannot sit without support, does not respond to familiar people, never turns to their name, does not babble syllables or cannot pass things from hand to hand. Early support for developmental differences that are noticed early is very effective.

Your child can now share family meals in a suitable texture: three meals and two snacks a day is a typical pattern. Appetite may vary from day to day; since growth slows compared with the first year, eating less is often normal.

For a walking child, stairs, pools, buckets and bathtubs are serious hazards; never take your eyes off them near water. Keep the car seat rear-facing for as long as possible, up to the seat's height and weight limits.

In this period they learn to adjust their plans and try different ways; so for a while they may be fussier, moodier and clingier. Temporary changes in sleep may also appear.

Give them time for small tasks they can do alone and tolerate some mess. In dangerous situations, combine a short, clear “no” with showing what they can do. Offering safe choices reduces power struggles.

From this age, giving up the bottle and fully switching to a cup is recommended for teeth and nutrition. Water is the best drink; juice and sugary drinks can cause tooth decay and poor appetite.

Talk to your doctor if your child is not walking, has no words, does not point, does not look at familiar objects when named, or no longer does something they used to do. Keep following your country's vaccine schedule.

Most children move to a single daytime nap around now. The switch can take a few weeks; some days with two naps and some with one is normal. Between one and two years, total sleep need is usually 11–14 hours a day.

Anchor furniture and the TV, install window locks and move chairs and boxes that could help climbing away from windows. If you suspect poisoning, call your local poison control center or emergency number.

During the phase seen in these weeks, stubbornness, tantrums, jealousy and wanting to be held may increase. Tantrums are extremely common at this age, in children who cannot yet put feelings into words, and fade over time as the brain matures.

During a tantrum, stay calm, make sure your child is safe, and once they calm down hug them and name the feeling. Giving sweets or screen time as a reward may work in the short term but can increase tantrums in the long run. If your child holds their breath and turns blue or faints during tantrums, talk to your doctor.

New vaccine doses are given at this age; check your country's schedule with your doctor. Some children eat less and picky eating begins. Offering healthy choices is your job and deciding how much to eat is theirs; pressure and bargaining make mealtimes harder.

At the eighteen-month check-up, development and social communication are reviewed, including autism screening. Talk to your doctor if your child is not walking, does not point to share interest, has fewer than six words, does not notice when you leave, or is losing skills.