Newborn Care Specialists are individuals who have undergone extensive training and boast years of childcare experience alongside their educational accomplishments. Newborn Care Specialists work hard to study every aspect of newborn care from cradle cap and feeding issues, to sleep training and beyond.
That said, it is so helpful to ask newborn care specialists and our friends at the American Academy of Pediatrics about developmental milestones, so let’s start with the first month after birth! You may be asking, what are some of the developmental milestones my nanny kid should reach by one month of age? Have no fear, nanny, we’ve got you covered, keep reading!
In the very beginning, it may seem that your nanny kid does nothing but eat, sleep, cry, and fill their diapers. By the end of the first month, they’ll be much more alert and responsive. Gradually they’ll begin moving their body more smoothly and with much greater coordination—especially in getting their hand to their mouth. You’ll realize that they listen when you speak, watch you as you hold them, and occasionally moves their own body to respond to you or attract your attention.
Here are some milestones to look for:
Movement Milestones
- Makes jerky, quivering arm thrusts
- Brings hands within range of eyes and mouth
- Moves head from side to side while lying on stomach
- Head flops backward if unsupported
- Keeps hands in tight fists
- Strong reflex movements
Visual and Hearing Milestones
- Focuses 8 to 12 inches (20.3 to 30.4 cm) away
- Eyes wander and occasionally cross
- Prefers black-and-white or high-contrast patterns
- Prefers the human face to all other patterns
- Hearing is fully mature
- Recognizes some sounds
- May turn toward familiar sounds and voices
Smell and Touch Milestones
- Prefers sweet smells
- Avoids bitter or acidic smells
- Recognizes the scent of his own mother’s breastmilk
- Prefers soft to coarse sensations
- Dislikes rough or abrupt handling
Developmental Health Watch
If, during the second, third, or fourth weeks of your baby’s life, she shows any of the following signs of developmental delay, notify your pediatrician.
- Sucks poorly and feeds slowly
- Doesn’t blink when shown a bright light
- Doesn’t focus and follow a nearby object moving side to side
- Rarely moves arms and legs; seems stiff
- Seems excessively loose in the limbs, or floppy
- Lower jaw trembles constantly, even when not crying or excited
- Doesn’t respond to loud sounds
h/t American Academy of Pediatrics
What are some of the developmental milestones you’re aware of? We’d love to learn from you!
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