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Baby's Development Month-by-Month Topics..

First Three Months of Newbornâ€™s Development

Baby's Development (4 to 6 months)

Baby's Development (7 to 9 months)

Baby's Development (10 to 12 months)

You are here : home > Baby's Development Month-by-Month > First Three Months of Newbornâ€™s Development > Newborn's Development in the First Week

Newborn's Development in the First Week

Whatkindofchangescanbeobservedinanewbornbabywithinthefirstweekafteritsbirth?Readmoreaboutbabyâ€™sgrowthanddevelopmentinthefirstweekinthefollowingarticle.Finally,youdidit!Youhavesuccessfullyhandledalltheupsanddownsofpregnancyandnowyouhavewelcomedyourcutelittleoneintothisworld.Thiscutelittleoneisthemostfascinatingoneyouhaveevermettilldate.Inthefirstweek,youwouldseeyourbabydevelopingfasterthanyoucouldimagine.Youmustbeexhaustedafterlabouranddelivery,butnowyoucancherishyourmomentswithyournewgiftandseehergrowing-upinfrontofyoureyes.InthisarticleTheFirstWeekAppearanceSleepingPatternSensesandReflexesNewbornâ€™sWeightStrangeStoolsTheFirstWeekAppearanceIfyouthinkyournewbornbabywilllookliketheoneyouseeinTVshowsâ€“clean,pink,andplump,thenyouarewrong.Newbornbabiesareusuallycoveredinvernix,awhitishyellowwaxymaterial,andhaveafinelayerofhaircalledlanugo.Theirskulllookselongatedorsquashedduetoitsjourneythroughcanal.Theycanlookwrinklywithbluishskin.Theycanhaveswollengenitalsandwhitespotsontheirface.Theirlegswillalsoremainscrunchedandinthesamepositionasitwasinthewombforawhile.Alltheseinitialappearanceswilldisappearinthenextfewweeks.SleepingPatternDuringtheirfirstweek,newbornbabiesareawakeforonly10%ofthetime.Therest90%theytendtosleep,becausetheyareasexhaustedasyouare.Thisisthetimeyoushouldtakemaximumrestasyoumustprepareyourselfforthoseuncountedsleeplessnightslookingforwardtoyouinfewweeksâ€™time.SensesandReflexesYourbundleofjoyâ€™seyesightisstillblurred.Newbornbabiesarebornnearsighted,soyouhavetoholdyourbabyclosetoyousothatshecanclearlyseethebestmomintheworld.Allowyourbabytostudyyouwellinthefirstweekoflifebylookingatherupclose.Strengthenyourinfantâ€™seyemusclesinthefirstweekbymovingyourheadside-to-sidewhenyouholdhercloseandcheckifhereyesfollowyou.Duringthefirstweek,infantscannotunderstandyourwordsbutcanrecogniseyourvoice,andcanfeeltheloveandwarmththroughit.Theycanalsorecognizeyoursmell.Theywilleventrytomimicyourgestureinthefirstweekitself.Theyarebornwithcertainreflexes,whichwilldisappearinfewmonthsaftertheycancoordinatecorrectlyovertheirmovements.Fornow,theywillthrowtheirarmswideout.Newbornâ€™sWeightYourbabywouldfeelhungryallthetimewhenevershewakesup.So,youhavetobreastfeedyourbundleofjoyofteninaday.Thereisnoneedtoworryasnewbornbabiescandigestbreastmilkveryeasily.Eveniftheyarebreastfed,newbornbabiestendtolose7-10%oftheirweightinthefirstweek,whichtheywouldregainwithin10days.Theiractualweightgainwillstartafterthefirstweek.StrangeStoolsInthefirstfewdays,thestoolsofnewbornbabieslookthickandaredarkgreenincolourbecauseofasubstancethatwasbeingproducedintheirintestinewhiletheywereinthewomb.Thesubstanceiscalledmeconium,whichisgraduallyclearedoutastheystartfeeding.Thentheirstoolreturnstoturnyellowishincolour.Whiletakingcareofyournewborn,youmustalsotakecareofyourself.Youmusthaveahealthydietsothatyoucanproduceadequatebreastmilkforyourbaby.Youmustalsokeepyourselfupdatedaboutthevaccinationscheduleofyourbaby.Whenitcomestotakingcareofthehealthofanewbornyoumustalwaysfollowadoctorâ€™sadvice.Howtotakecareofanewbornbaby?Whatkindofdevelopmentscanbeobservedinanewbornbabyduringthefirstweek?Whyareanewbornbabiesstoolsgreenincolour?Discusshere.

What kind of changes can be observed in a newborn baby within the first week after its birth? Read more about babyâ€™s growth and development in the first week in the following article.

Finally, you did it! You have successfully handled all the ups and downs of pregnancy and now you have welcomed your cute little one into this world. This cute little one is the most fascinating one you have ever met till date. In the first week, you would see your baby developing faster than you could imagine. You must be exhausted after labour and delivery, but now you can cherish your moments with your new gift and see her growing-up in front of your eyes.

The First Week Appearance

If you think your newborn baby will look like the one you see in TV shows â€“ clean, pink, and plump, then you are wrong. Newborn babies are usually covered in vernix, a whitish yellow waxy material, and have a fine layer of hair called lanugo. Their skull looks elongated or squashed due to its journey through canal. They can look wrinkly with bluish skin. They can have swollen genitals and white spots on their face. Their legs will also remain scrunched and in the same position as it was in the womb for a while. All these initial appearances will disappear in the next few weeks.

Sleeping Pattern

During their first week, newborn babies are awake for only 10% of the time. The rest 90% they tend to sleep, because they are as exhausted as you are. This is the time you should take maximum rest as you must prepare yourself for those uncounted sleepless nights looking forward to you in few weeksâ€™ time.

Senses and Reflexes

Your bundle of joyâ€™s eyesight is still blurred. Newborn babies are born nearsighted, so you have to hold your baby close to you so that she can clearly see the best mom in the world. Allow your baby to study you well in the first week of life by looking at her up close. Strengthen your infantâ€™s eye muscles in the first week by moving your head side-to-side when you hold her close and check if her eyes follow you.

During the first week, infants cannot understand your words but can recognise your voice, and can feel the love and warmth through it. They can also recognize your smell. They will even try to mimic your gesture in the first week itself. They are born with certain reflexes, which will disappear in few months after they can coordinate correctly over their movements. For now, they will throw their arms wide out.

Newbornâ€™s Weight

Your baby would feel hungry all the time whenever she wakes up. So, you have to breastfeed your bundle of joy often in a day. There is no need to worry as newborn babies can digest breastmilk very easily. Even if they are breastfed, newborn babies tend to lose 7-10% of their weight in the first week, which they would regain within 10 days. Their actual weight gain will start after the first week.

Strange Stools

In the first few days, the stools of newborn babies look thick and are dark green in colour because of a substance that was being produced in their intestine while they were in the womb. The substance is called meconium, which is gradually cleared out as they start feeding. Then their stool returns to turn yellowish in colour.

While taking care of your newborn, you must also take care of yourself. You must have a healthy diet so that you can produce adequate breastmilk for your baby. You must also keep yourself updated about the vaccination schedule of your baby. When it comes to taking care of the health of a newborn you must always follow a doctorâ€™s advice.

How to take care of a newborn baby? What kind of developments can be observed in a newborn baby during the first week? Why are a newborn babies stools green in colour? Discuss here.