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 by: Michelle Higgins

Congratulations on your new baby! You have just brought your baby home and are pretty excited about everything. Perhaps you don't even mind the fact that getting a good night's sleep is getting tougher by the day.

Getting into a routine

This is not easy, but rest assured, it will happen. By the end of the first month, new parents discover that their baby lets them slip into a comfortable (but exhausting) routine. If this is your first baby, you probably feel totally amateurish. Relax, let your baby's cues guide you and very soon you will be a seasoned pro!

Rock-a-bye baby

Your baby will probably sleep 12-18 hours a day between regular feedings. If you are lucky, your baby will sleep for longer stretches at night. Do not let your one-month old baby sleep through the night. At this age, infants need to feed at least every 2-3 hours for healthy development. Regular feeds are also important in stimulating your milk supply, which will get established during the first month.

Baby is growing

By the end of one month, your baby should be able to focus on faces, lift his head briefly when on stomach, and probably startle in response to a loud noise. All babies reach developmental milestones at a genetically set time, which differs with every baby. Do not expect your baby to go by the book. Your baby's weight might decrease in the first few days as he loses fluids postdelivery. Most newborns stop losing weight by the fifth day and surpass their birthweights in about fifteen days.

Cause for concern?

More than fifty percent of babies develop newborn jaundice because their immature livers cannot handle the extra bilirubin (the yellow pigment) they produce. Mild to moderate physiological jaundice requires no treatment. Others might require medical attention in the form of bililight therapy.

Babies born by normal deliveries usually have misshapen heads. Your baby's head will gradually attain a regular shape; you can prevent flattening by giving her a little 'tummy time' everyday.   (continued...)

Baby's First Month At A Glance
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About The Author Michelle Higgins This article has been provided by ParentingSurvivalGuide.com. Please visit our web site at http://www.ParentingSurvivalGuide.com to discover more articles. Copyright 2005 ParentingSurvivalGuide.com, all rights reserved. This article may be freely republished for noncommercial use as long as the article, including the author information and this reprint policy statement, is republished in its entirety, unedited, and with all links working.