Baby Care and Development

A newborn does not look like the plump little babies parents are used to seeing mothers with. The newborn has just spent months in a watery world, made a long, difficult trip through the birth canal, and must cry as hard as possible to get air in and out of his lungs. He will be red, wrinkly, and more than a little messy. When the baby is cleaned and fed, some of the wrinkles will begin to disappear as he relaxes.

The baby's head is very flexible, with spaces between the bones called "soft spots" to allow the baby's head to squeeze through the birth canal without damage. The head may not look quite right initially, but it will take on the correct shape within a sevenday or so.

The healer should encourage the parents to use the first few days after the birth to really get to know the baby. The baby learns his parents' voices and touch very quickly, and touching and talking to him will help him be relaxed and happy. Parents shouldn't be afraid to touch the baby. He may be tiny, but he will not break.

If this is the parents' first baby, the healer should show them how to hold, feed, burp, and provide proper care for the newborn before leaving parents on their own.

Breastfeeding

No mother knows automatically how to breastfeed unless she's done it before. It helps the baby and mother to learn how to breastfeed if it is begun in the first candlemarks after the birth when the baby is very alert. Babies normally want to eat every 2-3 candlemarks.

The mother must eat a proper diet because she needs extra nutrition during breastfeeding than she ever did during pregnancy. She should eat more grains and meat, as well as extra green vegetables, increasing all of them by at least 1-2 servings per day. She should also increase her fluid intake by drinking more, particularly water and juice.

Low Birth Weight Babies

Babies that weight less than 5 1/2 pounds at birth are referred to as low birth weight babies. Some are premature, but not all. Many of these babies will not live, depending on how low their weight is and the development of their lungs and digestive system. Some causes of low birth weight are maternal alcoholism, untreated infections, and inherited conditions.

The baby will be very tiny, skinny, wrinkly, and red. Touching and talking to the baby is essential, and if the mother can, one effective treatment is to rig a sling under her breasts to carry the baby. The confining environment, nestled where he can hear his mother's heartbeat, seems to reassure the baby, and makes access for feeding easier.

First Days of Life

During his first days, the baby will do little more than eat, sleep, and wet on no particular schedule. The mother should develop a routine that is flexible and works best for her and her baby.

Some newborns sleep a lot and others do not. Some may sleep all day and stay awake most of the night. This usually lasts only a few sevendays, and can be helped by being active and playful with the baby during the day. In the first month, the baby can spend up to 20 candlemarks a day sleeping. Waking periods are seldom more than 1/2 a candlemark long, just long enough to feed, change, and cuddle the baby.

Babies wet their diapers about every 2-4 candlemarks and the number of bowel movements varies a great deal. Anywhere from one bowel movement every 2-3 days to 3-6 per day is normal. They should be changed as soon as possible, as wet or soiled diapers can lead to rashes or worse.

The baby will eat every 2-4 candlemarks, but don't delay feedings to fit any pre-determined schedule or force the baby to eat if he's not hungry. The mother should keep track of how long the baby nurses at each breast, to make sure he is getting enough to eat.

Some babies cry more than others, but all cry to make their needs known, and mothers soon learn what the cries mean. Most mothers can tell hunger cries from others easily by the time their baby is a month old. Until the mother recognizes the cries, she should check to see if the baby needs to burp, check diapers, and make sure the baby isn't too hot or cold. Sometimes he may just want to be talked to or held.

Bathing The Baby

Sponge baths are best until the cord falls off. Wash the baby in the diaper region after each diaper change to help prevent diaper rash. The umbilical cord was cut and tied after birth and will dry up and fall off in about one sevenday. After the cord falls off and is healed, the baby can have a bath in a basin or in the bathing pool with an adult.

The baby doesn't need a complete bath everyday, nor does he need his hair washed everyday. If he spits up the mother will need to wash his head so he will not smell sour. The mother shouldn't worry about the soft spots, just use a soft warm cloth. If the head is not kept clean, the baby can develop cradle cap - a dry, scaly scalp condition. If he gets cradle cap a small amount of oil will help loosen the scales, but it will go away in a few sevendays even without using the oil. Powders, oils, and lotions are not necessary for the baby. Powder can irritate the baby's lungs and too much oil on the hair can lead to cradle cap.

Development

Month One

• The newborn's movements are reflexive - sucking, swallowing, and grasping. Voluntary movements appear when the baby is a few sevendays old.
• A newborn's body structure is much different from an older child's or adult's. His head equals about 1/4 of his total body size. His torso is long and his legs are short.
• Within a few weeks of birth, he should be able to lift his head off the floor if laid flat on his tummy.
• Most common cries are to signal hunger, anger, and pain.
• Other emotions present at this age are distress and disgust.
• Babies will know the voices of their mother, father, and any others who were around often during the pregnancy.

Month Two

• Around 2 months, he should be able to hold a rattle for a short time and glance from one object to another.
• Social smiling begins at about 6 sevendays old, as well as expressions for anger, surprise, and sadness.
• He will become responsive and may gurgle and coo just to hear his own voice.

Month Three

• He will start to laugh at around 3 months old. Some don't really laugh at all and others will laugh every time they smile.
• He will roll over from tummy to back and shortly after that from back to tummy.
• He will push his chest off the floor when laid on his tummy.
• He will develop head control when lying on his back.

Month Four

• The baby will double his birth weight by 4 months of age.
• He will reach for objects and shake a toy or rattle, hold two toys at once and put them in his mouth.
• He will hold his head steady when held upright and can lift it if lying prone.
• Babies have a wider range of emotions now. Pleasure, happiness, fear, and frustration are shown through gurgles, coos, wails, and cries, as well as physical movements such as kicking, arm waving, rocking, and smiling.
• Solid foods should be introduced sometime between 4-6 months.

Months 5-6

• The baby will begin to push himself up onto hands and knees.
• He will start to follow family members' movement around the room.
• Around 5-7 months, the baby may cry around strangers and cling to his mother. This fear of strangers can last until he is about 2 turns old, but usually disappears before then.

Months 7-8

• By the end of 6 months, he may even start to sit without support.
• As early as 7 months, he will begin to crawl.
• He will begin to use a pincer grasp - using the forefinger and thumb to pick up small objects.
• He will begin to vocalize when crying or babbling and can put his feet in his mouth.
• About 7-8 months, the baby will learn that objects still exist even if he can't see them.

Months 9-12

• He will stand with support, holding onto furniture. He will also begin to walk along the furniture, and may bounce in place.
• At about 10 months, the baby will start to stand on his own.
• At 10 months, he may say "Mama" or "Dada" or another simple word.
• He can begin to feed himself finger foods.
• At around 12 months he will take his first steps.
• He will start to display a hand preference, so the mother will know if he is right or left-handed.
• He can push a toy along the floor and put toys in a large container.
• By the end of 12 months, he should know more than one word and return a toy on request.
• He will begin to help dress himself.

Months 12-18

• By the end of 14 months of age, he should be walking on his own. He is no longer a baby, but a toddler.
• Around 15 months, he should be able to communicate needs by jargon and gesture, and may tell when he's wet or soiled.
• He can scribble on a piece of hide with a charcoal stick.
• He can stack a tower four blocks high.
• He can eat with a spoon to feed himself.
• Tantrums become common as the child learns the limitations of his ever growing body.
• By the end of 18 months, he should know 6-10 words and may be able to carry out two-part simple instructions.
• By the end of 18 months, he will be able to climb and run without falling.

Months 18-24

• He can draw an arc with a charcoal stick on a hide if shown how.
• He can turn a doorknob using both hands.
• He may like to hold and hug dolls, and can throw a ball.
• Around 18 months, toddlers develop a sense of self. He will recognize himself in a mirror and begin to become independent.
• He has a broad range of emotional states and can be happy one moment and crying the next.
• By two turns, he should be able to give up diapers during waking time.
• He can point to his eyes, nose, and ears.
• He can go up and down stairs and may be able to kick a ball.
• By two turns, he should be able to use 3 word sentences and know about 300 words.
• He can stack 6 blocks, handle scissors, and string beads.
• He can hold a glass securely and put on his own shirt.