If you are a new mom then you definitely have some worrying about your baby’s health and development.
It is normal to have strong emotions while you are pregnant and after the baby is born. And if is normal to worry about your newborn; after all, caring for a tiny, new human is a big responsibility and you want to do everything in your power to keep your baby safe.
I came through this stage with my two children ( especially the first one). I was asking myself all the time: is he too hot, too cold, too sleepy? I was constantly worried about my baby.
I feel that, I tried that, I experienced a mild postpartum depression that made my fears about my baby more and more. But the days passed through, and my first boy is 6 years old now.
So, I want to help you to make your worrying about your newborn less as much as I can.
One of the ways is to know the signs of a healthy baby so that you relax and enjoy these precious days.
You need to know if your baby is happy and developing normally.
But, remember you always needs to consult your child’s Pediatrics about any concerns you have.
7 signs of a healthy baby:
#1: Your baby calms down when you touch him and hear your voice:
The baby discovers during his very early days that his current environment is different than the uterine environment where he grew for nine months.
He used to be close to you, and your voice was something very important in this experience.
So, after the birth of baby, he continue to search for your voice and always needs to feel the warmth of your body.
If your baby calms down when you’re close to him, thrm this is the first sign of your great emotional bonding and a clear indication that your little baby is growing well.
Bonding and attachment with the baby are viral to development. It happens when you consistently respond to newborns with love, warmth, and care. One of the good ways to bond with a newborn is by cuddling, reading and singing.
#2: Interaction with his external environment:
During the first months of your baby’s life, he will start following people with his eyes and become able to recognize his parents. Your baby starts interacting with others by smiling or laughing. The first eye contact may occur when your baby is one month old and may begin to smile in the second month. If your child has eye contact and smiles and interacts with his surroundings during his first months, this means that he is a healthy baby.
Check out this posts:
Baby milestones: the first year of baby’s life
#3: Sleeping regularly is a good sign of a happy baby:
Babies should have a regular sleep pattern for at least four continuous hours without interruption. During the fourth month, your baby will sleep more regularly and this indicates that his nervous system is developing well.
If your baby can’t sleep for enough time, then you should try to help him to change the sleeping pattern for the best.
Read more:
#4: Attention to colours and motion:
If your baby is looking at mobile games and colourful things, it means that his sight has begun to develop, and it also indicative of your baby’s brain development.
The infants have a vision of about 20/100 and they can see about 8 to 12 inches, which is almost the distance between you and your baby while feeding.
As babies grow, eyesight improves. By the end of 3 months, then can follow a moving object, are more interested in shapes and patterns, and can spot familiar faces, even at distance. Source
#5: Attention to new sounds:
When your baby is curious about what he hears and starts looking for the sound source, you’ll realize that his ears are healthy and that the hearing is developing.
Your little one will be looking over time for new sounds he has never known before. This is a good sign that the baby uses his brain to distinguish different voices.
#6: Changing wet diapers:
Changing wet diapers constantly is the best sign of increasing your baby’s weight, and this proves that it gets enough milk and grows at a healthy rate.
At the first 6 weeks, expect at least 3 bowel movements per day for breastfed babies, and 1-4 bowel movements per day for formula fed babies. Source
Fewer wet diapers may indicate dehydration, and fewer poopy diapers may result from constipation, low milk supply, or other digestive issues.
#7: Baby’s weight and length:
The weight of the baby at birth is approximately 3250 gram. This weight multiplies during the fifth month of baby’s age, and it becomes three times when the baby is one year and 4 times at the age of two years.
The length at the birth is approximately 50 cm, and becomes 70 cm at the age of one year and 80 cm at the age of two years.
In general, there is a difference between one baby and the other according to genetic factors, as well as there’s a difference between male and female.
The doctor is able to assess the growth of the baby whether it’s normal or abnormal, basing on special tables showing the average rate of growth of babies by age.
Finally, If these signs in your baby, then make sure that he is a healthy baby, but stills very important to keep your baby to visit your pediatrician to make sure he is growing well.
I always knew weight gain was related to happiness. Now you confirm it.