Your newborn baby: Weeks one to four

Congratulations on the arrival of your new baby! The first few weeks spent getting to know your newborn will be filled with moments of excitement, joy and of course, exhaustion.

While you have probably never been busier juggling your new role as a mom, your baby is also hard at work to reach his first milestones.

At one week

Did you know that at only one week old, your baby will recognise your voice? This is largely due to the fact that your baby has spent the last nine months listening to you babble.

Your baby will also:

• Feed every one to three hours
• Sleep up to 18 hours per day
• Be awake for short bursts throughout the day and night
• Cry as a means of communication
• Have a strong grip and and grasp your finger

Your baby at two weeks

At two weeks old, your baby will begin to uncurl from it’s foetal position. From this week, your baby should;

• Gain approximately 200 grams per week
• Fall asleep when cradled and rocked
• Keep eye contact with a person or object kept within his field of vision
• Cry when uncomfortable
• Be able to see up to 20 or 30 cm in front of him

And at three weeks

Have you noticed that your baby sometimes throws out his arms and legs? This is called the “Moro” or “startle” reflex. This primitive reflex peeks during the first month and begins to disappear after two months. The startle reflex is most often observed shortly after your baby falls asleep. While it will most likely startle your baby awake, a reassuring touch from you or another caregiver should help baby fall back asleep.

This week your baby;

• Will start to look for you when he hears your voice
• Spend time studying your face, getting to know every detail, especially your smile

One month old

Well done mom, you have made it through the first month. By now, you are probably feeling a bit more confident handling your newborn and responding to his needs.

At one month old your baby might;

• develop a pattern when it comes to feeding and sleeping (remember that it is still to early to enforce a set routine)
• be able to lift his head briefly if placed on his tummy
• make stepping movements when his feet touch a flat surface
• begin to focus on people and objects

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Lara Bestbier

Writer. Creative. Word-nerd. Aspiring photographer. Old wife. Brand new member of the elite society called mommy-hood. Mom to the only drama queen more demanding than me. “Life’s too short to keep a straight face”.

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