Taking care of your baby for the first year

Babies are little bundles of joy and it’s wonderful to see them grow. The first year of a baby’s life is very important. This is the year when the baby grows rapidly and reaches some important developmental milestones.

Your baby needs a lot of care during the first year. Here’s all you need to know about your baby’s growth and development and how you can take better care of your baby to facilitate this development.

Development during the first year

Developmental milestones reached within the first year include:

• Babies learn to focus their vision.
• They start making sounds.
• They develop bonds with their parents and other caregivers.
• Their language develops and they can recognise sounds, names, and words of objects.
• They recognise faces and associate them with names.
• Cognition and brain development.
• Babies start smiling and waving to people.
• They start rolling over and crawling.
• Some babies can stand with support and a few can even start taking their first steps by the time they are a year old.

Taking care of your baby's safety

Babies depend on you for their safety. Here’s how you can ensure your baby is safe and secure during the first year.

1. Put the baby to sleep on their backs. Once the baby starts rolling over, she might roll on her side or on the tummy while sleeping. However, initially, make sure the baby is always lying on her back while sleeping.
   
   
2. Never shake your baby. Babies have weak neck muscles. Shaking can cause severe injury and can even cause brain damage.
   
   
3. Keep small objects and toys away from your baby’s reach. They can cause choking. The same applies to medicines or liquids such as cleaning solutions, disinfectants, etc.
   
   
4. If you buy plastic toys or bowls/spoons for your baby, ensure that they are made from non-toxic materials.
   
   
5. When the baby starts moving, make sure you babyproof the house. Pay special attention to corners and edges that can cause injury, and doors, drawers, etc.
   
   
6. Keep small objects and toys away from your baby’s reach. They can cause choking. The same applies to medicines or liquids such as cleaning solutions, disinfectants, etc.
   
   
7. When your baby starts eating food, cut up the food in small parts to prevent a choking hazard.
   
   
8. Ensure that your baby gets her vaccine shots as recommended.
   
   
9. Don’t let anyone smoke near your baby. If this happens at a public place, remove your baby from that area. Second-hand smoke is bad for your little one.
   
   
10. When the baby starts moving around, barricade the stairs and keep the doors securely locked to prevent accidents.

Tips for baby care from 0 - 1 year

Your baby needs special care during the first year to help her reach milestones. Here’s how you can take care of your baby during the first year.

1. Speak to your baby as much as you can. Even when the baby is little and does not understand language, it helps her to recognise sounds and also to calm down.
   
   
2. When the baby makes sounds and gestures to communicate, make sure you respond to them and use words when you respond. This helps in developing their language skills.
   
   
3. Sing lullabies to your baby and play soothing music sometimes. Music has shown to help with brain development.
   
   
4. Touch is very important for babies. They need it to feel safe and reassured. Cuddle with your little ones and touch them with love.
   
   
5. Say positive things to your baby. Tell them how much you love them. It also helps to give positive affirmations such as saying that they are a good baby, or that they sleep on time, finish their food, etc. It helps the baby associate with these affirmations.
   
   
6. Take your baby out and let them enjoy the sights and sounds outdoors. It helps a lot with their development. Of course, with the pandemic situation, you should avoid taking the baby to crowded places and follow all Covid regulations.
   
   
7. Give your baby as much attention as you can. They need plenty of human interaction during this time.
   
   
8. Play with your baby when she is alert.
   
   
9. Look for cues when the baby is tired and sleepy and make sure she gets enough sleep. Sleep is important for the physical development of the baby.
   
   
10. Breastmilk can be very beneficial for a baby’s growth, nourishment, immunity, and overall development. If you can, nurse your baby at least for the first year and beyond.

Mummies, taking care of a baby can be very rewarding. It can give you immense happiness to see your baby grow. However, it can also be extremely tiring. So, don’t forget to take good care of yourself, too. Take enough rest and have a nutritious diet to keep your energy up. This helps you take better care of your baby and enjoy her milestones.

All the suggestions above are based on our research and personal experiences. So, remember that every baby is different and might need different care. At the same time, your baby might reach certain developmental milestones sooner or later compared to other babies. If you are concerned, checking with the baby’s paediatrician can help quell your fears.

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