A lot happens in a year, for you and for your child. From the very first moments of his life, baby is already capable of feeling emotions, learning and interacting with his parents. His development is exponential, and each stage from 0 to 1 year brings its share of discoveries and acquisitions.
CONTENTS :
- From 0 to 3 months: awakening the senses
- From 4 to 6 months: a budding explorer
- From 7 to 9 months: baby becomes a little more independent
- From 10 to 12 months: the time of first steps
From 0 to 3 months: awakening the senses
Your newborn is constantly awakening to the world around him. At 1 month of age, he sleeps for around 20 hours/24, but gradually sounds, smells, light, taste and soon textures make their appearance in his life, giving him more depth.
Sensory stimulation and a close relationship with mom
From the very first weeks, your baby explores the world through his senses. He soon recognizes your voice. At the same time, when he's awake, he loves to be touched and cuddled gently: this is the gentle period of babywearing and skin-to-skin contact.
👶 Awakening the senses from birth
Her emotions are particularly strong and uncontrolled. That's why crying is her first way of expressing them.
Still uncoordinated motor development
Slowly, your newborn discovers his limbs, first his arms and then his hands, which he quickly brings to his mouth.
At the age of 2 months, he tries out his first coordinated movements, but it's not until he's around 3 months old that he'll start grabbing objects; small toys, but above all his pacifier if he has one, or his cuddly toy, and soon his teething rings.
A little stronger every day, he's also starting to lift his head and kick when he's on his back. Watch out for diaper changes!
The presence of archaic reflexes is also noted, especially by the paediatrician. Moro reflexes, sucking reflexes, automatic walking reflexes and orientation reflexes are normal and will disappear as baby's movements become more voluntary.
His vision is limited, but will evolve rapidly. At birth, babies can see what's less than 30 cm away. By 2 months, he can distinguish the outlines of objects around him.
Communication: a first form of language
First of all, your baby communicates with you through sounds, cries, messy gestures and facial expressions. In fact, you can observe different types of crying, depending on your baby's needs and urgency.
Very early on, around 2 months, he starts to babble, and even if he doesn't understand the meaning of the words you're saying, he's already able to recognize the main emotional registers, such as joy or anger. So baby begins to integrate your sounds and communicate in his own way.
Nutrition: milk, milk and more milk
Whether infant formula or breast milk, up to 3 months (and even beyond),your baby's diet is exclusively milk-based. This is because milk contains all the vitamins and nutrients needed for growth and good health.
🍼 Did you know? BibRONDS Élhée are just as suitable for bottle-fed babies as for breast-fed babies, as a relay to the mother's breast. We've always talked about breastfeeding bottles.
👩🍼 🤱 Breastfeeding or bottle-feeding: stop feeling guilty!
The activity of the moment: speech
As an infant, your child relies completely on you. Take advantage of this closeness to talk to him, hum nursery rhymes or tell him stories. Let him hear the sound of your voice and your intonations. Pronounce his first name without limit, encouraging him to produce his own sounds in the near future.
From 4 to 6 months: a budding explorer
After getting to know his body and immediate environment, baby's fourth, fifth and sixth months see the first burst of curiosity. Baby is now looking for interaction and occupation.
Sensory awareness: baby recognizes his name
For several weeks now, your baby has been more alert. He sleeps less and expresses himself more with the means at his disposal. In your presence, baby turns his head, smiles, fidgets, calms down... and reacts to his name. This is a very important stage!
In fact, sometimes he even pauses to observe you. Mom and dad are fascinating subjects, especially as they've recently started to recognize other people close to them: brothers, sisters, grandparents... Even your pets are gradually becoming part of their circle.
Motor development: time for coordination
As your baby grows, so does his strength. Little by little, he learns to raise his head when he's on his back, to put his feet in his mouth or to ride a pedal boat. Then comes the moment of back/belly and belly/back rocking, followed by the first sit-ups, even if they're still a little shaky. At last, your child begins to grasp small objects and hold on to them firmly, even if he or she still occasionally drops them.
Finally, his vision is now good. He distinguishes details and, at 5 months old, perceives as many colors as you do.
Communication, consonants and vowels
It's a time of babbling and chirping that parents love. As baby becomes increasingly familiar with sounds and words, he begins to want to repeat them. Around 6 months, you should hear your child's first "real" sounds. The "aaaaa", the "eeeee", but above all the sometimes piercing "iiii"! After all, baby reacts to your voice and wants to imitate it!
Feeding and diversification from A to Z
Around 4 to 6 months, your baby is ready to discover his first solid foods, in addition to the milk he has always been fed. For a well-managed dietary diversification, try to introduce new foods one at a time, waiting a few days between each one to observe the appearance of any allergies or intolerances.
🍓 Milk, fruit, purée: how should baby's meals be organized?
Start with smooth puréed foods, such as vegetables and fruit that are always well cooked. You can then offer thicker textures and softer pieces as your baby grows.
🥕 Three recipes for baby food, 100% home-made
Of course, breast milk or infant formula remains the mainstay of your baby's meals. For the time being, diversification comes as a complement.
The activity of the moment, discovering your body
Tickling, with your hands or with objects (fabric, stuffed toys, wipes, absorbent cotton, etc.) is an opportunity to laugh and discover sensations and body parts. On a regular basis, you can also place your child on his tummy on his playmat, facing him. It's a simple exercise that encourages him to lift his head and stretch out his arms to see and join you.
From 7 to 9 months: baby becomes a little more independent
Until now totally dependent on you, baby is gradually learning what autonomy means. Eating, moving around a little and even expressing himself are all activities that, at around 8 months, begin to take hold.
Sensory awareness of textures
Everything interests him. Textures, colors, shapes, other babies whose attention he seeks, animals and of course you: baby is curious about everything. He wants to touch and know everything. He clings to you, puts his fingers in your nose or mouth and refuses to leave your side. This isseparation anxiety, which generally sets in around 8 months. Even naps can be stressful. Systematically explain that if you leave, you'll be back, and that it's never forever.
It's here that baby can develop a real attachment to his blanket, cuddly toy, etc., and acquire a cherished object to fill the momentary absence of his parents.
💗 The bottle as a transitional object from birth?
Motor development: on the road to independence
Baby becomes both faster and more dexterous. He crawls, often in reverse, although not all children go through this stage. He can also use his hands for support, and explores fine motor skills by passing smaller or more difficult objects from one hand to the other.
When it comes to games, he's very interested in stuffed toys and large objects like his plastic cubes. If they make noise, even better. If he can bang or throw them, he'll be all the happier. In this way, he experiences resistance and falling.
Mirrors are another of his interests, especially if you're standing in front of them with him. He may try to catch his reflection, or yours. He discovers himself in a different way. This is the ideal time to name him, and to name you at the same time: two separate beings.
Communication and language: the age of understanding
By the age of 7 months, your child can practice intentional communication: he or she initiates certain exchanges. Still mostly gestures and sounds, it includes, in addition to baby's first name, short words that are easily recognized (daddy, baby, auntie...).
Later, at around 9 months, he makes the link between gesture and speech. If you point to an object and ask him to do so, he may try to grab it, because he understands your intention, the word, or both. In fact, at this age and even before, sign language can be very useful in avoiding the frustration children sometimes feel when they can't make themselves understood.
Feeding and DME
Offer your baby more and more healthy, nutritious foods. You can now add lean meat, boneless fish,eggs, dairy products (yoghurt, cheese) and legumes.
With DME, let your baby explore tastes, textures and smells. You can also invite him to eat with his fingers if he wants to try it. A gourmet activity that will help him develop fine motor skills and chew properly.
The activity of the moment, laughter!
The "peek-a-boo" game is undoubtedly a favorite with babies aged around 9 months, who laugh out loud at the sight of you disappearing behind your hand. But cubes, balloons and small containers in the bath also make excellent learning pastimes.
From 10 to 12 months: the time of first steps
Your baby will soon be one year old. Not so long ago, you were celebrating his birth! Now he's saying a few words and maybe even forming his first sentences. His greatest pleasure is discovering, playing and following you everywhere!
Sensory awareness: tell me everything
You're still the center of his world, but baby is starting to take a serious interest in other adults, and especially in other children, whom he eagerly seeks out and imitates. Books and music arouse his curiosity, and he may begin to show a particular interest in one game or another.
Baby is also beginning to make the connection between action and reaction: his cries and your interest, his "nonsense" and your "no".
Motor development: speed comes into play
If he doesn't walk, baby may stand, sit or crawl. From time to time, he tries to put one foot in front of the other, falls and tries again. Don't forget to fit doors with suitable locks and to soften the corners of furniture he uses for support: baby can now escape from you in the blink of an eye. Crouching, leaning forward or on all fours on stairs, he's everywhere.
🙌 How to encourage babies' independence?
His dexterity has also greatly improved. He can now pick up very small objects and even crumbs, which he still very often carries to his mouth: you need to pay close attention. Transferring toys to and from a basket is no longer a problem either, and it's even possible that, at around 12 months, your grown-up will try to hold his cutlery himself.
Exchange, communication and language
From the single sound, baby moves on to the double: pa-pa, ba-ba and, a little later, ma-ma. The first "real" words can be spoken, usually between 12 and 15 months. He holds out his hand to show what or whom he's talking about, and imitates the sounds more and more easily. You can also encourage him with simple phrases such as "Say hello", to which he'll happily respond.
Also, your baby now understands the meaning of "no" and "prohibition", since he can even shake his head to let you know he doesn't agree.
Food: at the table!
From the age of 10 months, your little one can eat the same as you, provided the food is sufficiently cooked, unseasoned, cut into very small pieces and adapted in quantity. What's more, it's highly likely that he'll now eat in his highchair, at the table with his family, and be curious about the contents of your plate.
Fruits, vegetables, wholegrain cereals, lean proteins and dairy products - almost everything can be tasted, not forgetting breast milk or infant formula, at least until the age of 1.
🍼 How many bottles for my baby depending on his age?
The activity of the moment, doing as the grown-ups do
It's time to give your baby a toy box or basket (low and accessible) just for him. Your baby will discover his first independent games as he sets out to conquer what's inside.
A secure cupboard in the kitchen or living room, filled with baby-friendly everyday objects, is another source of endless wonder and pride. Try it out!
