Newborns: Development
Newborns come in all shapes and sizes. Just visit a parents group to see how different they can be.
Although boys usually weigh more than girls and are slightly longer, there is no ‘right’ size for a newborn. If your baby is active and feeding well, there’s no need to worry if she doesn’t fit neatly into the weight-length chart you see on the baby health centre wall.
In the first nine months, your baby will roughly triple her weight. If she is not gaining weight at a healthy pace, it could be a feeding problem and your child health nurse will be able to help you sort that out.
What your newborn may be doing
All babies pick up new skills in their first year. These are called milestones. Here’s a guide to some of the major milestones.
- At birth: Unable to support her head unaided, closes hands involuntarily in the grasp reflex, startles at sudden loud noises
- At four weeks: Focuses on a face, may respond to a bell in some way (startling, crying, going quiet), follows an object moved in an arc about 15 cm above her face until straight ahead
- At six weeks: May start to smile at familiar faces, may start to coo
- At 12 weeks: Can lie on her tummy with head held up looking around, can wave a rattle, starts to play with own fingers and toes
Your baby may be a late starter with milestones. Don’t worry, they nearly always catch up.
Development problem signs
If your newborn shows any of the following signs, it’s wise to have her checked by your doctor.
Your newborn:
- consistently doesn’t respond to sounds
- doesn’t seem to see things, has white or cloudy eyes or if there is anything about her eyes that bothers you
- isn’t interested in what’s going on around her
- can’t hold her head up by three to four months
- continually cries for more than three hours every day, especially after three or four months. (Babies usually cry for about two hours a day, peaking between six and eight weeks.) For more on constant crying, see Newborn behaviour.
- doesn’t move or use both arms and/or both legs
- is not grasping your fingers or objects
You know your baby best. If you are worried about your newborn’s development, speak to your GP or child health nurse.
