Your baby’s development at 1 month old
Your baby’s development at 1 month old
Getting along famously
Your baby's first month
From smiling and grasping things to making all sorts of new noises, your clever 1-month-old baby is becoming more alert by the day. As breastfeeding provides all the nutrition they need to support this development, your diet remains as important as ever.
Brighter futures start here
Discover more about infant development to help shape your baby's future
What's been happening in their first month of development?
Over the last 4 weeks, you may have noticed some considerable changes, not only in your baby’s appearance but in their response to their surroundings too. They may have started to react to
Muscle development at 1 month
As your baby develops, their muscles will become stronger. Around this time most babies will still struggle to lift their head, but as their neck and upper body strength
The natural grasp reflex they were born with is strengthening too and their hands will automatically grip anything you put into their palm1.
Their first real smiles
Even at this young age, some babies can smile! You can tell that it is real if they use their whole face, and their eyes light up.
Your baby will smile when they are ready, but you can encourage them through tickling, cuddling and play. They will learn by copying you, so be sure to smile a lot.
Your baby’s developing eyesight
Newborn babies are nearsighted, which means they can only see blurry shapes – at birth they can only see about 8 to 12 inches away. While still limited, your 1-month-old baby’s visual skills are improving. You may notice their eyes darting around a lot. This is because they haven’t learnt how to focus them yet. However, they will be drawn to moving objects and human faces, especially yours, which is about as far as they can see.
LCPs – food for thought
The Department of Health and World Health Organisation (WHO) recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life1. If you are breastfeeding, your baby will get all the nutrients they need to develop for the first six months of life directly from your breast milk. That is why your diet is so important.
Research shows that two
The beauty of bonding
Skin-to-skin contact is a great way to strengthen the emotional bond between you. It also helps to regulate your baby’s heart rate and temperature.
Your 1-month-old baby will love physical contact with you, so massage, cuddles and gently moving their arms and legs are good ways to soothe them. It’s useful to remember that not all babies develop at the same rate, and there’s a wide range of what’s considered ’normal’. Your baby may be ahead in some areas and slightly behind in others but if you’re worried about specific delays, talk to your baby's healthcare professional to put your mind at ease.
NEXT STEPS
Add these items to your shopping list:
- Salmon, mackerel, sardines or tuna
Try these LCP-rich recipes from BBC Good Food:
Last reviewed: 13th August 2014
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Questions about feeding and nutrition?
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