One of the most beautiful things is watching your munchkin develop, learn, and grow into a good human being. Crossing every milestone, capturing their growth, and observing them as they learn something new every day will bring you immense pleasure and joy. Besides the joy, you will also be able to make sure that they are healthy and happy, by tracking their growth. Just like all the other parents, you must be curious too about your baby’s development. So, here we are with some tips and tricks that will help you track your baby’s growth.
- During the first month: After birth, for the first two to three weeks, your little pea will grow rapidly. Though they’ll spend most of the time cuddling, sleeping, and crying, they will be learning about the world around them. On average, they will gain weight about 0.7 kg. to 0.9 kg. and will grow about 2.5 cm to 4.0 cm every month. Every baby is different and so is yours, therefore don’t compare your little one’s growth to another baby.
Your baby will lose weight during the first few weeks. But, this will be the case if they are born healthier than the average baby weight. Your little one’s weight chart/growth chart will be prepared by your doctor or maternal child health nurse.
- During the fourth month: By this time your baby will be able to follow the objects/face with their eyes. Their muscles will be stronger and they will easily be able to hold up their heads and they will have a more developed sense of hearing.
Your munchkin will be putting up about 0.45 kg to 0.56 kg weight monthly. And now is also the time for them to get their second round of vaccinations. This is also the time when your baby’s teeth will start developing. They will be more interested in eating solid food and will be chewing on teethers.
- During the eighth month: By now your baby will start moving around and start exploring the world around them, eating both solid food and breastmilk. They will be more emotionally attached to you and will start showing signs of separation anxiety. This is completely normal for the baby at this age as it shows healthy emotional growth. Your bundle of joy will develop more muscles and their bones will get stronger, therefore helping them sit straight and crawl around. This is the time where you will start helping them learn to walk. Although, if your baby isn’t crawling yet, this should not be some reason for you to worry, as some babies learn to walk directly.
- Your one-year-old munchkin: At twelve months old, your baby is now a toddler. Their weight must have probably tripled and their height doubled, of what it was at the time of birth. As your sweet pea is growing at a rapid speed and their brain is busy collecting knowledge and developing more, their time span of attention on anything will not be more than 2 to 5 minutes. This is where you will need to bring in your creativity. Their separation anxiety will somewhat be the reason why they will resist sleeping. But it is normal for them to do so, which is again a mark of good emotional development. You can now introduce them to cow’s milk, though their main drink should be water. Make sure you make them use a sippy cup.
Other than the above-mentioned milestones, you can make sure to do regular two-monthly check-ups. Maintain their growth chart and consult your doctor or a certified pediatrician in case you have worries about their proper growth. You can make this process fun by:
- Taking their pictures
- Making videos
- Keeping their clothes as a memory mark for their growth
- Making a wall mark for their height, and/or
- Doing something special every month for them.
The first few years with your little bundle of joy will all be about how much of a connection you make with them. There will be times during the first few weeks or even months where you will feel that they cry too much or you will feel helpless in certain situations. As these months will be all about development, you too will develop as a mother. In times of worry, you can always talk to your mother or mother-in-law. Just don’t forget to cherish the moments.
