Nine hormonal months of odd cravings and unexpected bodily changes have flown by and now your little one is about to make their debut into the world! You’ve done an amazing job at handling all the highs and lows of pregnancy, whilst making sure to pamper yourself with some Mum To Be Moisturising Cream along the way. We are certain you are fully equipped for the parenting journey ahead. This journey ahead is set to be even more exciting, as your new baby reaches new milestones every single day. Here is a small Colief guide on what to expect during the first six months of parenting. Do keep in mind that each child in unique and develops at their own pace. If you have any concerns about your baby’s development, do make sure to consult a healthcare professional.
1 month
The first days with your 1-month-old can be a bit of a sleep-deprived blur; feeding, changing nappies, settling them to sleep, and deciphering their wails. These days are when you get to understand your baby, learning how they signal when they are sleep or hungry.
If you are worried about the amount your baby cries, disrupted sleep is often a symptom of colic. If you keep a log of the times when your baby is crying you may notice a pattern to or trigger for these crying episodes. This will give you a better understanding of how to ease these symptoms. If you think colic might be the reason for your baby’s discomfort, effective remedies such as Colief Infant Drops can relieve your baby’s symptoms and make sure everyone is getting their all-important sleep. Even though it can be distressing when your baby is crying, it’s important to stay calm, as your baby can quickly pick up on how you are feeling.
Slowly but surely your little one will start to take more notice of your voice, face, and touch. Get close and make eye contact with your baby when you talk, sing, and read to them as you both bond and get to know one another.
3 months
At this stage your little one actively enjoys playtime, recognising your facial expressions and voice. They may even try these out for themselves, cooing and mimicking the sounds you make. They smile at your nursery rhymes and are starting to bring their hands together to play with toys. You no longer need to support their head, and they can lift their head and chest when on their stomach…before you know it they will be crawling!
Cradle cap is quite common in babies at this age and although not harmful, it is a bit unsightly. Caused by overactive sebaceous glands on your baby’s scalp, there are some easy steps you can take to treat the area. You can try a gentle oil such as Colief Baby Scalp Oil and gently massage it into your baby’s scalp during your firmly established bath time routine.
6 Months
Six months old and your baby is likely to be fully engaging with the world around them! They are smiling, laughing and having ‘conversations’ with you and everyone else they encounter. It is really important that you integrate play into everything you do so that they can continue to develop their communication and interaction skills.
In addition to rolling around onto their tummy and back again, sitting without your help and supporting their own weight when you hold them up, they might be ready to start experimenting with solid food so get your chef’s hat on. Government advice recommends that children aged 6 months and above, as well as breastfeeding women, should supplement their diets with Vitamin D. This ensures all the family stay in tip top shape.
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With your first exciting six months done, here’s to a lifetime of growing and developing with your little one (and any others that might join your family). We at Colief look forward to being your parenting helping hand along the way!
