28 Feb Baby’s First Year

A baby’s first year is a whirlwind of activity. Sleepless nights, exciting firsts, and a whole new world of experiences for everyone. Here we look at some of the things you can expect from the tumultuous first year of a baby’s life:

The newborn phase could see you feeling nervous and bewildered, especially if this is your first child. That’s all perfectly normal and part of the new reality of being a parent. Babies often lose a little of their birth weight before beginning to gain it again. This is the time for getting to grips with breast or bottle feeding and finding time to relax between feeds. Get lots of help and support, and look after yourself too.

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After about a month, your baby will begin to coo and gurgle, and you’ll probably get your first smile. The next few weeks will focus mainly on you trying to get enough sleep, but the baby is beginning to communicate now, can spend some time on her tummy, and is quickly learning the power she has in her fingers! Many parents feel this is the best baby time from about four months on. They begin to sit up unaided by about six months, will giggle at games of peek-a-boo, start to crawl, and become very verbal.

At six months, the baby is much more aware of everything around them and wants to be into everything. Anything within reach will go into the mouth, so you must have eyes in the back of your head. At this stage, you’ll want to introduce stimulating games and toys to aid development and help with motor and language skills.

Around this time, you might be thinking about a christening or naming ceremony. Get lots of help with the organising, so you don’t take on too much responsibility. A ceremony is a lovely way to welcome your little bundle of joy into the world and the family. Popular gift ideas for a Christening or naming ceremony include handmade crochet blankets and soft toys. For Crochet Kits, go to woolcouturecompany.com/collections/crochet-kits

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At nine months, you’ll begin to hear the emergence of speech patterns, and your baby will start to respond to commands, like passing you a cup or toy. He will mimic your sounds and might begin to drink independently from a cup. Starting a playgroup is a good idea for socialising around this time.

From 11 months on, your baby will be making moves to walk after being able to pull himself up and support his weight from one piece of furniture to another. Every child is different, so if you think a milestone should have been reached but it hasn’t, don’t worry. They all get there at their own pace.