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Many new parents may not know what is considered "normal" newborn
behavior. Babies develop at different rates, but they still display many of the
same behaviors, so don’t be alarmed if your baby seems a little behind. It is
important to know what kind of behaviors to expect from your newborn, so that
you can tell if there is a problem.
If your baby was born prematurely, don’t compare his or her development to
that of full-term newborns. Premature babies are often developmentally behind
full-term babies; if your baby was born two months early, then he or she may be
two months behind a full-term baby. Your doctor will follow the developmental
progress of your premature baby. Contact your doctor if you think your baby is
developing at an unusually delayed rate.
Sleeping
Newborn babies usually sleep 20 minutes to 4 hours at a time, up to 20 hours
a day. Their stomachs are too small to keep them full for long, so they need to
be fed every few hours. Babies have different sleeping habits, but at three
months most babies sleep 6-8 hours a night.
Crying
Newborns may cry for several hours a day. It is their way of telling you that
they need something or if something is wrong. Newborns cry when they:
- Are hungry
- Are tired
- Are too cold or too hot
- Need their diaper changed
- Need to be comforted
- Have gas
- Are overstimulated
- Are sick
It is also common for newborns to hiccup, sneeze, yawn, spit up, burp, and
gurgle.
Sometimes newborns cry for no reason at all. If this happens, try comforting
your baby by rocking, singing, talking softly, or wrapping him or her in a
blanket. Soon you will be able to tell what your baby needs by how he or she
cries.
Some newborns will not be able to be comforted. This is not your fault. Try
to be patient and remain calm when your newborn does not stop crying. If
necessary, have someone else stay with your baby while you take a break.
Contact your doctor if your newborn cries more than usual, cries at a
different time of day than usual, or if the crying sounds different than usual.
These may be signs that your newborn is sick.
Reflexes
During their first few weeks, newborns maintain the position they had in the
womb (fetal position): clenched fists, bent elbows, hips, and knees, arms and
legs close to the front of the body. This will change when your baby develops
more control over his or her movements.
Newborns have several natural reflexes. Understanding these reflexes will
help you understand the cause of some of your newborn’s behaviors.
Newborn reflexes include the following:
- The rooting reflex: The newborn turns in the direction of food
and is ready to suck. Stroking a newborn’s cheek will cause this response.
- The sucking reflex: If you place an object in a baby’s mouth,
the baby naturally begins to suck.
- The startle response: The baby throws out his or her arms and
legs and then curls them in when startled. This response often includes
crying.
- The tonic neck reflex: The baby turns his or her head to one
side and holds out the arm on the same side.
- The grasp reflex: The baby’s fingers close tightly around an
object placed in his or her palm.
- The stepping reflex: The baby’s feet imitate a stepping
action when he or she is held upright with the feet touching a hard surface.
A baby’s arms, legs, and chin may tremble, especially when crying. This
occurs because newborns’ nervous systems are not fully developed.
Breathing
It is not uncommon for newborns to experience irregular breathing. This is
when newborns stop breathing for 5 to 10 seconds, and then immediately begin
breathing again on their own. This is normal. However, you should call your
doctor or take your baby to the emergency room if he or she stops breathing for
longer than 10 seconds or begins to turn blue.
Vision
Newborns can see, but their eyes may be crossed because it is hard for them
to focus at first. Newborns can see movement and the contrast between black and
white objects. For the first couple of months, it is easier for them to look at
things at an angle. By two to three months, babies have more control of their
eye muscles and are able to focus their eyes on one thing, and follow objects
with their eyes.
Hearing
Newborns can distinguish between different sounds. They recognize familiar
voices, so you should talk to your baby often. You may soon find that your baby
turns toward the sound of your voice. To newborns, language sounds like music
with different tones and rhythms.
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