At just 1 month old, you’ll already be able to see a difference in your baby as they grow bigger and stronger! They’ll be able to focus on you now and may even be able to respond to noises like the ring of a doorbell. At this stage, most new mums also have a list of questions about whether their baby is feeding enough, sleeping too little or crying too much.

Feeding your baby

As your baby grows they’ll probably take more milk but less often. At around 6 weeks of age, many babies go through a growth spurt which can mean a hungrier baby for a few days. The feeding schedule you had may have just gone out the window! It is worth knowing that this may occur so you can just increase the frequency of the feed and then allow the pattern to settle back after a few days.

If you’re breastfeeding, the more you feed, the more milk you’ll produce, so don’t panic if your baby seems to be guzzling all the time; your body will adapt to cope with their demands.

Here are a few tips for getting into this new ritual:

• Talk softly to your baby while you feed him.
• Feed him frequently, in small amounts. A newborn is not very hungry the first two or three days.
• Recognize signals from your baby that he's ready to feed, including lip smacking, tongue movement, and eye fluttering. Crying is a late signal of hunger.

Your baby’s development

From newborn to baby

Your baby may begin to lose their very newborn appearance, although their legs might still be slightly bent. They’ll probably be able to lift their head briefly when lying on their tummy.

Their hands will remain clenched in a tight fist and fingers will automatically curl around anything put into their palm. This grasp reflex is one of the many natural reflexes your baby is born with.

Communicating

Crying remains your baby’s main form of communication, although they’ll also use gurgling, grunting and humming sounds when feeling snug and content.

How Your Baby Hears

Your baby's hearing is well-developed, but he won't look for the source of the sound. Here's how he'll respond to it:

• He may react negatively to loud voices or music.
• When startled by a noise, he may cry, stiffen his body and legs, or thrust his arms outward and pull them back to his chest.
• He generally likes sounds that change, such as your voice or music.

Eyesight

Your 1 month old baby’s eyesight is developing in quality and range, although it’s still quite limited. They’re now particularly drawn to two things: the human face – especially yours –and almost any moving object.

How Your Baby Sees

• He stares at objects, but doesn't reach for them, and he sees best within 12 inches of his face.
• He likes bold shapes and high-contrast objects, such as a black and white bull's eye.
• He loves looking at faces, and your expressions, and may imitate them right away.
• Aside from the faces of loved ones, he may get bored looking at the same thing for too long.

Stay close to help bond with your baby

Your baby loves being close to you, so move their arms and legs gently and continue to use massage as you did in the first few weeks. Holding your baby close during feeding, picking them up and rocking them gently will make them feel loved and help strengthen the emotional bond between you.

Newborn Umbilical Cord Care

If this is your first baby, you may be concerned about how to properly care for the remains of the umbilical cord. To hasten healing, keep the area dry and exposed to the air by turning the diaper down and shirt up. The cord should fall off between the first and fourth weeks of your baby's life.