Caring for your Baby

Normal Newborn Development

Here’s what you might see your baby doing between 0 and 2 weeks of age.

Reflexes

• Reflexive actions: crying, grasping, yawning, swallowing, sucking, blinking, coughing, gagging, sneezing.
• Grasps whatever is placed in hand.
• Sucks whatever is placed in mouth.
• Is startled by sudden noises and movements.

Movement

• Jerky, mostly uncontrolled motions.
• Waves arms, kicks legs, wiggles and squirms.
• Cannot turn body or support head without assistance.
• Cannot sit without support.
• May turn head from side to side while lying on back.

Sleep/Wakefulness

• Usually sleeps from 17 to 20 hours per day.
• Cries and fusses about 1 to 4 hours per day.
• Is alert and quiet about 2 to 3 hours per day.

Vision

• Cannot focus clearly.
• Sees best at 8 to 10 inches.

Interactive Behaviors and Senses

• Smiles spontaneously and unselectively.
• Discriminates between some smells.
• Begins to turn in direction of sound.
• Begins to distinguish the human voice from other sounds.
• Is more sensitive to high-pitched voices, especially mother’s voice.
• Is best calmed by a soft, rhythmic voice.
• Cries a lot.
• Makes tiny gurgling sounds when content.
• Shows preference for the human face.