1 month

Your baby will be able to lift his head slightly for a few seconds and will have lost his very newborn appearance. If you raise your baby from the mattress he may be able to keep his head in line with his body for a second or two. His knees and hips will become stronger and will begin to straighten even more.

2 months

Your baby can hold his head up for longer now. In a prone position, he’ll hold his head in line with his body and will quickly develop to raising his face from the mattress to an angle of 45˚.

3 months

Your baby can now lie quite flat and take the weight of his shoulders and head on outstretched arms. There is little head lag when he is held in a sitting or standing position.

4 months

Your baby now concentrates on learning to sit up unsupported. Her head control continues to increase and she turns to the left and right when her attention is caught. She can support her chest and head weight on her forearms when lying prone, raise both legs off the mattress, and rock from side to side. She learns to roll over in whichever direction she chooses.

5 months

Your baby has full head control even when propped in a sitting position. He may be able to take the full weight of his head, shoulders, and chest on outstretched hands. His rocking movements become stronger.

6 months

As your baby’s limbs become stronger, he can take a lot of his weight on his arms. He’ll sit with his hands forward for support and hold his hands out to you when he wants to be lifted. He may even sit unsupported for a few seconds. If you gently bounce your baby up and down with his feet on your lap, he can take some of his own weight with his leg muscles.

• Make sure that your baby is neither too hot nor too cold
• Check that your baby isn’t in any discomfort from a soiled diaper or a diaper rash
• Don’t keep popping into your baby’s room to see if he’s asleep
• If your baby suddenly becomes sleepless think about the possible causes, such as a change in routine, someone new staying with you, or your going out to work. Whatever the cause, he will need lots of your attention

Restlessness

Put mirrors and noise- making toys on the side of the crib to amuse your restless baby.

Many parents increase the amount of bedding when a baby is unwell, but this is not what your baby needs. High temperature plus infection in babies over ten weeks old greatly increases the risk of the crib death. If heat loss is prevented, the body temperature of a restless baby with an infection will rise by at least 1°C per hour. A baby loses most heat from its face, chest, and abdomen, so lying on the back allows body temperature to be better controlled.

Baby nests, sheepskins, quilts, and comforters are all heat insulators, and should not be used for young babies, because they prevent heat loss. You need not keep your baby’s room warmer than the rest of your house; just make sure your baby has enough covering (see below). If you do have a separate heater in the nursery, use a thermostatically controlled one that will switch off if the room gets too warm and switch back on again as it cools down.

Encourage your baby to sleep at night by tiring her out in the day with plenty of stimulation: talk to her, pick her up, and give her lots of different things to look at. If she wakes up a lot in the night because she is wet, use double diapers or diaper liners, and if she cries when you leave her, don’t immediately return and pick her up. She may be able to soothe herself back to sleep if your give her a few moments.

Early on, swaddling or wrapping your baby may help her to sleep; the sensation of being tightly enclosed gives babies a great feeling of security. It is also a useful way of calming a distressed bay.

With You Some parents opt to have their newborn sleep with them because night feedings are easier to cope with. It shouldn’t be a difficult habit to break after a couple of weeks. If you do sleep with your baby, let her lie between you and your partner so she won’t fall out of bed. There is little chance of rolling on top of her, but if you’re worried you may prefer not to have her in your bed.

Your baby’s bedroom Pay careful attention to the temperature of your baby’s room. Babies cannot regulate their body temperatures as well as adults; to maintain the right level of warmth they need a constant temperature and enough blankets or sleeping clothes to keep them warm – but not too warm. A night light or dimmer switch will mean that you can check your baby during the night without waking her.

Sleeping Outdoors Except when it’s chilly your baby will sleep quite happily outdoors, but make sure she is wrapped up and visible at all times and never place her in direct sunlight; choose a shady area or protect her with a canopy. If it is windy, put the hood up on the carriage or bassinet to act as a windbreak. A mesh net will protect her from insects.

Clothing Your newborn will need to be changed often, and while she is sleeping she should wear that gives you easy access to her diaper. An all-in-one stretch suit or a nightdress – one with a drawstring at the end so it doesn’t ride up her back – is best.

It is important that your baby does not get too hot or too cold. In warm weather, a diaper and an undershirt will be sufficient. In the weather, you can check that your baby is warm enough by touching the back of her neck with your hand. Her skin should feel about the same temperatures as your own. If she feels too hot and clammy, dress her in a lighter sleeper or remove a blanket.

Your baby may fall asleep immediately after – and sometimes during – a feeding. She will probably be indifferent to noises such as doors shutting or the radio – in fact, she may find droning noises soothing. Babies’ sleeping patterns do vary, though, so if your baby is wakeful after a feeding, don’t insist that she stay in her crib.

It is important that your baby learn to distinguish between day and night. When it becomes dark outside, close the curtains and turn the lights very low. Make sure she is warm enough, and when she wakes during the night, feed her quickly and quietly without turning the lights up; don’t play with her. In time, she’ll learn the difference between a day and nighttime feeding.

Control cradle cap by gently washing your newborn baby’s scalp with a very soft bristle brush and a little baby shampoo dissolved in warm water. You should comb through the hair, even if she has very little. If cradle cap does appear, smear a little baby oil on her scalp at night to soften and loosen the scales, making them easy to wash away the following morning. Don’t be tempted to pick them off with your fingernail; that only encourages more scales to form. If the condition persists or spreads, consult your baby’s doctor, who may recommend a special shampoo.

• A little baby oil in your baby’s bath water is a good moisturizer for very dry skin.
• For delicate skin, like the diaper area, baby lotion makes an ideal moisturizer.
• Baby powder can be drying to your baby’s skin. If you use it, shake it onto your hand first, or it may be inhaled by your baby. Never use powder on the skin creases, where it can cake and cause irritation.
• A+D ointment and petroleum jelly are waterproof and will protect your baby’s skin from urine. Medicated diaper creams containing zinc oxide are good if your baby has diaper rash.

The main reason for dislike of hair-washing is that babies hate getting water and soap in their eyes, so try to avoid this as far as you can. Specially designed shields are available that fit around the hairline and prevent water and suds running down your baby’s face while you rinse her hair. You may also find that your baby will become less distressed if you hold her in your lap while washing her hair, and use a washcloth to wet and rinse it rather than pouring water over her hear.

Never try to force the issue, and never forcibly hold your baby still while you wash her hair. If hair washing is obviously very distressing for her, give up for two or three weeks before trying again. You can still keep her hair reasonable clean by sponging it to remove any food or dirt, or brushing it out with a soft, damp brush. The hair will probably become greasy after the first few days, but this will not do any harm.

Apply the shampoo or bath lotion to your baby’s hair, and gradually work it in until a lather forms. Wait about fifteen seconds before rinsing it off: there is no need to apply it a second time. To rinse the hair, just use a washcloth dipped in warm water to wipe the suds away. Try to remove every trace of soap. When drying your baby’s hair, avoid covering her face or she may panic and start no cry. It is best just to use the end of the towel to avoid this.