Now that you and Baby have been hanging out for a few weeks, you probably know each other a lot better than you did when you first met, right? Does they have a favorite movie? Favorite color? Favorite way to be held that helps them sleep? That’s more like it. This time spent together still doesn’t change the fact that Baby hasn’t had too many chances to work on their communication skills, though, so the two of you may still have your share of misunderstandings. Luckily for you, in these early days, Baby has a pretty limited number of interests, so if they are asking you for something, there’s a good chance that that something is either a snack, a nap, a clean diaper, or your attention.
As Baby grows, they will get a lot better at letting you know what they need, and you’ll get even better than you are now at figuring out what they are trying to tell you. They are also going to grow into a new set of hobbies, though – they won’t always be so captivated by ceiling-fans, for example. New interests might make it harder to run through a checklist of what Baby is trying to tell you, but they’ll also probably make Baby a bit more fun to play with. But for now, until the umbilical stump falls off, at least, Baby is going to be spending most of their waking hours staring up at the world from their back, thinking “there sure is a whole lot more going on over here than there was in the womb.”
Stump or no stump though, Baby probably spends most of their time asleep, which can get in the way of developing other interests. Newborns regularly sleep as much as 17 hours (not in a row, of course), but Baby is also probably finding a little time to bring their hands up to their face – a great way for them to get started on honing their fine motor skills. Today they are bringing their little fingers up near their face, but a few tomorrows from now, they could be doing calligraphy, or dismantling a space shuttle – you never know how those fine motor skills are going to come in handy.
Baby will continue to adjust to this big, bright new world over the coming weeks, months, and years, but for now, the best way you can help get them accustomed to their new home is simply to show them as much love as possible.
Milestones
- Thumbsucking: Many babies begin sucking their thumbs in the womb, and maintain this interest over the next several months, at least. Some babies take a bit of time to warm up, so it’s very common to notice thumbsucking start anytime over the first few months.
- Umbilical stump falls off: The umbilical stump typically falls off between 1 and 3 weeks after birth. After the stump falls off, it’s a-okay to start introducing an activity that will become part of Baby’S routine soon: tummy time.
