Infants grow faster while he is in infancy than at any other time in his life. Caregivers will keep a record of his growth. They will write down the following changes each time you bring him in for a checkup:
- Weight: Infants double their birth weight by the time they are 6 months old. They will triple their birth weight by the time they're 1 year old. They will gain about 1 to 2 pounds per month. They will weigh close to 22 pounds by 1 year old. By 2 months, infants may look chubby. Their muscles will get stronger the more they learn to use his legs and arms.
- Length: Infants grow about 1 inch per month for the first 6 months of life. They will grow 1/2 inch per month between 6 months and 1 year of age. They should be 2 times longer than their birth length by the time they are 10 to 12 months old. Most of their growth happen in their trunk (mid section).
- Head size: Infants' head grow about 1/2 inch every month for the first 6 months. Their head will grow 1/4 inch per month from 6 months of age until they are 1 year old. Their head should measure close to 17 inches around by the time they are 6 months old, and 20 inches by 1 year of age. Their head will be large compared with the rest of their body. With time, their body will catch up.
- Fine motor movements are when babies control their fingers. Infants should be able to do the following things in the first year:
- Hold objects: An infant will start to open his hands after about 1 month. He can hold a rattle by about 3 months old, but he will not reach for it.
- Follow objects with his eyes: His eyes will move smoothly and focus on objects by 2 months. He should be able to follow moving objects by 3 months. He will follow moving objects without turning his head by 9 months. He may grab or bat at objects in front of him.
- Lift his head: An infant should be able to lift his head when he is on his tummy by 3 months. Continue to support his head until he is about 4 months old and his neck muscles are stronger. An infant should be able to hold his head up without support by 6 to 8 months old. Your caregiver may tell you to place your infant on his tummy for short periods when he is awake. This can help him develop strong neck muscles.
- Interact with others: An infant will interact with and recognize the people around him by 3 months. He will smile at the sound of your voice and turn his head toward a familiar sound. A baby will respond to his own name at about 6 months old. He will also look around for something he drops.
- Move on purpose: An infant will develop eye-hand coordination (grab at things he sees) at 4 to 6 months. He will grab at objects and bring his hands close to his face. He will also open and close his hands so that he can pick up and look at objects. An infant will move an object from one hand to the other by 7 months. He should be able to sit with some support by 6 months. He may also be able to roll from his back to his side and from his stomach to his back. An infant will be able to put an object into a container, turn pages in a book, and wave by 12 months.
- Crawl and walk: An infant will probably crawl before he walks. He will move into the crawling position and rock back and forth when he is about 6 months old. He will start to walk when he is about 10 to 12 months old. An infant will pull himself to a standing position while he holds onto furniture. He may take big, fast steps at first. He may start to walk alone but not have good balance. You may see him fall down many times before he learns to walk easily. He will put his hands on walls or large objects to steady himself as he walks. He will also change how fast he walks when he steps onto surfaces that are not even, such as grass.
Feed infants healthy foods so they grow and develop as they should. Do not feed him more than he needs, or try to force him to eat. Infants have a natural ability to know when they are hungry and when they are full. Teach infants healthy eating habits. These habits will help them be healthy and manage their weight when they are older.
Breast milk is the best food for infants. Choose a formula with added iron if the mother cannot breastfeed. Talk to your caregiver if you have questions or concerns about breastfeeding. Infants will slowly increase the amount of milk they drink. Four or 5 ounces may be enough during each feeding during the second month. Infants may need 5 to 6 ounces for each feeding by the time they are 4 months old. Breast milk or formula will give infants enough calories, protein, and vitamins for about 6 months. They do not need solid food until they are about 6 months old.Infants will want to feed themselves by about 6 months. This may be messy until their eye-hand coordination improves. Give them small pieces of food that they can hold in their hands. Offer them healthy foods caregiver recommends. Infants might not like a food the first time they are offered. They may like it after they taste it several times, so offer it more than once. Learn the foods infants like and when they want to eat them. Limit their sugar-sweetened foods and drinks. Infants can choke on food, such as hot dogs, raw carrots, popcorn, French fries, and candy. Cut infants' food into small bites.
Teeth Care
Teeth normally come in when infants are about 6 months old, starting with the 2 lower center teeth. Their upper center teeth will come in when they are about 8 months old. The upper and lower side teeth will come in when they are about 9 months old. Keep infants' teeth healthy as soon as they start to come in. Limit the amount of sweetened foods and drinks offered to them. Sugar causes cavities. Brush infant's teeth after they eat. Ask your caregiver for information on the right toothbrush and toothpaste for infants. Do not put infants to sleep with a bottle. The liquid will sit in their mouth and increase their risk for cavities.
Teeth normally come in when infants are about 6 months old, starting with the 2 lower center teeth. Their upper center teeth will come in when they are about 8 months old. The upper and lower side teeth will come in when they are about 9 months old. Keep infants' teeth healthy as soon as they start to come in. Limit the amount of sweetened foods and drinks offered to them. Sugar causes cavities. Brush infant's teeth after they eat. Ask your caregiver for information on the right toothbrush and toothpaste for infants. Do not put infants to sleep with a bottle. The liquid will sit in their mouth and increase their risk for cavities.
Sleep
Infants will sleep about 16 hours each day for the first 3 months. From 3 months until 6 months, they will sleep about 13 to 14 hours each day. They will sleep more at night and less during the day as they get older. Always put infants on their back to sleep. This will help them breathe well while they sleep.
Speech
Infants will start to talk when they are about 9 months old. They will start to babble at around 4 months old. They will begin to make word sounds by the time they are 9 months old. Infants learn to talk by copying the words and sounds they hear. They will learn what words mean by watching others point to what they talk about. Infants should be able to speak a few simple words by 12 months. They will begin to say short words, such as ma and hi. Soon they will put sounds together, such as dada and mama. They will understand the meaning of simple words and commands by 9 to 12 months. They will also know what some objects are by their name, such as ball or cup.
Infants will start to talk when they are about 9 months old. They will start to babble at around 4 months old. They will begin to make word sounds by the time they are 9 months old. Infants learn to talk by copying the words and sounds they hear. They will learn what words mean by watching others point to what they talk about. Infants should be able to speak a few simple words by 12 months. They will begin to say short words, such as ma and hi. Soon they will put sounds together, such as dada and mama. They will understand the meaning of simple words and commands by 9 to 12 months. They will also know what some objects are by their name, such as ball or cup.
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