Let’s get to know about Baby’s growth stage

Knowing about baby's growth and development is very important for Mom and Dad. Why? Because, with knowing about ideal stage of baby's growth, Mom and Dad could give the right stimulus to support baby’s growth optimally. Moreover, when Mom finds a problem or something not right with baby’s growth, Mom could handle it right away.

Then, what is the ideal growth for baby? Let’s see the explanation below.

Infant – 1 month

No need to be confused when in this stage of growth, baby will have weight loss, Mom. Normally, the Little One will lose weight around 10%. But, the Little One weight will return to normal in the second week.

Afterwards, the Little One weight will regain about 30 g per day. The Little One height also will grow about 3-4 cm after he/she turns into 1 month age. Furthermore, it will follow with the grow of the Little One head circumference about 2.5 cm.

In this stage, Mom should also know about the reflexes that baby shows:

• Rooting Reflex

  If Mom touch the corner of the baby's mouth, it will follow the direction of the touching. This helps baby to find the breast.

• Suck Reflex

  This reflex is a continuation from Rooting reflex, Mom. So, Baby will reflex sucking all things that touch his/her mouth.

• Moro Reflex

  Has Mom ever make a shocking sound or a movement and the baby got startled and put his/her arms up? Well, that's what called Moro Reflex.

• Grasp Reflex

  This reflex will shown by the baby when he/she touch a thing in his/her hands. That is the reason why every time we put our finger on baby’s hand, automatically he/she will grasp it.

• Babinski Reflex

  The babinski reflex could be seen when Mom stroke the baby’s  foot sole in a circular motion, then the big toe will moves upward or toward the top surface of the foot. The other toes fan out. If this condition still happens when the Little one already 2 years old, it’s abnormal and Mom should consult it to the pediatrics or growth specialist.

1 – 3 months old baby

In this age, the baby body weight gaining more or less about 680 – 910 gram per month. The height also will grow around 2.5 cm and the baby’s head circumference will grow 1.25 cm per month.

In this age, usually baby shows his/her growth as explained below:

• Baby’s neck muscles already strong enough for him/her to lift his/her head and chest when in prone position.

• Baby’s eyes respond well so that his/her eyes will follow whatever things that moved and light around him/her

• Hands and upper limbs is actively move. Baby can open his/her fingers, grasping things in his/her hands and also put it in his/her mouth.

• Baby can recognize familiar voices such as Dad, Mom and Nanny.

4 - 6 months old baby

When baby turn to this age, his/her height will grow 1.25 - 2.5 cm per month. At the same time his/her head circumference will grow 1.25 cm per month.

Reflexes that 0-1 months baby has started to disappear. Baby start to has an eye contact with everyone around him/her, blabbering, rolling over, even sitting down although still has to hold.

Then, how when baby turn to 7-9 months old?

7 - 9 months old baby

In this age, the baby’s height growth will get slow to 1.25cm per month while the baby's head circumference is 0.6 cm per month. During this stage of age, baby will show this development below:

• Start crawling and pushing the baby’s body bit by bit using his/her arms and legs.

• Baby start trying to stand up.

• Baby can say “mama” clearly.

• Starting to know people that makes baby doesn’t want to be held by strangers.

10 - 12 months old baby

In this stage of age, the baby’s height and head circumference will only grow 0.6 cm per month. And he/she also starts to show these things below:

• Stand up for some amount of time without holding anything.

• Start to hold small things.

• Pointing at things baby wants.

• Able to respond to Mom’s simple words or commands, for example refusing things he/she doesn’t like or vice versa.

That’s the stages of baby’s growth and development shown by baby. However, every single child have a different kind of growth and development. So, if the Little One growth and development doesn’t match with the growth and development stages above, no need to panic. Moms could consult it to the pediatrics or growth specialist about the baby’s development that he/she shown. Therefore, Moms could be more relaxed and knows about the Little One development more.