Six Signs That You Are Pregnant [Infographic]
If you have already kids, you might be somewhat familiar with the symptoms or signs of being pregnant. Some women, though, do not know the symptoms are getting some of them surprised with the expectancy. Here is an infographic that shows the symptoms when expecting.
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Swollen and Tender Breasts
Don’t fret if your bra doesn’t seem to fit your chest or if you noticed you became busty. And sometimes that is not a sign of puberty but, rather, to a greater extent – pregnancy. Better change your tight clothing to loose ones. And also, be more careful not to bump your “enlarged” breasts.
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Morning Sickness
When pregnant, women experience nausea – something that triggers vomiting or having a feeling of the unsettled stomach. It’s called morning sickness because it actually occurs in the morning, but of course, nausea can ruin an entire day of a woman’s life.
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Mood Swings
In the early stage of pregnancy (usually the first trimester), an expectant woman can have major mood swings. Laughing now, then later they cry. Yes, it’s weird. It is because of the tragic increase of the progesterone – a hormone that prepares the body for pregnancy.
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Insomnia
Pregnant women will have trouble sleeping or resting. It is because the body is always working to prepare the body for the upcoming baby. So, even if a pregnant woman sits all day or just watching Netflix, they feel they have had a 40-km triathlon. That’s exasperating!
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Cravings
Pregnant women crave for food (and sometimes, weird food). Well, they might be relatively hungry, but most probably, it’s the hormones asking for weird food. A pregnant woman may also instantly hate a food or beverage she used to LOVE before.
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Bathroom Visit
The growing uterus just keeps on telling your bladder to visit the bathroom. So, don’t be puzzled about your body always wanting to go to the comfort room. Deal with it, you’re pregnant! So, always keep your body hydrated by drinking lots of fluids.
Those are the symptoms when you are pregnant. Quite not sure about your body? You can use Pregnancy Test Kits to ensure expectancy. It may also best to visit an OB-Gyne Clinic. You know your body much then your spouse. So, it is always you who can tell if there is strange happening in your body. You might want to check for baby cribs as preparation. Read our next post.
Visit the full infographic at this link.
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Exercising is no doubt beneficial for everyone. It enhances our system and makes us more physically healthier. Physical activities are even more vital during pregnancy for women as it cast out prenatal profits.
Many believe that love-making during 
As a mom, I am always looking for recipes that are healthy and tasty. Looking out for the health of my children is always a top priority and it is sometimes easy to forget my own health. The following story is a little reminder of why we all need to make sure that we are taking care of ourselves as moms.
Throughout her book, Sally tells her inspirational story and gives encouragement and support for changing your eating habits, and those of your children, without feeling deprived and in a way that works for life. She’s living proof.
Here is the technique that I found effective.
There is no perfect time for toilet training. If you have a specific target that you have to meet, like your daycare won’t accept toddlers in diapers, you will have to work a little harder to make your child fit your schedule. Talk to your daycare about flexibility in their timing. A lot of daycares don’t want to force a child into something that they are not ready for because it only leads to setbacks down the road. Some children are just not ready to train when others are. There is nothing wrong with that and the child should never be made to feel guilty or shamed, and neither should you.
Practical Tips Every New Mom Needs To Understand Baby’s Milestones
October 31, 2024 by • Pregnancy & Birth, Todler • Tags: Baby’s Milestones, Practical Tips Every New Mom Needs To Understand Baby’s Milestones • 0 Comments
Introduction
First of all, congratulations! You’re a new mother now! The early weeks and months of your newborn are filled with many milestones you’d want to be there to capture. The changes come swift, but so does the happiness.
It’s hard to admire the scenery in the roller coaster ride of motherhood, but with every issue met, it’s important to know you aren’t alone. The fourth trimester has its pitfalls and possibilities, challenges and promises.
Together with other mothers like yourself, let’s get you a map guide of tips and advice including a supportive midwife or birth doula to assist you in navigating your child’s first year on this earth. An exciting journey full of hope, love, and growth awaits!
Milestone Tips for New Moms During Baby’s First Year
It’s quite thrilling to bring home a newborn, but it is equal parts overwhelming as well. Your new normal as a child caretaker brings new experiences as the baby grows up. The first year of development is quite special and filled with milestones that thrill many new parents.
This article was designed to give every new mama pertinent advice and insights to make this journey much smoother and less filled with unnecessarily or avoidable difficulties.
You can also go about things on a trial-and-error basis, but isn’t it better make fewer errors, trials, and tribulations? In any case, it’s time to know baby signals, helping the infant grow, setting up healthy habits, and making the home safe, loving, and baby-proofed.
1. Learning the Sleep Patterns of the Newborn
The first few days of existence of a newborn baby out of the womb is acclimatization to life without the womb. The child now has to eat on its own rather than share what the mother eats. It’s around this time too that their sleep patterns seem random chance and unpredictable.
As the inexperienced parent, don’t forget the tiny stomach of your new baby. Thusly, they need to eat often instead of just three times a day, leading to them waking you up many times nightly for food.
It’s important to feed your child as needed as a nursing mother. They help your baby gain weight well and build your milk supply for them.
To lower SIDS risk while also ensuring safe sleep, always put your baby on their back when they’re sleeping for both naps and for nightly deep sleep.
You should have a bedtime routine even with the presence of your newborn. This can assist said newborn in understanding when it’s time to sleep. The crib should be set up simply. Avoid putting toys, pillows, and blankets in it to ensure the sleeping environment is perfectly plain and safe.
2. The Art of Changing Diapers
Taking care of babies requires you to master the art of changing diapers. You should get used to it quickly with practice in the early weeks. You can pick between cloth diapers that you can reuse or disposable diapers that will fill up your garbage bags (so buy of those too).
Regardless of diaper type, it’s important to change them often. This keeps your child comfortable and lowers their risk for diaper rash.
You should check to ensure you have all the tools and paraphernalia prepared for diaper changing. You should have the following baby products on hand:
As the diaper is changed, clean the baby’s area gently. You can use a soft cloth or air-drying on the skin to dry it out. Using a barrier cream can defend the infant’s sensitive skin from irritation and moisture.
3. Understanding the Crying Baby
New mothers can tell over time that babies have different cries for different needs. Their cries are hard to decode at first, but as your bonds deepen and you get to know each other better, maternal instincts kick in to decipher what each cry means.
For the baby, crying is their only way to alert the mother if they’re uncomfortable, hungry, need their diaper changed, or simply wants to cuddle.
When choosing the best baby and postpartum essentials, listen to the needs of your baby and let that guide your choice. During the early days of the newborn stage, it’s normal for the baby to cry quite often.
Crying a lot is the baby’s way of getting used to being outside the womb and communicating with Mommy by the sounds they make.
When a baby cries, first check their basic needs. Are they hungry? Or do they need a diaper change? If you have no issues on those two things, try giving them a pacifier instead to pacify them as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics or AAP.
The other ways to sooth your baby is by your presence, touch, and voice. Talk to the child in a calming manner. It’s okay if you’re figuring out things as you go. Trust your instincts and rest assured that both you and your baby are figuring things out together.
4. Your Feeding Choices for Baby
During the first week and early months of your baby, feeding them is quite special and essential. You can feed your child through breastfeeding if you have the time and opportunity to do so or do formula feeding if, for example, you’re a working mom.
Each method comes with their own pros and cons you should be aware of to ensure the nourishment of your child when push comes to shove.
There are a number of health benefits to breastfeeding for not just your baby but also for you, the new mother. However, it can be tricky to do. It might be wise to have a milk powder formula on hand in case you have lactation issues on top of consulting with a lactation consultant.
The consultant can serve as your guide on how to hold the baby while breastfeeding and solving any other logistical issues when all is said and done.
If you wish to use formula instead for convenience or even a mix of both breastfeeding and bottle feeding, you can buy many safe and healthy cow’s milk choices for the needs of the child.
Consult your pediatrician as well for the best results. The both of you can work in tandem to find the best formula choices for your baby’s daily nourishment.
5. Witnessing Baby’s First Smile and Emotional Growth
You’ll experience many special moments during those first few weeks as a new family. One of the best milestones is your child’s first smile. This sweetest of your bonding moments shows better than words that your baby is starting to grow emotionally.
The smile indicates the newborn is now interacting with the world around them. While we’re at it, make sure to make eye contact with your baby often. When they gurgle and coo, respond with excitement and love.
Your watchful gaze, touch, and voice all assist in building a strong bond and base for their well-being and emotion. If you’re a pet owner, cuddle with your baby like you would with your fur baby.
Read, sing, or talk to your infant from the early days onward. This will teach your child to learn sounds from what they hear. Such actions will also support their language skills as they mature.
6. Make Your Baby’s Muscles Stronger with “Tummy Time”
Your baby won’t find “tummy time” fun in the beginning. However, it’s another key part of their development. It’s an activity that assists in strengthening their shoulder, back, and neck muscles.
To start with tummy time, first place the infant in a play mat or soft blanket. It’s recommended that the session be done after they’ve bathed in warm water. Get down on their level and make eye contact or use toys to catch the baby’s attention.
If your baby feels uncomfortable, you can also place them on your chest while lying on your back to get them to do the tummy time pose there. You can even support the infant’s chest with a rolled-up towel or a tummy time pillow you can buy online.
The baby also benefits in terms of healthily developing their motor skills. The sessions for tummy time should be short, just a few minutes done multiple times every day.
Once your baby truly starts developing their muscles with tummy time, you can start extending every session. Regular repetition of tummy time is what makes it effective. Add it to your baby’s routine to watch them develop ASAP.
7. Recognize Your Baby’s Early Senses and Stimulate Them
Right after birth, the infant will begin developing their five senses. Now that they’re out of the womb, they’ll come across the world’s sights, sounds, smells, and textures full of wonder and curiosity. This is only natural, since everything is new to them.
At first, the infant’s vision will be unclear, but they will recognize patterns and bright colors. Help boost your child’s senses with playtime.
For example, play soft music and show then bright-colored toys. Allow them to (safely) explore different textures by touching their hands with yours or different gentle fabrics. Stimulation is the first step towards their development of most of their five senses.
Always watch your baby when they’re playing. Pick infant-safe toys with no choking hazards. Encourage sensory play because it’s a great method for helping newborns, learn, grow, and develop their sight, hearing, and touch.
8. Milestones in Language Development and Baby’s First Words
One of the biggest milestones of the child’s first year is their first word or words. A new parent would definitely want that recorded somehow on their phone via video for posterity. They want to capture the memory of the child saying their first words for sure.
In the first few months, the infant isn’t likely to speak or form whole words. However, this period is special in terms of their language development. Don’t forget that infants start communicating with coos, gurgles, and cries already.
The next step to cries and other baby noises is speaking like Mommy and/or Daddy. The first step is coos before speaking actual words in the parents’ Mother Tongue (so to speak).
Encourage infant language development by talking to the child often. Talking and eye contact is the mother’s way of acknowledging those coos, gurgles, and cries anyway. Talk to them like you’re having a conversation.
You can also read to them out loud and watch as they attempt to copy your words like a copycat. They’ll say the words without comprehending them at first, but eventually realization will dawn on them as their language evolves.
Buy children’s books or picture books for your child. You can also buy baby books with different textures that assist with the development of their sense of touch. Such choices will help capture the child’s attention and make reading fun for them.
9. Safety First When It Comes to Baby-Proofing the Home
As the baby develops their mobility, it’s your priority to create a safe home environment for them to explore without exposing themselves to risk and harm.
According to the CDC, this means as a parent that you should babyproof your home, which in other words means making the hazards of the home inaccessible to your curious, naïve child.
Many potential hazards may come your child’s way as they go crawling around. Don’t be embarrassed about getting down on all fours and exploring the nooks and crannies of your home to see where your child could explore and hurt themselves.
See the world from your child’s perspective to identify risky areas and objects. Make sure your pills are in babyproofed containers that you need to push and twist to open. Put away all the small objects that pose as choking hazards.
Secure furniture from tipping, like putting rubber tips on chair and table legs to make them hard for baby to push or accidentally bump. Put away al your breakable vases in safer locations, like upstairs or inside closed closets.
Here’s a quick checklist of things to watch out for:
10. Your Friendly Pediatrician: Checkups and Baby Vaccinations
Make sure your child is perfectly healthy by ensuring they attend pediatrician (baby doctor) visits religiously. Such healthcare professionals keep an eye out for your infant’s health, growth, and development.
These pediatric checkups serve as your opportunity to ask for tips on baby healthcare and rearing directly from a professional. You can even share any worries and concerns with them as you get informed of what you’re doing right and what else you need to do.
You should also keep up with the vaccination track record of your child in their first year. This will help you prevent common childhood diseases, from polio (which has been making a comeback) to chicken pox to measles.
During every visit, the doctor will monitor height and weight in order to check if your baby is meeting development milestones by the week or month. Ask the doctor about any health issues your infant might have.
Before the visit, list down the questions and topics you wish to discuss with the good doctor. Prepping yourself will assist you in getting the most out of your baby doctor’s visit.
11. Introducing Solids as Your Baby’s First Foods
Cow’s milk or human breast milk does the job in giving your child their nutrients right out of the womb in drink and food form. However, there will come a time when you’ll have to introduce solid foods to their diet.
Consult your pediatrician for more details regarding this. Usually, solid foods are introduced within six months. As a new mother, you’ll discover the taste preferences of your baby by instinct and trial and error. You’ll introduce them to so many textures and flavors to choose from.
Begin by giving your baby pureed foods from the grocery or DIY pureed with your purifier but using only one ingredient. They can be vegetables or fruits.
Check for any sensitivities or allergies to certain foods. You can gradually add more different foods as your baby acclimates themselves to eating solids. Make sure they’re suitable to the age of your baby and are easy to eat.
The time for experiencing new tastes and sensations by food exploration is now. Expect things to be messy at first. Patience is a virtue you should learn. Enjoy your child diving into solid foods regardless.
12. Cultivating the Sleep, Eat, and Play Routine
One way to assist in the development of your child is structure and order. Allow them to develop a steady routine to greatly help in not only their maturity but your peace of mind since all humans are creatures of habit.
Patterns and routines also help tremendously in setting your baby (and yourself) at ease with security and order. Your family members will be thankful for having a scheduled baby routine.
As your infant matures, establish clear patterns for when to sleep, eat, and play. Let your child learn these patterns and anticipate them. This will also make it easier for you to decipher their nonverbal communication since you’re now both on the same page.
Watch your baby’s signals when they’re hungry or sleepy. You’ll be establishing the pattern based on your baby’s needs. Set regular nap times, feedings, and play times.
Be a little flexible, but also mostly establish structure and habit formation with your routine to lead to big improvements on child discipline and peacefulness. They’re also less likely to cry excessively as both you recognize and anticipate their routine.
Don’t forget that your baby requires acclimatization to the new routine even if it is based on when they’re hungry and their own sleeping patterns. Have patience and be consistent with your actions. Pay attention to your baby’s reactions and adjust the schedule thusly.
13. Preparing for Baby Mobility from Rolling Over to Sitting Up
At six months old, you’ll start seeing some exciting developments on your baby’s gross motor skills or mobility. All that tummy time training has prepared your baby for this moment!
Your child could even reach early milestones, like the ability to roll over by themselves. They can also grab toys or start sitting up on their own without your assistance or support. Assist their development by creating a fun and safe place for them to explore their mobility.
Put their toys out of reach to encourage them to stretch their limbs more or outright move forward instead of just staying put on their crib or baby bed.
It’ll be a joy watching them finally start crawling for their toys or even for you as they joyfully demand some cuddle time with Mommy. Crawling is a big step towards them moving on their own two feet by walking.
Don’t forget that each baby develops at their own pace, so be patient. It’s completely normal for a child to learn to crawl sooner or later. Either way is fine.
14. The Excitement of the Baby Standing and Taking Their First Steps
A flood of emotions may overcome you as your infant baby goes from shaky steps while holding onto their crib or the couch to taking their first steps as a full-blown six-month-old toddler.
They’ve moved from crawling to you joyfully to walking to you on wobbly Bambi legs, excited to move around like Mommy does. The baby’s first steps are undoubtedly one of the proudest moments for parents, showcasing the child’s development as they start bravely exploring the world around them.
These moments used to be called Kodak Moments, but now they’re certainly worth more than a snapshot but instead whole phone videos! It’s certainly a special time for celebration.
Once you’ve baby-proofed your home, you can feel more at ease in helping your baby start the fun journey towards independent mobility. Of course, you don’t want your child to become too free or mobile, but them going from laying down to crawling to walking is quite inevitable.
Don’t forget to acknowledge and praise them for this important achievement, because this helps them build confidence on their ability to walk. They can only get better with practice.
To support your child’s milestone, create a safe space for them to practice. Aside from having a babyproofed home, you can get lower tables, stools, and furniture they can lean on without tipping them over to aid in their walking.
Babies falling and spilling over as they learn to stand and walk is a normal part of the learning experience. They learn by trial and error as well as through the encouragement of their parents.
Be there for them for every literal step of the way as your formerly helpless infant finally becomes a toddler who can walk on their own two feet.
15. Encourage Baby Movement from Crawling to Walking
Remember, before they can walk, they need to learn how to craw first. Just as before they can run, they need to know how to walk first.
Observe and react in accordance to how your child develops their motor skills. First, they’ll move by rolling around and using their limbs to crawl towards you.
The next big milestone aside from your baby talking is, of course, walking upright on their own two feet just like Mommy and Daddy. Get your camera phone or video app ready when that happens!
This big achievement should be observed every step of the way to avoid missing it, because these kids really do grow up so fast. Also, it’s important to remember that every baby moves at their own pace.
Babyproofing the home ensures that the child has many chances to move and explore without worrying about risk. Let them do this in a fun and safe place where all the outlets have covers and all the crawlspaces have been sealed away to remove risk from their tiny little adventures.
Conclusion
You’ll be faced with important moments and a deluge of feelings as you navigate through your infant’s first year. This is when you’re supposed to learn how to change the baby’s diapers and support the emotional growth of the child.
Every step towards the child’s development will be special. Don’t forget that every baby is an individual. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, trust your maternal instincts, and enjoy the journey.
By learning things like understanding the baby’s cries, adjusting to their sleep patterns, and supporting their language development, you’ll help build a strong base for their future development from puberty onwards. It’s crucial to also observe safety and routines as well as regular visits to the pediatrician.
Treasure every one of the baby’s firsts, like first laugh, first word, and first step towards walking or running. The bight future of the child is dependent on your love and care.
Welcome both troubles and celebrations with grace. By doing this, you’ll do an awesome job as a new mother!
Frequently Asked Questions
For New Mothers, What’s the Most Difficult Part of the Baby’s First Year?
Sleep deprivation as you have to feed the baby regularly due to their tiny tummies. Many new mothers also have to deal with breastfeeding challenges while also trying to decode their baby’s cries. Is the baby hungry or does their diaper need changing?
During the first year, it’s naturally challenging to acclimate the baby to a routine. Motherhood is overwhelming, but this is a common human experience shared by every new mother.
How Can a Mother Stimulate Her Baby’s Development in Their First Year?
Curiously enough, fun playtime activities can help the baby grow. Don’t deprive them of playing and toys because these all help engage their senses.
Playing with your child also assists you in developing a bond with your baby. Create a supportive, caring safe space for your infant to enjoy and explore new experiences in their first year of living.
What are the Signs that The Baby Can Now Eat Baby Food?
A six-month old infant should be ready to try out solid foods after months of breastfeeding and/or bottle-feeding with milk formula. Signs they might have to start eating without milk (not necessarily weaning time yet) is having good head control and showing interest with your “adult” food.
Your child can also get to eat some baby food once they’re able to sit up without assistance. This is a crucial step towards their nutrition, self-feeding, and maturation.
When Should You Start Reading to Your Baby at Bedtime?
You can read storybooks and fairy tales to your baby as a newborn, actually. At first, they obviously won’t understand the words yet. However, hearing your soothing voice and having a bonding moment with books should help instill a love for reading in them down the line.
Reading early on also supports language development in the infant, making your mother tongue or the language/s used at your home easier for them as they grow up while you and your child grow closer together.