Any parent knows that when it comes to babies, there are seemingly new developments every day. Infants are constantly learning and growing and soaking up everything around them like a sponge. It would be impossible for infant care experts to include every tiny development that parents are often privy to in the parenting books they write, but that doesn't mean the small milestones aren't worth celebrating.
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There are several stages that babies go through and milestones that parents may notice that they weren't expecting, but are really exciting and worth noting for future reference! Honestly, every new thing a tiny baby does is so amazing. It's incredible to watch our little ones grow and develop. Here are just a few milestones worth celebrating that you might not have read about in the baby books:
The first time they wrap their whole hand around your finger.
Oh, how I wish I would have written down when both of my daughters first did this because now I can't remember. What I do remember is how sweet it feels to have a baby hold onto your finger with her whole little hand. It's heart-meltingly sweet.
The first time you are left completely alone with them.
It's a pretty monumental moment. Just you and your little one. There's no one else around to help. It's just you and your precious child. It can be both beautiful and terrifying at the same time. You'll spend many more moments alone together, but the first one is like, "Wow, I am in charge of this person's well-being!"
When they learn to latch.
Whether it takes just a few days or weeks, when a new baby finally masters the latch while breastfeeding, it's time to jump for joy. No more discomfort and pain and lots of milk for baby is one more goal met.
When they lose the startle reflex.
A lot of baby books mention the startle reflex as the reason that it's recommended to swaddle baby during sleep times, but few talk about when it actually disappears. The startle reflex which is also known as the Moro reflex, generally goes away by the time a baby is six months old, which in most cases means you can stop swaddling. That's one less thing to do before baby is off to dreamland!
When they fall asleep on their own.
A lot of baby books talk about either safely letting baby co-sleep or how to sleep train them, but few actually spend much time on how or when they'll actually start falling asleep peacefully on their own every single time. Honestly, when you're walking up several times a night and rocking your baby to sleep for every nap it feels like it will never end, but one days and it usually happens without us even realizing it until one day you put baby down and the whole house is quiet.
When they recognize themselves.
At some point your baby is going to realize that other face she sees when mom walks by the mirror is her own. Before your baby turns one, she'll likely make that connection that you are holding her so she must be seeing herself, and it's so cute! From there, you may even be able to keep baby entertained by giving her a mirror to look at herself in every once in a while.
When baby becomes a rightie or a leftie.
Although your baby likely won't start actually writing for a long time still, at some point in the first year, you'll likely to start to notice a hand preference. Handedness is determined by whether a person is right-brained or left-brained, so it's pretty much set from birth. Watch to see which hand your baby reaches for things with or starts crawling with.
When baby starts to recognize routines.
Shortly before your little one's first birthday, she will start to really know and recognize the routines you've put in place. Your baby may be able to anticipate the next step in for example, feeding, bedtime, and daycare drop-off routines. For the most part, this will make your like easier and help your days go a lot more smoothly.
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*Descargo de responsabilidad: Los consejos sobre MamásLatinas.com no sustituyen la consulta con un profesional médico o el tratamiento para una condición específica. No debes usar esta información para diagnosticar o tratar un problema de salud sin consultar a un profesional calificado. Por favor contacta a tu médico si tienes preguntas o alguna preocupación.
