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What a baby should be able to do at 1 month
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
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The first month of your baby's life is an amazing time. In just 12 months, your baby will go from being a newborn who is completely dependent on you to a toddler who is starting to walk, talk, and show the first signs of independence. What should a baby be able to do in the first month of life?
Height and weight
Don’t be alarmed if your baby loses weight during the first few days of life. Babies are born with extra fluid in their bodies and typically lose up to 10% of their birth weight before their weight stabilizes and starts to gain. Babies usually regain their birth weight after two weeks and gain more quickly during the first month – anywhere from 15-30 grams per day. During your monthly check-up, your doctor will check your baby’s weight against a growth chart to ensure your baby is growing normally.
Motor skills of a child at 1 month
The nervous system of newborns is still immature during the first month of life, but babies can do a lot in this short period. You will notice that your baby is born with several innate reflexes, including sucking. Soon after birth, your baby will be able (with help from you) to find and suckle the mother's nipple. If you place your finger inside your baby's palm, you will notice that he will close his fist tightly around it (this is why many fathers boast about the strength of their newborn).
A newborn can move his arms to the sides and open his fists - this is called the Moro reflex. And even before 1 month, the child has an automatic gait reflex. If you put the newborn's feet on a hard surface, while supporting his body, the baby can take a few steps. Even at 1 month, your child already has a Bauer reflex - it is called the crawling reflex. Up to two or three months, the child will have the so-called proboscis reflex. If you hit his lips with your finger, they will stretch out like a tube.
The baby can also lift his head for a few minutes while lying on his tummy and even turn it from side to side. This reflex is expressed from the first minutes of the baby's life. However, the head cannot be raised for a long time - the neck muscles are still very weak. If the baby's central nervous system is affected, the head may not turn to the side, and while lying on his tummy, he may suffocate if an adult does not help him turn his head to the side.
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Sleep of children at 1 month
Giving birth is hard work. For the first few weeks, it seems like all a newborn does is sleep. In fact, newborns can sleep 15 to 16 hours a day. The truth is, your baby is not yet accustomed to a normal day/night cycle. You can help your baby regulate sleep by limiting it during the day and keeping it quiet and dark at night. Eventually, your baby will understand that the day is for playing and the night is for sleeping.
Additionally, a 1-month-old baby's sleep cycle is significantly different from yours. Unlike adults, newborns spend more time in REM sleep, or light sleep, than in the deeper stages of sleep. This means that during those first few weeks, babies can be quite easily awakened by the slightest noise.
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Baby's vision at 1 month
Babies are born with very blurry vision. Newborns are extremely nearsighted. Your baby can see objects and people most clearly when they are 20 to 30.5 centimeters away. This means that a newborn can see mom's face most clearly when she is feeding him, and if people are farther away, the baby will look at them like stuffed animals because all the attention of one-month-olds is focused on human faces. They also prefer high contrast objects so they can see them more easily.
You may notice that your 1-month-old baby's gaze and yours cross when he or she tries to focus. This is normal because a newborn's eye control is not fully developed. However, if this condition persists until three or four months, consult your pediatrician because it may be a sign of strabismus.
Baby's hearing at 1 month
Although a newborn's hearing is not yet fully developed, babies can recognize sounds - especially their parents' voices, which they were used to hearing in the womb. They especially like high-pitched sounds.
If your child does not respond to loud and high-pitched sounds, be sure to mention this to your pediatrician during your consultation.
Taste buds of a 1 month old baby
Like many older children (and adults), 1-month-old babies prefer sweet tastes. Their taste buds are not yet mature enough to differentiate between bitter and sour tastes. Babies at 1 month already have a well-developed sense of smell. A baby can even distinguish between the smell of his mother's nipple and breast milk within the first few days of life.
How much and when does a 1 month old baby eat?
At one month, a breastfed baby may feed eight to 12 times a day (about every two to three hours). Formula-fed babies feed less often - six to eight times. Some parents give their babies milk when they are hungry, while others stick to a schedule. You will know when your baby is hungry because she will start to fuss and cry (moving her head back and forth, looking for mom's breast) or try to bite your finger when you touch her cheek.
A baby who has had enough to eat will be calm and may even fall asleep. Keep an eye on his diapers: 5-6 wet diapers a day is a sign that the baby is eating enough.
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Communication with the parents of a child at 1 month
At one month, a baby has one dominant way of communicating - crying. Your baby will cry for up to three hours a day. Don't panic, the frequency of crying will decrease over time. Crying is your baby's way of saying, 'I'm hungry, feed me.' 'I've wet my diaper' or 'I'm very tired.' Eventually, you'll begin to translate these cries into your own language and discover ways to soothe your baby (like rocking or changing your diaper). Some babies cry too much - then they need to be seen by a doctor, as they may have a health problem.
Tips for the First Month of Your Baby's Life
- Babies love to be touched. Give your baby a gentle massage, rock him, cuddle him, or just pet him. This will make your newborn feel safe, loved, and comforted when he is feeling anxious.
- Play calm classical music for your child. Research shows that children who listen to calm music develop better and feel more confident.
- Place bright, beautiful toys in front of your child so that he can reach for them and thus develop his muscles.
- Do a "bicycle" with your baby's legs for a couple of minutes several times a day. This simple exercise will help tone the muscles to prepare the baby for crawling and walking. Now that you know what a one-month-old baby should be able to do, you won't have to worry about his development.