Week 1
It's only been a week, but already your newborn knows he/she can rely on you. By now, he/she can recognize your voice. Hearing his/her parents' familiar voices helps him/her adjust to the strange new world outside the womb and lets him/her know that he/she's not alone. So the more you talk to him/her, the better. He/She can't understand your words, but your love comes through loud and clear.
Week 2
This week, your baby can focus on objects 8 to 14 inches away--just about the distance between his eyes and yours during feedings. In fact, babies this age prefer faces to other objects. By looking at him during his meals, you'll encourage him/her to practice focusing. As you feed him/her, move your head slowly from side to side and see if his/her eyes follow you. This helps build his/her eye muscles and tracking skills.
Week 3
Though his/her movements are still random and jerky, your baby can control him/her body in one amazing way by this week. He/She can snuggle! As you hold him/her, watch how she adjusts his/her posture towards you. He/She finds your arms and even your scent calming and comforting. There couldn't be a more perfect and relaxing way for the two of you to bond.
Week 4
Have you noticed your baby using his/her vocal chords in ways other than crying? He/She may coo and make "ahh" sounds this week, especially when he/she sees mom or dad. Babies learn by mimicking--so replay his/her sounds back to him/her. HeShe not only loves the attention, but he/she's also finding out that his/her voice has power: he/she calls, you appear!
Week 5
This week, your baby's movements are becoming smoother and more purposeful-- those random, jerky motions are beginning to disappear. He/She's not ready for gym class, but try to give him/her time each day for using his/her body. You can give him/her a gentle mini-workout by slowly pulling him/her to a sitting position, or letting her "fly" by resting him/her tummy-down on your forearm. Always support his/her head.
Week 6
At about this age, your baby will flash an adorable gummy grin that is his/her first genuine smile. How can you tell? His eyes will brighten and widen as he/she moves his mouth upwards. By smiling back and cooing to him/her, you'll do more than get another smile. You're teaching him/her that his actions cause a reaction--with pleasant results!
Week 7
Your baby is busy this week. He/She's starting to make sense of his/her senses--he/she can look at a rattle and connect it to the sound it makes. He/She's also developing more sophisticated tastes in color, too, preferring bright colors and three dimensional objects over flat black and white ones. A musical mobile in her crib could entertain his/her for several minutes--just watch him/her follow it and smile!
Week 8
His/Her head is still wobbly, but those neck muscles get stronger by the day. Around this age, your baby can lift his/her head about 45 degrees. Put him/her on his stomach for brief periods every day so he can practice. He/She may even try to do mini-pushups! Encourage him/her to look up by placing a mirror or dangling a toy in from of him/her.
Week 9
Your baby's world is alive with the sound of music this week. Sounds fascinate her/him, especially high tones and pitches. He/She's also interested in hearing you talk, and will stare intently at your mouth as you speak to her/him. He/She may even reply with cooing or "goo"-ing. Though he/she's not ready for epic poems, start reading to him/her--he/ she's already building a bank of vocabulary words.
Week 10
Guess what? Your baby can pick out his/her parents' faces in a group. His/Her eyes widen and shine and he/she wiggles with glee when someone familiar comes near. He/She's ready and willing to hone his/her social skills, so make him/her part of family activities-bring him/her to the table during dinner, or put him/her in a carrier sling while you work. He/She loves your company as much as you love his/her.
Week 11
At this age, your baby is sleeping less, and he/she's awake for longer periods of the day. He/She's anxious to learn about his/her world and family, and he/she may not always be interested in your choice of game. If he/she turns her head and looks away, he/she's declaring he/she's ready to move on to something else. At only 11 weeks, he/she's got ideas of his/her own!
Week 12
Around this age, your baby has discovered an endless source of enchantment- -his/her hands. He/She's realized that those fingers and thumbs are separate objects. He/She can also bring his/her hands together, look at them, then put them to his/her mouth to taste. Let himher experiment with these wonderful tools by offering different textures for him/her to feel--a velvet scarf or a rubbery toy. Just make sure it's clean!
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