Your baby’s growth

A newborn develops rapidly over the first 3 months. The majority of babies lose up to 10% of their body weight after birth but they quickly regain it. Once they reach their original birth weight, they gain, on average, 15-30 grams each day for the first 6 months. You should take your baby for regular visits to the clinic or nurse to monitor your baby’s growth in height, weight and head circumference.

Your baby’s muscle strength will also increase rapidly. Whereas at birth she will barely be able to lift her head, by 4 weeks she will be able to lift her head up and turn it from side to side – and at 8 weeks she will be able to lift her head and chest up when lying on her tummy.

By 4-5 months your baby will have developed some hand control and will be able to grasp objects. She will use her mouth to explore an object in her hand by gumming and sucking. By 6 months she will be learning to roll over and will probably be starting to sit upright.

Socially, your baby will become more and more interactive. Just 4-8 weeks after birth you can expect her to smile for the first time and she will start to make cooing noises by around 8 weeks. Between 4 and 6 months she will start to ‘babble’, which involves practising vowel sounds over and over again. Her main form of communication will still be crying though.