Perhaps you or you start to recognize the baby's different cries, and can hear the difference between tiredness or hunger? Or you start to suspect colic? The first few weeks with a newborn baby go by at breakneck speed, and while your little one may have mostly eaten, slept and had their diaper changed, it's likely that you'll now have small, brief moments together. Your baby is probably fascinated by your face, especially the mouth and eyes. Your little one is slowly but surely starting to stretch out his body and open his hands from the fetal position with closed hands, just like inside the womb. 

Colic - what is it? 

Colic is something that many parents fear. It is not yet known for sure why babies get colic, but a few factors that can be seen to have an impact are an immature intestinal system, a lack of friendly bacteria in the stomach and incorrect feeding techniques. There is also some ongoing research that suggests that genes may play a role to some extent.

Colic usually starts at 2-3 weeks of age and usually stops around 3 months of age, but for some it lasts longer. It can be difficult to know if your baby has colic or not, but what you can look out for is if the crying usually starts in the afternoons or evenings and then goes on for several hours. If this happens at least three times a week and cannot be linked to any other cause, such as a food allergy, you may start to suspect that colic is the cause. If this is the case, remember that you as a parent are never the cause of colic. Other signs of colic or tummy ache are usually that the baby is difficult to connect with, tenses its body like a bow, spasms up and down with its legs and keeps its eyes closed a lot, thus isolating itself in its pain. 

If you have colic, you can help your baby by carrying and being close, with lots of skin-to-skin contact. Some babies are relaxed by a bath or a heating pad on their tummy. If you are in a relationship, it is important to share the responsibility of rocking, cuddling and comforting because it takes a lot of energy to have a baby who screams for hours on end. Dare to ask for help and relief, and talk to your BVC nurse for support. When it's at its worst, try to remember that it will pass, nothing lasts forever, even if it feels like it right now. 

Baby's development

Babies see best within about 20 centimeters at this age and start to see both more clearly and more distinctly. For example, your baby can clearly see a face that is close, but black and white dominate the color scale. This means that your baby will be able to discover the world in a new way than before, which may make them feel a little more dependent on you as a parent and want to be close and get more attention.

Even if your baby is not yet able to lift their head when lying on their tummy, it is a good idea to let your baby lie on their tummy a few times a day. This helps to vary the position of the head and gives them some neck exercise. There is no time limit or recommendation for how often or for how long, but if your baby is comfortable lying on their tummy, it's fine to do it for a while. If your little one protests after just a few minutes and you can't divert them in any way, it's best to stop and try again later. If you can't get it together at all, don't stress, because once is better than never. As babies are recommended to sleep on their backs, it's a good idea to keep an eye on which way their head is tilted, so that it's right and left alternately. This takes pressure off the back of the baby's head.

Baby care: Nails

As babies' nails are very soft, it is recommended that you file your nails instead of cutting them in the first few months to avoid cutting your baby's skin. Use a small nail file and file both the toe and finger nails. Nails grow faster than you think and it is not surprising if you need to file your nails once or several times a week.

Breastfeeding/replacement

For some, breastfeeding is easy and natural, while for others it can trigger emotions that they were not prepared for. And sometimes it's the baby who doesn't quite understand how to do it. It is not unusual for it to take 1-2 months before breastfeeding and the technique feel like they "fit" or start to come more naturally. But if something feels wrong or painful, it's important that you and your baby get help so that you can both have the best possible feeding experience. Ask at your local maternity center what options are available in your area to get support as early as possible.

If you choose to bottle feed the baby instead, make sure to make it a cozy moment for both of you. The best thing is to be skin to skin and let the baby lie safely in your arms. Feel free to make eye contact if the baby wants to and let it take time. Bottle feeding is also very much about technique to make it work, so don't be afraid to ask for tips and advice at the BVC.

Here you can read about baby development at 1 month of age!