1 Month of Age

Safety:

Place your baby on his or her back to sleep.
Your infant is moving more; be aware that they can fall off surfaces. Never leave the baby unattended on a bed, changing table or sofa.
Continue to use a rear-facing car seat secured in the backseat of the car.
Never drink hot liquids while holding your baby or near your baby to avoid burns from accidental spills.
Make sure your water heater temperature is set to a maximum of 120° F.
A fever is a temperature equal or greater than 100.4° F taken rectally. If your infant has this temperature, it is advised to have them seen at Yale Children’s Hospital Emergency Department.

Your baby can see 8 to 12 inches away. Their eyes will wander and occasionally cross. They prefer black and white or high contrast patterns.
Babies will move their arms and legs equally, focus on your face, turn to sounds and have better head control.
They may become fussier, especially toward the late afternoon or evening. It can last for several hours. They are soothed by rocking motion. If placed in a swing, please make sure they are secured by the belts. If you need more advice in management, please call the office to discuss. This period is usually referred to as “colic” and completely resolves by 12 weeks of age. No additional medicines are needed.
It is normal for newborns to randomly hiccup, sneeze, and startle. They also exhibit Newborn Periodic breathing. This consists of short periods where they breathe rapidly for few seconds, pause for less than 20 seconds, then restart breathing. We expect to see this for the first 2 months of life.
Start observed tummy time while the baby is awake every day. This prevents the flattening of the back of the head. Vary the direction the head is facing, left or right, at each tummy time event.
It is common to sound congested at this age. It is a normal sound and does not require any additional management. If your baby is coughing or you think the baby has a cold, make an appointment for the baby to be seen.

Breastfeed on demand somewhere from 8 to 12 times a day. Feed until your baby is content.
Mother should be taking her pre-natal vitamins.
Vitamin D 400 I.U daily is recommended to be given for exclusively breastfed infants and is available over the counter as a liquid vitamin. If unable to find, then consider Tri-vi-sol or Poly-vi-sol.
If you need further assistance, please contact our Lactation Consultant.
Formula fed infants: 2 to 3 ounces every 2 to 3 hours on average. Sometimes they will feed more often and sometimes more than 3 ounces. As your baby grows, the formula intake will increase too.
Use nursery water or previously boiled water to prepare powder formula. Follow the instructions closely in preparation.
Infants should have at least 6 wet diapers a day. Stools can be watery, opaque, seedy and sometimes slightly pasty. It can vary in the same day. Stools can occur daily or even every few days. As long as the consistency is as described above, the baby is not constipated.

Please notify your provider if your baby has a poor suck, doesn’t blink when shown a bright light, seems stiff or excessively loose in the arms or legs.

Review the Immunization Schedule for the vaccines to be administered at the 2-month physical exam.