The first year in a baby’s life brings the joy of getting to know new possibilities
We get to know the possibilities of our own body throughout our lives. Through stimuli from the external environment, experiences and knowledge, we learn about what a person can and is allowed to do. In the first years of life, learning and getting to know your own body is the most intense. A child is born with senses and reflexes. Innate instincts enable the child to meet basic needs – the child cries if he feels hungry and cold. The child will acquire knowledge about the world and people from the environment through life experience. The care of a small child is usually observed through feeding and dressing – increasing body weight and length is a well-deserved reward for every parent and guardian after a visit to the pediatrician. However, proper handling of a new family member is a unique experience because the child needs help and support to get to know the body and learn to use its own body.
A newborn baby has a disproportionately large head and weaker neck muscle control. The natural position in the first month is similar to the position in the mother’s stomach – the knees are pulled towards the chin, the arms towards the chest, the child is able to raise its head for a few moments and clear the airways. In the first months, it is possible to trigger a series of “primitive reflexes” (the child pushes off with its legs and begins to crawl if it is laid on its stomach, the child takes a few steps if it is lifted up, if you suddenly put the child on its back, the child will make a small show – spread its arms and legs while crying imitating a strong hug in case of danger). These reflexes are lost after some time. These traces of evolution are always elicited during the examination of a healthy child, premature disappearance or too long retention of these traces requires further investigation.
For the proper development of the baby’s psycho-motor abilities, it takes many hours of changing clothes, feeding, washing and ironing. It is not enough to feed the baby and change a clean diaper. The development of senses and emotions takes place faster and more completely if you give your child plenty of touch and pleasant sounds. A child does not mind if an adult is deaf or loudly explains the recipes he cooks for lunch (unless the child needs sleep and sleep is necessary for proper growth and development).
Talking, singing, whispering is favorite and pleasant for babies
A child understands an adult faster if you constantly talk and explain. But even an adult will understand a baby and know how to distinguish a child’s cry and react correctly.
In the first month, the baby can see best up to the distance of your face while in your arms. The baby’s first social reaction will appear – the baby will laugh.

1. Babies aged 6 months to 1 year – muscle control progresses from the head down during the first 6 months. Holding the head is mastered at 2 months. In an unchanging order, they will strengthen trunk control until independent sitting after 6 months of age, by the first birthday the largest number of children walk independently or with support. All children will follow the same pattern of physical development, but each child has their own pace. Pediatricians expect the development of certain abilities at a certain age (holding the head, rolling over from stomach to back and vice versa, sitting, crawling, standing up and walking). The limits of normal can differ by a few weeks or months – if regularity is required, the development can be monitored in specialized institutions and supplemented with additional tests. The most important thing is that the parent refrains from comparing himself with older children in the family or from the environment. In the first 6 weeks, the head should be held while the child eats and while dressing. Over time, the head will reach a proportional size in relation to the body, the muscles of the body and shoulders are getting stronger. The child gradually straightens out of the curled-up position (which it had at birth). By folding and extending its legs, it joyfully discovers the surrounding space. He notices familiar faces, toys above the crib, shows satisfaction by smiling and cooing, and displeasure by crying. He becomes a being with whom adults communicate. In 3 and 4 months, the baby looks forward to being raised to a sitting position. The baby enthusiastically shows that he is happy to observe the world around him if you place the baby in a special lounger-chair. If you gently pull the baby by the hands and place it in the correct position, then notice that the baby straightens the spinal column – when all the curves are lost on it and it holds the corpse completely straight when sitting, it is capable of sitting independently. This position makes it easier for parents to feed the baby and play with the baby. It allows the baby to learn something new every moment. The baby overcomes space by crawling after rocking on elbows and knees. The baby stands up against a stable table or fence around 9 months of age. He first takes side steps by holding on with both hands and then boldly reaches out to reach for the toy. This is a period of great progress but also of great danger of injury.
2. Using your hands is equally important for getting to know and using your own body. The baby’s hands are tightly clenched during the first weeks, fingers are always in the mouth at 3 months. The child becomes an active participant in play and feeding when he combines watching and sleeping movement to touch, grabbing, approaching, putting in the mouth, passing from hand to hand, etc. When this process begins, then this process can be accelerated by offering constant unobtrusive stimuli to the baby. Toys should not always be together, toys should be safe and suitable for the baby. It should not be surprising that a kitchen colander is more interesting than an expensive set of LEGO bricks or a well-known manufacturer.
   3.The first year of a baby’s life is the most intense period of growth and progress. The child will grow another 25 cm in length, the birth weight will triple, from a weak baby he will overcome space by walking without the help of adults. The child will communicate wishes and needs with movement, facial expressions, and words.
   4.The task of parents (guardians and grandparents and married adults) is to give the child the security of home and daily incentives to use his own body at his own pace. It is irrelevant that the child is already sitting at 7 months and walking at 15 months.
   5. It is important that the child’s development follows normal patterns of maturation and that both the child and the adults enjoy it.