Baby's Development: The First 4 Months

Your new baby is here at last - congratulations! Try to rest and make the most of this time when your baby is so tiny. It's a great opportunity to get to know and marvel at this little being who curls up and nestles into you with such trust.

As you've no doubt realised by now, loss of sleep is pretty much the badge of new motherhood. Our advice: let the housework go (or ask someone else to do it!), and take a nap whenever you get the chance

After they are born, babies still naturally curl up in the position they were in the womb - when you hold them, their little legs are often positioned like a frog’s! But by now your baby will be starting to straighten out and lose that new baby look.

Babies develop from the head down. This means the neck muscles are one of the first areas to develop, and you will notice your baby is becoming much more capable when it comes to holding his or her head steady.

By now, you will be getting more familiar with your baby’s different cries and whether they signify hunger, a dirty nappy, or a request to play or be cuddled.

It probably seems like only yesterday that your baby was a tiny newborn and, when you look back on it, didn’t do very much! At this age, your baby is becoming very responsive, which makes it a lot of fun to talk and play together.

Your baby is learning all the time - by making sounds or playing with hands or feet, your baby's brain will be busy building vital connections.

You'll soon be thinking about giving your baby that first taste of solid food. Another milestone - how exciting!

At around this age, your baby is probably ready to make the transition from a Moses basket or crib to a cot! This can be a little daunting for your baby at first, because they will be surrounded by a lot more space than they're used to.