Feeding
Expect your baby to need to feed at least 6 times/24 hours at 1 month of age. If they are breastfeeding this could increase up to 12 times. Try not to control their feeding times too much and let your baby determine how much and how often they want to feed. Unless they have been unwell or were premature, they will be able to gauge when they need to feed and are satisfied with the volume of milk in their stomach.
Sleeping
Give your baby plenty of opportunity to sleep and be sensitive to their sleep cues. The novelty of having a baby in the house probably hasn’t worn off yet. It’s easy to over handle small babies which, although done with the best of intentions, can cause them to become overtired. Even at this early stage, aim to place your baby into their cot when they are tired, rather than already asleep. Sometimes this will be easier than others. Most small babies go to sleep soon after feeding and their “sleep window” can be very short.
Behaviour
You may be seeing some early smiles when your baby is 1 month old, but these are likely to be due to their reflexes, rather than being responsive. Closer to six weeks your baby is likely to be giving you true smiles. Many babies develop colicky behaviour at 1 month old and find their lungs. This can alarm parents who may have been lulled into thinking their baby is reasonably passive and calm.
Crying is distressing to parents and their babies. Check the sleep section of the Huggies web-site for specific information on how to settle and help calm your baby. What works one day in soothing them may not be as effective on another. Develop a range of comforting responses and give them all a try. Remember, there are no right or wrong ways to soothe your baby. As long as you are gentle and kind, your baby will respond to your efforts. How long they take to respond however, is open to many factors.