It’s a familiar scene in every household blessed with a child. Parenting books have now been replaced with Google search bar in search of one simple yet significant question- ‘How do I know if my baby is healthy ’? While there’s certainly a plethora of information you can get online, be warned: not all of it comes from verifiable sources.
Of course, babies cannot express themselves, and that puts parents in a bit of a conundrum: How do we know if our baby is healthy? There are, however, some vital cues we can pick up on, while merely being observant of them.
Signs of a Healthy Baby
Is the baby in the proverbial ‘pink of health’? Look out for these healthy baby signs that indicate they well and truly are.
They turn to new sounds and listen
They cry less and sleep more regularly
Good sucking urge and asking for frequent feeds
Early days
Healthy baby signs
Baby’s staring into space?
Weight and height
Social and happy creature
Infant sleep
Great coordination
Emotional development
Their hearing capability is maturing, and their brain is distinguishing noises. Babies can hear from birth, but it takes a few weeks for them to be able to distinguish between the white noise of everyday life outside the womb. Over time, the idea that some sounds are more exciting and significant than others (the dull roar of the air conditioner, for example, is less relevant than a big sister’s unexpected shrieks of joy). The sound of music, in particular, will eventually capture a baby’s attention, whether it comes from your voice, a toy, or your stereo.
Babies are crying less and sleep more regularly because of the outcome of your baby’s nervous system learning the ropes. Look for many naps per day, as well as periods of four or more hours between night feedings. Some babies develop quickly, while others take about four months. If your kid is older than that and still eats and sleeps at random times, consider scheduling their days more rigidly. It’s your job as a new parent to ensure your baby is doing well and ensure they start sleeping more soon!
This shows baby has a good appetite and a sound digestive system. Further, if they make a gulping sound when they are swallowing milk, it means they are feeding well. This innate sucking reflex will have them sucking anything that comes close to their mouths!
There will be feedings every couple of hours and sleep for 16 hours (although not more than a few hours at a time). While it’s normal to have crying, cranky infants in these early stages, its not necessarily a bad sign. It is, in fact, another sign of a healthy newborn. Even being quiet is a good sign as it means they are processing new information
Can sometimes be best understood by what ‘you’ find yourself doing, behind the scenes! No matter how silly it sounds, if your little one is wetting their diapers 4-6 times a day, it’s an indication of their being a ‘normal baby’. This not only shows they are feeding well but indicates that they are properly hydrated, as well.
Note: A darker-coloured urine indicates dehydration in babies. They observe things like patterns, colours, and movements
That might just be a sign of a healthy newborn’! On closer inspection, you will see they are looking at something like the ceiling fan. By 1 month they can see up to 18 inches away and by 2 months, they start tracking things like bright colors and spinning objects. They don’t have perfect colour vision and depth perception, and if you see them keenly watch the world around them, that’s a really good sign. They are gaining adequate weight and height.
Weight and height are the more common ‘healthy baby signs’ parents look out for, and with good reason. On average, they may gain 5 to 7 oz of weight and ½ to 1 inch of height every week. Roughly speaking, if your baby is approximately twice his birth weight by 5 months, and thrice by the time they are 1 year old, it’s a good indication that they are healthy. They make eye contact and smile
The first genuine moment of eye contact with them generally comes at around 1 month; that first smile, at around 2 months of age. By the time they are 5 years old, they smile as though it’s a reflex. Eye contact and smiling are behaviours that serve as effective indicators of early social and language development. Continuously following these patterns is a sign of their sound development.
Infant sleep is erratic, but one of the signs of a healthy newborn is a baby that sleeps well on the whole. Good sleep only implies good growth. As your baby grows, it will help them greatly if they can get into a good sleeping schedule. It will lead to their being happy and contented, which is only a sign of a healthy baby. They can support their body weight.
By the time a healthy baby is 3 months old, they are holding their head up more regularly and with a greater degree of elan than when they were a month old and they would briefly flirt with the same action. By doing so they are flexing their growth muscles – a great sign of their improved physical development.
Tip: Give your little one a decent amount of playtime each day, so they can move and strengthen those muscles. In that regard, ‘tummy time’ is a great exercise! They are calmed and soothed by your voice
is no less than Physical development, when it comes to fostering a healthy baby, even at this most tender stage in their lives. They have been in their mother’s womb for 9 months, all the while listening to their voice. And so, if they respond to that same voice even after birth, that’s indeed a sign that they are well on the track of emotional development. If Mommy can soothe them or get them to pay attention, it’s a good indication that they are hale and hearty! Turning towards and listening to new sounds.
Healthy Baby Signs
When you’re looking for Healthy Baby Signs, you don’t want to miss out on their ability to discern sounds. There are some sounds that they will find more interesting than others, like the sound of music emanating from the stereo. When you see your baby react to a new sound by looking for its source, you can rest assured that their ears are healthy. What’s more, their sense of curiosity about the new sound is piqued too – yet another indication of good health.
It only takes one paranoid notion of worry about your child’s health, to get your head spiralling into a worry cycle. At EuroKids, it is our responsibility to strive towards fostering an all-encompassing development of children. Our integrated environment helps kids flourish to the best of their mental and physical capacities.
For informative and accurate articles on all things related to your new born-toddler’s development, growth, health and nutrition, follow EuroKids Blogs and do check out our nationally recognized preschools – EuroKids for the first step in your kid’s educational journey!
