Appointments – What's scheduled in the 1st month?

• Apply for the birth certificate: The birth certificate should be applied for as soon as possible after the birth, because it is needed for the child benefit and parental allowance applications, as well as for the child's health insurance. In most cases the registry office reports the birth automatically to the residents' registration office.

• U2 (3rd to 10th day of life): The U2 is carried out by the pediatrician or in the maternity clinic if mother and baby are in the hospital at least until the third day of life. If you already have a pediatrician, ask in advance whether a home visit is possible – many offer this for the U2.

• Submit applications: The most important applications are for child benefit, parental allowance, and the child's health insurance. In addition, you may need to apply for childcare allowance or a child passport. You can submit the request for parental leave to your employer some time before the birth.

• Delegate tasks: Hardly any mother or father wants to go to the office or the doctor's practice with the newborn in the first days or weeks after the birth. Try alternating appointments between you or delegating them to trusted people, and prepare applications, necessary documents and, if needed, authorizations so that important appointments in the first weeks don't add extra stress.

Important developmental milestones in the 1st month

Almost all children need some time to get used to everything. While some newborns sleep up to 20 hours a day, others are very unsettled at first and cry a lot because they need to process the impressions of the birth or the new environment. Not always does the first month of life go as the new parents imagined. However, there are almost daily developmental advances you can observe.

• Recognizing: Very early, babies show signs of recognition. They react differently to mum and dad than to strangers and can, for example, be soothed more easily. Since babies particularly orient themselves by scent in the early days, you should initially avoid heavily perfumed creams and lotions.

• Increasing alertness: As wakeful periods increase, so does the baby's alertness. Bright colors, familiar voices, or movements capture their interest.

• Seeing and focusing: Already after a few weeks, your baby can focus on faces up close and follow objects with their eyes.

• Grasp reflex: The grasp reflex is still very strong. Not only do the baby's hands automatically close around fingers or objects, the little feet also try to 'grasp' when touched.

• First sounds: Babies communicate with their parents from the first day of life. Apart from crying, many babies already experiment with their voice and make sounds in the first month.

How much should my child weigh in the 1st month?

In the days after birth many babies lose weight, but then rapid development usually begins. Don't let 'well-meaning advice' worry you if your baby seems to gain too little or too much. Your midwife and the pediatrician regularly check your child's height and weight — and they are competent contacts if you are truly worried.

As a guideline: In the first month your baby weighs approximately 4,200 to 4,500 grams and is about 54 to 55 centimeters long. Variations are completely normal.

Image credits

Newborn baby sleeping in a basket with a Mohawk hairstyle © irena_geo - stock.adobe.com

Modern baby scale on the table and an out-of-focus woman with a child in a house © New Africa - stock.adobe.com