How Long is the Newborn Stage
The newborn stage, also referred to as the neonatal period, is a time of rapid development during the first few weeks of life, when newborn babies adapt to life outside the womb. A variety of fundamental physiological changes take place that set the stage for future development. Not to be left out, Parents and caretakers also experience a great deal of change.
For new parents, the newborn stage usually involves intensive infant care, important decisions about early parenting, postpartum recovery, and very little sleep. It's an incredible but often challenging time. Almost every parent eventually asks, “When will it get easier?”
How Long Does the Newborn Stage Last?
The newborn stage begins immediately after birth and lasts for the first four weeks (0-28 days) of a baby’s life.
But while doctors and health authorities like the World Health Organization (WHO) exclusively use the term to refer to babies under 28 days old, there’s no strict definition in everyday use. It’s common to hear parents refer to their babies as newborns up to 3-4 months after birth. That’s because babies tend to become “easier” to care for around this time.
It’s also important to distinguish between the “newborn stage” and “infancy.” Most official sources consider newborns to be babies under 28 days old. But “infant” is a much broader term, used to describe babies up to one year old.
What Changes Take Place During the Newborn Stage?
Each baby has their own unique developmental timeline. If your little one doesn’t reach these milestones “on time,” don't worry! But if you have concerns about your baby’s development, you should always reach out to your pediatrician.
Motor Function
Newborn babies tend to display certain physical reflexes that signal the development of motor skills, such as making a fist in a “grasping” motion.
When you first bring your little one into the world, their range of motion and physical control will be limited. But as they develop through the newborn stage, they’ll gain more control over their movements. Some examples of motor development milestones include:
- Opening and closing their fists
- Lifting their head while on their tummy
- Kicking their legs while on their back
- Moving both arms symmetrically
Emotional Bonding and Socialization
As your bundle of joy gets used to the world around them, they will quickly form bonds with their caretakers. They’ll also begin to express their emotions and learn how to interact with others.
Some examples include:
- Crying to signal distress
- Making and maintaining eye contact
- Recognizing your voice
Language
While newborns won’t be able to speak or understand language until they're much older, they still explore verbal communication in their own way. Cooing, crying, and making small grunts are all forms of verbal communication that are a precursor to more advanced language development.
Sensory Development
Newborns go through a lot as their brand new senses develop. Generally, their hearing is fully formed before they’re born. In fact, most babies can even hear their mother’s voice while they’re in the womb, and they can distinguish between familiar voices by the time they’re born. During the newborn stage, your baby will begin to respond to noises with facial expressions and small sounds.
Their eyes, on the other hand, are less sophisticated after birth. The basic anatomic structures are in place when they’re born, but their vision, retina, and optic nerve will undergo a great deal of development throughout the first year of life. They won’t be able to focus their vision or make out differences between colors for the first few days. However, over the course of the first couple of months, their vision becomes more refined and they’re able to:
- See contrasting colors
- Focus on objects up to 12 inches away
- Show interest in faces and recognize familiar adults
- Track moving objects
Feeding
Newborn babies need to eat frequently (every 2-3 hours) because their stomachs are very small and they digest their food rapidly. Breast milk and/or formula are the primary sources of nutrition for newborns.
In an ideal world, newborns and babies up to six months old would exclusively consume breast milk. It contains all the nutritional and immune benefits babies need during this important developmental period. However, many parents can’t or choose not to breastfeed, and therefore, they need to rely on formula, which will also provide what they need to grow and develop.
Both formula-fed and breastfed newborns often require cluster feeding (when a baby eats more frequently during certain times) during the neonatal period – especially during growth spurts. The extra nutrients they receive through frequent feeding help their bodies grow and develop.
Sleeping
Sleep is critical to newborn development. While there’s some variation in the sleep habits of newborns, new babies tend to sleep between 14-17 hours every day. However, they don’t have a typical night-and-day routine. Instead, this sleep is generally broken up throughout the day in 40-60 minute segments.
Usually, newborns wake up regularly to eat or be changed and won’t begin to sleep through the night until they’re about 3 months old. It’s also common for newborns to go through periods where they sleep less or won’t sleep when you put them down for a nap, which can be stressful and frustrating for new parents. Fortunately, these periods tend to become less frequent over time.
Final Thoughts
The newborn stage is filled with many amazing milestones for both you and your baby. Watching them grow, learn, and start to interact with their environment is one of the most rewarding parts of new parenthood. Welcoming a new life into the world can be equal parts amazing and overwhelming – and that’s ok!
Whether you’re a first time parent or you’ve done this before, it’s important to remember that every baby is unique. Every journey has its ups and downs, and it’s completely normal to feel a little lost during this incredible transition. But one thing is always certain, proper nutrition is essential to early development. If your baby is formula fed, you need to know that they’re getting high-quality ingredients and that their formula is made with the utmost care, without additives like corn syrup solids, pesticides, or artificial sweeteners and colors.
At Aussie Bubs, we’re committed to creating clean, wholesome, and nutritious products for babies and toddlers around the globe. Our infant formulas are made from goat milk and cow milk and are completely free of harsh and unnecessary additives.
Not sure where to start? Take our formula quiz to find out which Bubs formula is right for your bundle of joy!
