Child Development: 0-3 Months

At birth a baby does not know or understand anything. It quickly learns to recognise the smell and voice of the person who feeds them and holds them most often but they do not know this is their 'mother'.

However, even from birth, they start to communicate with you and give you little signals when they are tired or hungry, or awake and alert. 

They are learning all the time.

Coming into the world is a very big adventure for babies.  They do not know or understand anything. At first they don't know that you are there to comfort them and feed them and care for them.  They can feel comfortable or uncomfortable, but they don't know that this is because they are full, or safe, or afraid, or hungry. 

They quickly learn to recognise the smell and voice of the person who feeds them and holds them most often (possibly the smell of their mother's milk) but they do not know this is their 'mother'.

However, even from birth, they start to communicate with you and give you little signals when they are tired or hungry, or awake and alert.  

They are learning all the time, and the job of parents is to help them to know that the world is a welcoming place for them to be in, where their needs will be met and they will learn to feel safe and loved. Remember that for a new baby everything is new and may be scary at first, even a nappy change.