Although babies develop at different paces, many newborns experience the same milestones during the first month of their life. On the outside, it may appear that all a newborn does is sleep, poop, cry and eat. In fact, newborns may need to eat every 2 hours and spend around 16 hours of their day sleeping. But a baby is busy developing skills and personality traits that he will carry with him throughout his entire life.
Senses
According to the Disney Family website, a newborn is busy developing her senses even just weeks after birth. A newborn can smell her mother's breast milk and squirms when she walks into the room. She can react to loud sounds and voices, and may even turn her head toward the commotion. By the end of the first month of life, many babies can even recognize the sound of a particular voice. In the first weeks, a baby can focus on things that are 8 to 12 inches from her, like a face. By the end of the month, that sight distance will increase to 3 feet.
Physical
Newborns gain weight quickly after birth---around 1 oz. every day. That can mean up to 2 lbs. a month. The article, "Newborn to 1 Month" explains that newborns can suck their fingers and thumb. In fact, many babies suck on their hands even before being born. Most babies can move and temporarily lift their heads by the end of the first month. Infants begin to smile, at first while sleeping. But by the end of the month, a baby may be able to smile in response to something enjoyable.
Reflexes
As the Babycenter website explains, newborns have several reflexes that last for the first few months of life. The Moro reflex causes a baby to startle and arch his back when he hears or feels a loud noise. He may also stretch out his legs and cry. The step reflex is when a baby moves his feet and appears to dance or tap his feet when he encounters a hard surface. The tongue-thrust reflex occurs when something is placed in an infant's mouth and he pushes it out with his tongue. When a baby is hungry, he may use the rooting reflex to locate the breast or bottle. With this reflex, he will turn his head and open his mouth when his cheek, lips or mouth are stroked.
