Infancy: Characteristics, Growth, Development & Precautions

Infancy is the time period of one year of life after birth. The term “Baby” is used for a newborn. Infancy is the period when the baby grows very fast both in terms of the body as well in learning skills. After birth, the baby doubles in length and triples in weight in the period of infancy. At birth, human infants appear frail and powerless, but they already possess a startling array of skills. They can communicate their demands by wailing, and most of their bodily systems are quite well formed at this point. Infants acquire a variety of other skills during this period of infancy. Infants grow more quickly during their first year compared to any other period of their lives.

Key Terms: Infancy, Infants, Birth, Baby, Pregnancy, Premature Baby, Fetus, Development, Growth, Age

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What is Infancy?

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Infancy is defined as the first year of life and the time period that involves the most rapid growth of a baby after birth. 

• For the first month after birth, a baby is referred to as a newborn. 
• A newborn has a very different appearance with a large head with the arms and legs being relatively short. 
• Growth during infancy is the fastest in the entire human lifespan. 
• An average baby is twice the length it was at birth and three times its birth weight after the first year. 
• The baby's teeth start growing during the period of infancy only. 

Infant

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Characteristics of Infancy

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Characteristics of Infancy are usually generalized, however, they can also be quite specific to each infant's growth and development depending on their birth. An infant is referred to as a fetus before birth when they are still inside its mother's womb.

• A normal infant is one who was conceived via a typical pregnancy and had a very safe time during each trimester for the mother. 
• When the pregnancy, labor, and delivery are all normal, the baby is referred to as a normal baby. 
• In contrast to infants that are born too soon, their traits and stage of development are also normal and natural.
• Sometimes a baby is born before the typical duration of 36 weeks or 9 months of pregnancy.
• These babies are known as Premature babies that are kept in an incubator in the hospital until they develop normally during the first year of life.

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Characteristics of Infants

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The common characteristics of infants are as follows: 

• They have a striking look with a huge head and relatively short arms and legs, among other traits.
• The shoulders and hips of newborns are smaller.
• Their abdomens are slightly bulging.
• Except for the feet and palm, many babies have lanugo, which is a downy, unpigmented hair. But this normally goes away a few weeks after birth.
• They could have a head covered in hair or barely any.
• After a few weeks, the stub of the remaining umbilical cord dries and falls off, forming the navel.

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Infant Growth and Development

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Infancy life-stage development is essential because this period truly determines their health in all aspects, including physical capabilities, immunity, physiological development, intellectual development, and even psychological development. The baby's growth during infancy is astonishingly swift, and the baby may even appear fresh and new each day because they acquire new skills and comprehend quickly.

• In infants’ early days and weeks, the infant spends their time in a variety of sleeping states, including deep sleep, light sleep, drowsy, and even quiet alert sleeping patterns. 
• They are constantly on active alert mode their sleep patterns are unpredictable and can last anywhere from a few hours to as little as a few minutes.
• The newborn’s reflex movements are the first step in the infant's learning and mastery of the physical world. 
• Within three months, these movements advance to purposeless motions that are repeated for their own sake, such as sucking, clutching, throwing, kicking, and hammering. 
• As a result, the baby starts to demonstrate more intentionality in his physical acts, and eventually, starts to come up with new behaviors through a process of trial-and-error experimentation.
• Infants exhibit behavioral responses indicative of emotional states as early as the first three or four months of life. 
• They appear to experience surprise, anguish (in response to discomfort), relaxation, and excitement as their first four emotional states.
• Creating strong emotional attachments with their parents or other carers is arguably the main emotional achievement of infants.

Infant Growth and Development

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Precautions During Infancy

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One must ensure complete safety during the infancy stage for the proper growth and development of the infant. Precautions for the period of Infancy are as follows:

• Never ever leave a baby with the older child. They may harm the baby because they are jealous of him/her or lack knowledge of how to care for the baby.
• Do not give the baby anything sharp or pointed.
• Keep phones and other electronic devices away from the infants.
• One should not eat or drink during breastfeeding.
• Check that the toys are not too little for the baby to swallow and choke on.

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When to See a Doctor During Infancy?

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If the newborn does not appear to be in good health, that is, if they are behaving abnormally or cannot be consoled by the conventional ways of holding, rocking, and snuggling, one must consult a doctor. Also if the infant's growth does not appear normal, or if the infant is losing developmental milestones, the doctors should be consulted without any second thought.

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Do's and Don'ts for Infants

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Here are some do’s and don’ts for infants

Do's

• Take the help of family members in case you face any difficulty to handle the infant.
• Be hygienic when handling or playing with the baby.
• Provide support in the neck till they learn to do it on their own.
• The infant must be kept close by the mother to provide comfort and soothe when necessary. 
• One must be clear with the basics of bathing, cleansing, changing diapers, feeding, and burping needs.

Mother-Infant Bond

Don’ts

• Never leave the baby crying, even if it is considered normal during this stage. 
• Be aware of immunization and vaccination and consult the doctors for the same.
• Do not get too excited or careless while playing with the baby. 
• Do not force-feed the infant.
• Do not smoke or drink near the baby.

Read More: Difference between Vaccination and Immunization

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Major Milestones in Infancy

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The growth phase of a newborn is critical and must be closely monitored for the many landmarks or milestones that occur during their development. This not only brings joy, but it also aids in tracking the infant's growth and development. The following are the important developmental milestones noticed during the infant's growth and development:

• Infants often begin to smile at 6 weeks of age.
• Infants begin making vocal sounds after 6 weeks of age.
• By the end of six months, infants are babbling a lot.
• Infants begin to sit and crawl before the end of 6 months.
• Infants begin speaking their first words by the end of the first year.
• They begin standing with support at the end of the first year. They begin to walk about this age as well.

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Things to Remember

• Infancy is the period of life between birth and one year of age.
• Infancy is the most critical and fastest stage of growth and development of a child. 
• Infants are referred to as a fetus before birth when they are still inside their mother's womb.
• The growth phase of an infant must be closely monitored for the milestones that occur during their development.
• By 6 weeks after birth, infants start smiling and making vocal sounds.
• By 6 months of age, they learn to sit and are starting to crawl.
• By 12 months, infants start speaking their first words and can stand with help, and may start to walk.