Chapter 4. Life of the Little Man. Daily Mode

Chapter 4. Life of the Little Man. Daily Mode.

The birth of a baby is one of the most wonderful events in a parent's life. But, as soon as a child is born, parents are faced with many issues related to his upbringing and care. One of the most important aspects of caring for a baby is creating the right daily routine. In this article we will talk about how a child’s daily routine is formed and what changes occur in him during the first year of life.

Initially, the baby's circadian rhythm is regulated by his need for food and sleep. The baby wants to eat day and night, and sleeps for several hours between feedings. However, after just a few weeks of life, the alternation of sleep and wakefulness acquires some kind of regularity. At first, the child’s daily routine is determined mainly by feedings, the frequency of which depends on his individual characteristics. Each feeding is followed by changing clothes and going to bed. Then, to these two main activities (eating and sleeping), others are added - swimming, walking, playing. As the baby grows, the life of the baby becomes more and more eventful.

Changes in the circadian rhythm occur constantly during the first year of life. This is due to the fact that the child stays awake longer and longer and wants to look around and gain new impressions. Parents must be very careful to set a wake time that is convenient for both him and them.

As we have already said, at first feeding hours are distributed throughout the day. But later the child begins to sleep continuously for a relatively long period at night when it is dark and quiet. Between 2 and 4 months, the baby already allows parents to sleep at night. He cries less and less frequently, as evidenced by the following data: a 6-week-old baby cries on average 3 hours a day, a 3-month-old baby cries only 30 minutes. However, this does not happen at all because the baby is more intelligent than the newborn. Crying is a way of communication for a child. By crying, he communicates what worries him: his diapers are wet, he wants to eat or drink, he is too hot or cold, his tummy hurts or his skin is irritated, the slightest touch of which causes pain.

Between 2 and 3 months, everything gradually returns to normal, as the baby develops a more stable daily routine. He begins to stay awake more during the day and sleep longer at night, which makes life easier for parents. During this period, the child can sleep up to 6-8 hours straight at night. However, do not forget that all children are different, and each may have their own individual daily routine.

At the age of 4-6 months, the baby begins an active period of development. He begins to master the world around him, is interested in toys and surrounding objects, begins to roll over on his stomach and sit. During this period, the daily routine becomes of great importance, which should be more structured and predictable. The child should be given time to play, socialize, bathe and sleep. It is important to create a stable rhythm of the day so that the child knows what is happening next and can predict what will happen after certain events.

At the age of 6-12 months, the child continues to actively develop. He begins to crawl, walk and speak his first words. During this period, the baby develops a more stable daily routine, which already includes not only sleep and feeding, but also games, walks in the fresh air, activities with parents, etc.

In general, creating the right daily routine for a baby is an important aspect of raising and caring for a child. The daily routine should be structured, predictable and take into account the child's needs for food, sleep, games and communication. It is important to remember that each child is individual and may have his own unique daily rhythm, which must be taken into account when creating a daily routine.