The Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines has been a great resource for me in knowing how to guide my newborn in her early development. I have seen all of the statics on early childhood development, and know how key it is to start interacting with babies from birth.
My little girl is 7 weeks old, and showing many of the indicators mentioned in the 0-4 month section of the guidelines. She is learning how to eat, recognizing faces, and reacting to voices and sounds by slowing her movements to listen or making facial expressions like smiling or crying if a sound is loud.
In order to aid in her development we have a set schedule for when we feed her. Even at 7 weeks she is very used to that schedule, and is even sleeping through the night with a 6 hour stretch. We also pay attention to her cues and respond. When she seems attentive and listening we talk to her, and we hold her when she cries or move her away from loud sounds or too much stimulation that upsets her.
It’s been great knowing what to look for, and how to react with our newborn! We will definitely continue to use the guidelines as a resource as she grows!