Most newborns are alert for the first 40 minutes following birth, and are often ready to interact and eat if given the opportunity. However, a newborn’s initial level of alertness can be affected by any medications administered to the mother during childbirth and fetal hypoxia (low oxygen levels in the fetus) due to labor complications.

This initial period of alertness may be the longest stretch of time babies are awake and alert for their first few days. Many healthy infants sleep 16 hours or more a day. Sleep and wake cycles are extremely variable at first and generally do not stabilize until a baby is 3 months old.

Crying is a newborn’s main way of communicating, especially urgent needs like hunger. Other common causes of crying include gas pain, colic, discomfort (e.g., wet diaper) or when the baby is overwhelmed by the sounds and sights of the environment. They may also cry for no apparent reason.

Parents or other caregivers should respond in a timely manner to a newborn’s cries. Holding infants close to the chest often soothes their cries. However, prolonged crying may be a sign of an illness and in such cases a pediatrician should be contacted.

Research suggests that infants as young as a few days old prefer human stimuli best, especially the faces, voices, touch and even smell of their parents. Second to people, newborns like to look at bright lights or objects and anything that moves. Newborns can see objects within a range of 8 to 14 inches (20 to 35 centimeters). They can also see objects that are farther away, but it is harder to focus on them. Despite this initial limited range of vision, a light shining from a distance may still catch a newborn’s eyes.

Healthy newborns can see contrasting colors better than similar ones. For instance, black-and-white objects will usually captivate a baby’s attention longer than those with similar colors. Babies may appear cross-eyed for brief periods during the first four months because a newborn’s eye muscles are still developing. Parents should contact a physician, preferably an ophthalmologist, if a baby’s eyes seem to cross more than just briefly and if the condition persists for longer than 4 months. An infant should also be taken for an eye exam if the eyes appear cloudy or filmy, or seem to wander in circles when trying to focus on objects.

The rest of the senses – hearing, smell, touch and taste – are generally well developed in healthy infants at birth. By the second week of life, newborns can better focus their eyesight and most can recognize their mother’s voice. This is typically demonstrated by a tendency to turn towards the mother at the sound of her voice. Newborns usually respond to the smell and touch of their mothers, as well as the level of responsiveness to basic needs like hunger.

By age 2 months, most babies can smile on purpose, blow bubbles and coo when being held or when a parent or caregiver talks gently. They also begin to anticipate events, especially feeding time. Infants commonly start sucking at the sight of a baby bottle or a mother’s breast.

From age 3 months on, babies typically begin to show more interest in their immediate surroundings. Enhanced eye muscle control allows babies to track moving objects. They can also distinguish objects from backgrounds with little or no contrast, such as the buttons on a shirt of the same color.

During feedings, infants may no longer be content to just look at the person feeding them and can become easily distracted by other interesting sights or sounds. They can recognize faces and distinguish people by how they look, sound or feel. They also generally react to and attempt to imitate the facial expressions of others.

Around age 4 to 6 months, most babies usually start attempting to communicate by making babbling, squealing, gurgling and even laughing sounds. Babies may even be able to recognize their names now. Infants can learn from every interaction, especially through play.

Caregiving activities such as feeding, bathing and diapering provide adults with plenty of opportunities for gentle playing to support a baby’s cognitive (intellectual) development throughout infancy. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to talk, sing, recite rhymes and do finger plays often with their infants.  

Babies at this stage also prefer to face outward while being held and often wiggle their bodies around so that they can have a better view of their surroundings. They also display more curiosity about themselves and usually explore their bodies by staring at their hands, touching their ears, cheeks or any other part of their body within reach.

From months 6 to 12, infants explore their world by touching and putting objects and toys into the mouth. As they progress through infancy, a budding curiosity and urge to experiment prompts them to use objects. Babies will pick up and inspect items, often by passing them from hand to hand, banging, dropping or throwing them. They will also put anything in their mouths at this stage.

Infant education experts generally recommend reading to babies beginning at age 7 months or younger. Reading and talking to infants helps develop their speech and thought. 

Large, bright picture books can engage infants and eventually they will connect the words heard with the pictures.

A major cognitive developmental milestone that occurs at around 9 months of age is the ability to recognize that objects exist even when they are out of sight (object constancy). Babies can exercise their growing cognitive skills by searching for objects (e.g., toys) that are hidden while they are looking. They usually express great delight, often by squealing, when these items are found. Although older infants may look for hidden objects, they are still unable to consider alternative locations.

Older infants can usually distinguish emotions by a person’s tone of voice, and are also able to locate sounds by turning their head. They generally attempt to repeat sounds they hear too, especially speech and animal sounds. Older babies can also associate the names of objects and are generally able to look at a correct picture when an image is named.

Many infants at this stage understand the meaning of some words, especially “no,” and other simple commands such as “come here.” They usually use simple gestures like shaking their head for “no” and waving their hands for “bye-bye.” Most babies can probably say “mama” and “dada” – and use these terms appropriately – and perhaps a couple more words by their first birthday.