Raising Children Network: the Australian parenting website
  • Suitable for 0-3Months

Movement: newborns

By Raising Children Network
 
 
  • At first, all your newborn’s movements are involuntary or reflexes.
  • At about eight weeks, newborns start to move their limbs on purpose.
  • A few weeks after birth your baby will start copying your facial expressions, and you might even see signs of this shortly after birth.

Your baby is naturally inquisitive and will want to experiment with her new body from the moment her eyes open. It starts with movements so small that you may not see them, and continues through play and exploration until your baby is a child and young adult.

These simple games and play all have a very important purpose: your baby is finding out what her body can do and working out how the world around her works. She's also developing motor skills by getting lots of practice at moving her body.

Something else quite marvellous is happening at the same time. Your baby is giving you, her chief audience, lots of opportunities to wonder and exclaim aloud at how clever she is. That makes your baby feel great, and gives her the self-confidence to keep striving to do lots of new things.

What to expect

  • In the first eight weeks of life your baby will have no control over her movements and all physical activity will be either involuntary or a reflex.
  • From the first few moments of life, when you stroke your baby's cheek she will turn to that side to suckle. 
  • She will soon begin to uncurl her fists and swipe at dangling objects, though with more ambition than luck for now. 
  • By six weeks old she will start to figure out how to turn both eyes in the same direction at once, so you’ll have less of those disconcerting cross-eyed stares.
  • When she is about two months old your baby is likely to discover her legs and will enjoy kicking, especially in the bath or when out of a nappy.
  • When she reaches about three months of age, she will watch her hands and feet waving around and start to move her hands toward your face or a toy. Your baby is discovering what her body can do.
  • Your baby can see from birth, but can only focus on things closer than 20 to 30 cm from her face for the first few months. 
  • She will learn to lift her heavy little head while lying on her tummy, somewhere between about four and eight weeks.
  • Your baby will be keen to copy your facial expressions almost from birth. If you give her a big, bright grin she will try to do the same; frown and she will attempt to furrow her brow back at you.

Play ideas to encourage movement

  • Putting your baby on her tummy helps her learn to hold up her head and develop her neck muscles. If she is unhappy on her tummy, try again in a day or two; your baby is the best guide to what she finds fun.
  • Between one and three months, you can put a toy or rattle in your baby’s hand and she will hold on to it.
  • By three months she may reach for objects voluntarily; fun, bright objects that she can reach for and suck on are a great way to encourage this play. Read more about what's safe for a baby.
  • You can put toys within easy reach by attaching a frame over a pram or bouncer and hanging toys from it.
  • Give your baby a chance to play on the floor and experiment with her body, but try not to rush her into doing things before she’s ready. Just enjoy watching her play.

Babies develop at their own pace with little regard for what the experts say. If you have concerns about development it is a good idea to see your health professional, particularly if you have noticed that your baby seems unusually floppy or stiff, or doesn’t startle when there is a loud noise nearby.

 
 
  • Last reviewed16-05-2006
  • References

    Manning-Morton, J., & Thorp, M. (2003). Key times for play: The first three years. Philadelphia: Open University Press.

    Piaget, J. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children. New York: International Universities Press. (original work published in 1936).