The

Physical development

"Gross motor development" refers to physical skills that use large body movements, normally involving the entire body.

Describe sensory development in infants

--Hearing, begins before birth, and is mature at birth. The infant prefers the human voice. Touch, taste, and smell, mature at birth; prefers sweet taste. --Vision, the newborn infant can see within a range of 8 to 12 inches. Color vision develops between 4 to 6 months. By 2 months, can track moving objects up to 180 degrees, and prefers faces. --Inner ear (vestibular) senses, the infant responds to rocking and changes of position

Describe physical development of an infant

An infant's physical development infant begins at the head, then moves to other parts of the body. For example, sucking comes before sitting, which comes before walking. Newborn to 2 months Can lift and turn the head when lying on his or her back Hands are fisted, the arms are flexed Neck is unable to support the head when the infant is pulled to a sitting position Primitive reflexes include: Babinski reflex, toes fan outward when sole of foot is stroked Moro reflex (startle reflex), extends arms then bends and pulls them in toward body with a brief cry; often triggered by loud sounds or sudden movements Palmar hand grasp, infant closes hand and "grips" your finger Placing, leg extends when sole of foot is touched Plantar grasp, infant flexes the toes and forefoot Rooting and sucking, turns head in search of nipple when cheek is touched and begins to suck when nipple touches lips Stepping and walking, takes brisk steps when both feet are placed on a surface, with body supported Tonic neck response, left arm extends when infant gazes to the left, while right arm and leg flex inward, and vice versa 3 to 4 months Better eye-muscle control allows the infant to track objects Begins to control hand and feet actions, but these movements are not fine-tuned. The infant may begin to use both hands, working together, to accomplish tasks. The infant is still unable to coordinate the grasp, but swipes at objects to bring them closer Increased vision allows the infant to tell objects apart from backgrounds with very little contrast (such as a button on a blouse of the same color) Infant raises up (upper torso, shoulders, and head) with arms when lying face down (on tummy) Neck muscles are developed enough to allow the infant to sit with support, and keep head up Primitive reflexes have either already disappeared, or are starting to disappear 5 to 6 months Able to sit alone, without support, for only moments at first, and then for up to 30 seconds or more Infant begins to grasp blocks or cubes using the ulnar-palmar grasp technique (pressing the block into palm of hand while flexing or bending wrist in) but does not yet use thumb Infant rolls from back to stomach. When on tummy, the infant can push up with arms to raise the shoulders and head and look around or reach for objects. 6 to 9 months Crawling may begin Infant can walk while holding an adult's hand Infant is able to sit steadily, without support, for long periods of time Infant learns to sit down from a standing position Infant may pull into and keep a standing position while holding onto furniture 9 to 12 months Infant begins to balance while standing alone Infant takes steps holding a hand; may take few steps alone

Cognitive development

Cognitive development is a field of study in neuroscience and psychology focusing on a child's development in terms of information processing, conceptual resources, perceptual skill, language learning, and other aspects of brain development and cognitive psychology compared to an adult's point of view. In other words, cognitive development is the emergence of the ability to think and understand

Describe developmentally appropriate

Developmentally appropriate practice, often shortened to DAP, is an approach to teaching grounded in the research on how young children develop and learn and in what is known about effective early education. Its framework is designed to promote young children's optimal learning and development.

Do's of pregnancy

Do Take a Multivitamin Do Get Lots of Sleep Do limit your exposure to pesticides and food chemicals (choose organic) Do your best to eat well Do go to bed early

Dont's of pregnancy

Don't (or limit) caffeine Don't smoke Don't drink alcohol Don't go on rollercoasters Don't use spas or jacuzzi Don't do drugs Don't expose yourself to harmful fumes (paint, gasoline, drugs, some cleaning products, etc.)

Moral development

Moral development is the process throught which children develop proper attitudes and behaviors toward other people in society, based on social and cultural norms, rules, and laws. Moral development is a concern for every parent. Teaching a child to distinguish right from wrong and to behave accordingly is a goal of parenting.

What happens in the each stage of prenatal development?

Stage 1: The Germinal Stage The two-week period after conception is called the germinal stage. Conception occurs when a sperm cell combines with an egg cell to form a zygote. About thirty-six hours after conception, the zygote begins to divide quickly. The resulting ball of cells moves along the mother's fallopian tube to the uterus. Around seven days after conception, the ball of cells starts to become embedded in the wall of the uterus. This process is called implantation and takes about a week to complete. If implantation fails, as is quite common, the pregnancy terminates. One key feature of the germinal stage is the formation of a tissue called the placenta. The placenta has two important functions: Passing oxygen and nutrients from the mother's blood into the embryo or fetus Removing waste materials from the embryo or fetus Stage 2: The Embryonic Stage The embryonic stage lasts from the end of the germinal stage to two months after conception. The developing ball of cells is now called an embryo. In this stage, all the major organs form, and the embryo becomes very fragile. The biggest dangers are teratogens, which are agents such as viruses, drugs, or radiation that can cause deformities in an embryo or fetus. At the end of the embryonic period, the embryo is only about an inch long. Stage 3: The Fetal Stage The last stage of prenatal development is the fetal stage, which lasts from two months after conception until birth. About one month into this stage, the sex organs of the fetus begin to form. The fetus quickly grows as bones and muscles form, and it begins to move inside the uterus. Organ systems develop further and start to function. During the last three months, the brain increases rapidly in size, an insulating layer of fat forms under the skin, and the respiratory and digestive systems start to work independently.

Social and emotional development

The core features of emotional development include the ability to identify and understand one's own feelings, to accurately read and comprehend emotional states in others, to manage strong emotions and their expression in a constructive manner, to regulate one's own behavior, to develop empathy for others, and to establish and maintain relationships

Describe the stages of labor and delivery

The first stage begins when you start having contractions that cause progressive changes in your cervix and ends when your cervix is fully dilated. This stage is divided into two phases: Early labor: Your cervix gradually effaces (thins out) and dilates (opens). Active labor: Your cervix begins to dilate more rapidly, and contractions are longer, stronger, and closer together. People often refer to the last part of active labor as transition. The second stage of labor begins when you're fully dilated and ends with the birth of your baby. This is sometimes referred to as the "pushing" stage. The third stage begins right after the birth of your baby and ends with the delivery of the placenta. Every pregnancy is different, and there's wide variation in the length of labor. For first-time moms, labor often takes between ten and 20 hours. For some women, though, it lasts much longer, while for others it's over much sooner. Labor generally progresses more quickly for women who've already given birth vaginally.

What happens to the mother in each trimester?

The first trimester lasts from the first through the 13th week of pregnancy. Although you may not look pregnant during the first trimester, your body is going through enormous changes as it accommodates a growing fetus. The first trimester is vital for the development of your baby. The fetus will develop all of its organs by the end of the third month, so this is a crucial time. It's important to maintain a healthy diet, including adding an adequate amount of folic acid in order to help prevent neural tube defects. Cut out any bad habits, such as smoking and alcohol. Both have been related to serious complications in pregnancy and birth defects The second trimester (weeks 13-27) is often the most comfortable period of time for the majority of pregnant women. Most of the early pregnancy symptoms will gradually disappear, and you should enjoy a more restful night's sleep and a surge in energy levels during the daytime. Your abdomen will start to look pregnant, as the uterus will grow rapidly in size. At the end of the second trimester, your baby will be almost four times as big as it was at the end of the first trimester. It's a good time to invest in maternity wear, and spread the good news of your pregnancy with your friends and family. The third trimester lasts from the 28th week through the birth of your baby. During the third trimester you will start seeing your health care provider more frequently. Your doctor will regularly: test your urine for protein check your blood pressure listen to the fetal heart rate measure your fundal height (the approximate length of your uterus) check your hands and legs for any swelling Your doctor will also determine the baby's position and check your cervix in order to monitor how your body is preparing for childbirth.