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When does the newborn phase end?????

14K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  EAGA 
#1 ·
What are the ages associated with let's see:

Newborn: 0-3 months?
infant: 3-12mos?
toddler: 12 +

Does that sound right?
 
#2 ·
Well, I felt that dd stopped being a newborn around 2 months. To borrow a term from Penelope Leach, she became a "settled" baby. Then, in my mind, this is how it works:

0-4 early babyhood
5-9 middle babyhood
9-12 older baby
12+ toddler

Of course, that's based on my personal experience.
 
#5 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by la mamita
I'd agree with that. I'd say baby instead of infant though.

Somehow to me baby is a more general term that works up to two at least, maybe beyond. To me, a baby is almost equal to nursling--until very recenlty I think every nurseling I'd met was under three, most under two.

Someone recently commented to me that newborn is only up to one month and since my babe is quickly approaching four weeks that made me sad. I'm glad the consensus here is longer.
 
#6 ·
These things depend on context, I think, not to mention one's culture and the individual child.

But this is the language I tend to use because it seems to be the language most people "get"...

0-4 months "newborn"
4-8 months "infant"
8-12 months "infant" or more commonly at that age, "baby"
12-15 months "older baby," "baby," or "waddler"
15-30 months "toddler"
30-36 months "older toddler" or "young preschooler"
36-54 months "preschooler" or "pre-primary"
54-60 months "older preschooler" or "pre-primary"
 
#8 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by trmpetplaya
I could tell when dd wasn't a newborn anymore... her face looked like a baby rather than a newborn... I was so sad! It was around 3 months.

love and peace.

my daughter came out looking like a baby rather then a newborn

people said how bright eyed she looked.
 
#11 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by tash11
my daughter came out looking like a baby rather then a newborn

people said how bright eyed she looked.
Dd was never wrinkly or anything, but her face *changed* somehow and I knew she wasn't a newborn anymore... maybe it filled out more... I'm not sure how to describe it. I had to go to the ER the day after she was born (kidney infection unrelated to my home birth) and everyone said that she looked like a 1 month old


She was also holding her head up somewhat at birth... the doctor (at a week and a half) was very impressed by how strong her neck was
And in other cultures where they don't support the baby's head the babies have head control within the first month.

love and peace.
 
#12 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Persephone
Dd was holding her head up at birth.

All 4 of mine did, too. I'm not sure really when I stopped considering them "newborns" - maybe at a month? I know my 2 1/2 month old DD is definatly not looking like a nb. Maybe it has something to do with individual size?
 
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