Baby's One Month Milestones

You might think there’s not much a 1-month-old can do…but you would be surprised! Your little one is busy at work developing new skills.

For example: did you know that babies can copy your facial expressions when they’re just a few days old? Try it out! An easy one to start with is an exaggerated surprised face with an open mouth.

They’re also able to bring their hands to their face and make arm movements, though the arm movements are uncontrolled this early on (and sometimes they whack themselves in the face because they don’t have motor control yet—ouch!). 

At one month old, babies can begin to track moving objects even though their vision is still fuzzy. They can see best when you’re close to them or when the object you’re showing them is high-contrast (black, white, or red).

They can also recognize the scent of their mother. Research suggests that babies can smell the difference between their mother’s milk and someone else’s within the first few days of life! These strong olfactory senses are probably evolution’s way of helping keep little ones safe, and guiding them to the breast to promote feeding. And if you’re using bottles or formula, their sophisticated sense of smell will still help promote bonding and feeding. Within the first week babies can also smell and recognize their mother’s sweat, so being near you is just as exciting and important!

Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider. Breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for babies. It is important that, in preparation for and during breastfeeding, mothers eat a healthy, balanced diet. Combined breast- and bottle-feeding in the first weeks of life may reduce the supply of a mother's breastmilk and reversing the decision not to breastfeed is difficult. If you do decide to use infant formula, you should follow instructions carefully.