What to Expect the First Year: (Updated in 2025)

by Heidi Murkoff

babies whose parents responded to them regularly and promptly in infancy cry less as toddlers.

What’s more, crying that’s been left to intensify for more than a few minutes becomes harder to interpret—the baby becomes so upset, even she doesn’t remember what started all the fuss in the first place. And often, the longer baby cries, the longer it takes to stop the crying.

Get close. In societies where babies are always worn or toted in carriers, there isn’t as much crying or fussiness. This traditional wisdom seems to translate well in our world, too. Research has shown that babies who are worn or carried for at least 3 hours every day cry less than babies who aren’t toted as often. Not only does wearing or carrying your baby give her the pleasure of physical closeness to you (and after 9 months of constant closeness, that may be just what baby’s crying for), but it may help you tune in better to baby’s needs.

Your baby won’t remember much about the first 3 years of life, but according to researchers, those 3 years will have a huge impact on the rest of his or her life—in some ways, more than any of the years that follow.

Certain fruits and veggies (aptly called the dirty dozen) have been identified as the ones most likely to contain pesticides if they’re conventionally grown—so whenever possible, opt for organic on these (whether fresh, frozen, or in ready-to-serve baby food): apples, celery, cherries, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, strawberries, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, and kale.

pesticide residues when they’re conventionally grown: avocados, kiwi, papaya, melons, and pineapple. The vegetables least likely to have pesticides: asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, corn, eggplant, onions, mushrooms, and sweet peas.

The AAPD recommends beginning regular dental checkups (with a pediatric dentist or a regular dentist who sees children) at age one, or within 6 months of the arrival of baby teeth.

The AAP doesn’t recommend swim lessons for babies under a year—there’s no evidence that infant swim programs lower the risk of drowning. Sure, infants may be able to make “swimming” movements, but it’s just a reflex, and they aren’t able to raise their heads out of the water well enough to breathe. Go ahead, sign up for a parent-infant water play class—but skip those formal classes until around age 1, when your water baby will be developmentally ready for swim lessons. Research shows that swim lessons, beginning around age 1, may lower drowning rates.

Avoid the “no!” game. A constant chorus of “no, no, no!” strips that all-important word of its power, fast—not to mention sets the stage for toddler negativity (which is just around the corner). So choose your battles, with first choice always going to matters of safety and well-being (of people and things), but avoid making everything a battle. You can limit your use of “no’s” by creating a childproof environment in your home, with plenty of opportunities for exploration under safe conditions. Turn “don’ts” into “do’s,” when you can, too: “This is how we pet a cat” instead of “Don’t pull Fluffy’s tail!” Along with each no, try to offer a yes in the form of an alternative: “No, you can’t play with Daddy’s book, but you can look at this one,” or “You can’t empty the cereal shelf, but you can empty the plastic container cabinet.” Instead of “No, don’t touch those papers in Mommy’s desk,” try, “Those papers go in Mommy’s drawer. Let’s see if we can put the papers back and close the drawer.” This win-win approach gets the message across and teaches a lesson—without going negative.