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

by Heidi Murkoff

For brain development, the first 3 years are most important, but the first 12 months are critical.

Choose ones that are alcohol-free (alcohol is drying to a baby’s skin) and contain no (or the fewest possible) artificial colors or fragrances, preservatives, and other chemical additives

Wide-neck bottles, which are shorter and fatter than standard bottles, are meant to be used with wider nipples so that they feel more like the breast to babies.

Never put plush toys or soft or loose bedding in the crib with your baby (even the adorable pillow and comforter that may come with the crib bedding set) because they can pose a suffocation hazard.

Sucking on just the nipple will not only leave your infant hungry (because the glands that secrete the milk won’t be compressed) but will also make your nipples sore and even cracked.

the average time to complete a feeding is about 20 to 30 minutes, some newborns take up to 45 minutes.