Interview someone who has recently (ideally within the last five years) had a baby. Alternatively, you could interview someone who works closely with babies, such as a daycare employee. Following is a list of some questions, but feel free to add in some of your own!
- What were the first few days after birth like? What kind of changes happened with you and the baby?
- What kind of reflexes did you notice in first few days, weeks, and months?
- Tell me about some of the biggest physical milestones in your baby’s first year of life.
- How did your baby’s emotional development change throughout the first year?
- How did you cope and adjust with those emotional changes?
- What were some of your baby’s biggest intellectual gains in the first few months?
- How did your baby’s intellectual development progress throughout the first year?
Make sure to keep notes of your interview (transcript), which you will submit as an attachment to your assignment.
Now that you have your “data” in hand, you will write a 2-page paper that includes a summary of your findings and a reflection, where you will connect your data to the course material. Try to paint an accurate and vivid picture of what the infant’s first year was like. It’s a good idea to include direct quotes from the interviewee as appropriate. Connect and relate your findings to material from the unit readings. Be sure to cite your sources, both with in-text citations and a reference page at the end of your paper (in APA format).
- What were the first few days after birth like? What kind of changes happened with you and the baby?
- During the day, it was very exciting to have this new person (baby) come into our family. You feel full of joy and happiness, kissing, feeding, and cuddling the baby, but at night, when everyone went to sleep and you are alone with the baby, it felt lonely. I was breastfeeding so I felt very tired a lot. Baby wanted to eat day and night, every two hours. Still physically, I was happy that the baby was out because by the end of pregnancy there was some discomfort like swelling and numbness in fingers. Once the baby came out, most of discomfort went away. The baby changed quickly from eating and sleeping to staying awake and wanting to interact more each day. That was very nice.
- What kind of reflexes did you notice in first few days, weeks, and months?
- When she was just born she would always get startled when the door would close suddenly. She had a very distinct palmar reflex at around 4 months when she could hold a rattle without using her thumb. And now when she eats she uses her index finger and thumb to pick blueberries from the plate.
Tell me about some of the biggest physical milestones in your baby’s first year of life.
Susie is walking with a toy walker at 9 months. Her older sister did the same at 11 months. This is really exciting.
How did your baby’s emotional development change throughout the first year?
She reacts more to people she knows. Smiles and laughs when she sees parents, sister, and grandparents. She makes loud happy noises. She really understands when we try to do funny stuff. She laughs. She dances to the music. She does want to be held more so she can see what goes on from above. She gets upset if we don’t pick her up.
- How did you cope and adjust with those emotional changes?
- We (husband and I) just pick her up. She will be little only for so long.
What were some of your baby’s biggest intellectual gains in the first few months?
- She would not eat from a bottle staring at 2 months. I thought it was very smart of her to understand the difference between breast and plastic bottle. She had a preference even though she is just a baby. She would not eat (protest) until she got the breast. She would go hungry until she had what she wanted. She learned how to burp herself by leaning forward when she sits. She will do it several times until the burp comes out.
- How did your baby’s intellectual development progress throughout the first year?
- She speaks words at 8 month, “mama, baba, papa.” She waives her hand when I waive at her and say “Hi.” Pediatrician said she’s doing great.
- What were the first few days after birth like? What kind of changes happened with you and the baby?
- During the day, it was very exciting to have this new person (baby) come into our family. You feel full of joy and happiness, kissing, feeding, and cuddling the baby, but at night, when everyone went to sleep and you are alone with the baby, it felt lonely. I was breastfeeding so I felt very tired a lot. Baby wanted to eat day and night, every two hours. Still physically, I was happy that the baby was out because by the end of pregnancy there was some discomfort like swelling and numbness in fingers. Once the baby came out, most of discomfort went away. The baby changed quickly from eating and sleeping to staying awake and wanting to interact more each day. That was very nice.
- What kind of reflexes did you notice in first few days, weeks, and months?
- When she was just born she would always get startled when the door would close suddenly. She had a very distinct palmar reflex at around 4 months when she could hold a rattle without using her thumb. And now when she eats she uses her index finger and thumb to pick blueberries from the plate.
Tell me about some of the biggest physical milestones in your baby’s first year of life.
Susie is walking with a toy walker at 9 months. Her older sister did the same at 11 months. This is really exciting.
How did your baby’s emotional development change throughout the first year?
She reacts more to people she knows. Smiles and laughs when she sees parents, sister, and grandparents. She makes loud happy noises. She really understands when we try to do funny stuff. She laughs. She dances to the music. She does want to be held more so she can see what goes on from above. She gets upset if we don’t pick her up.
- How did you cope and adjust with those emotional changes?
- We (husband and I) just pick her up. She will be little only for so long.
What were some of your baby’s biggest intellectual gains in the first few months?
- She would not eat from a bottle staring at 2 months. I thought it was very smart of her to understand the difference between breast and plastic bottle. She had a preference even though she is just a baby. She would not eat (protest) until she got the breast. She would go hungry until she had what she wanted. She learned how to burp herself by leaning forward when she sits. She will do it several times until the burp comes out.
- How did your baby’s intellectual development progress throughout the first year?