Different words are used for a baby at different stages of growth. These words are not used in the same way by everyone. For example, the word infant may be used until a baby can walk, or only until the baby is one year old.

Understanding the Context

A baby from birth to about 3 months old is sometimes called a newborn. It’s important to understand exactly what happens during the newborn, infant and toddler stage of life and learn what milestones they should be hitting. Let's explore each of these stages in a bit more detail. Infant development: Birth to 3 months Infant development begins at birth.

Key Insights

Consider major infant development milestones from birth to 3 months — and know what to do when something's not right. MSN: 13 confidence-boosting swimsuits that will make you love wearing a one-piece In common terminology, a baby is the very young offspring of adult human beings, while infant (from Latin īnfāns 'baby, child', literally 'unspeaking') [1] is a formal or specialised synonym. The terms may also be used to refer to juveniles of other organisms. Merriam-Webster defines an infant as "a child in the first period of life" but doesn't give any age specifics. It describes a baby as "an extremely young child." As a parent you give your children a good start in life—you nurture, protect, and guide them.

Final Thoughts

Learn about developmental milestones, including emotional and social development, for babies from birth to 1 year of age. There are many things you can do to help your baby stay safe and healthy. The meaning of INFANT is a child in the first period of life. How to use infant in a sentence.