Amy Jordan, psychologist and mother of 11-week-old Jillian in Chicago, Ill., describes it as culture shock. "I read a few books, and my mom is even an OB nurse, but no matter how much people tell you, there’s no way to be prepared," says Jordan. "I still wondered what noises were normal and why she was fussy. The biggest shock was how much time a baby takes. I mean, I already knew that to some extent, but it’s still a surprise to realize what a complete turnaround it is in your life." The rewards, however, are amazing. Jillian is smiling, pushing herself up on her arms and has rolled over once. Jordan has no doubt that Jillian can already recognize Mom and Dad.

Communication and Interaction
A baby will begin to make eye contact soon after birth, but, according to Dr. A. Caroline Harris of Sacramento, Calif., a newborn’s sense of smell and touch are also important bonding senses. Harris, a professor of psychology at Consumnes River College and author of Baby's First Year Journal: A Day-to-Day Guide to Your Baby's Development during the First Twelve Months, says getting to know your new baby and building an attachment to him is the most important goal of the first few weeks.

"Babies can focus early on from about 10 inches away for a few seconds, and the time gradually builds," says Harris. "What they actually do, at first, is study the parts of the face with the most contrast -- like the hairline and jawline. It’s almost as if they’re getting an impression of the face." Cuddling your baby, making eye contact during feedings and skin-to-skin contact will allow the two of you to learn about each other together."

At about 5 or 6 weeks comes the moment that makes it all worthwhile. Your baby, instead of just looking at you, bursts into a spontaneous, wiggly smile that lights up his face -- and your life. Called a social smile, it’s baby’s first conscious interaction beyond eye contact. Right now, he’ll smile at anyone, but soon enough he’ll begin to prefer Mom and Dad over everyone else. About the same time, your baby will begin cooing, gurgling and making crowing sounds. Coo back -- he loves the sound of your voice and this interaction is an important part of building language skills.

"Newborns seem so similar that it’s easy to assume you already know them," says Harris. "Be open to the fact that you don’t know each other and, whether this is your first child or your sixth, this child is very different from any other."

Ricki Wieselthier of Orlando, Fla. knows this well. Her triplets, Zachary, Lindsey and Hannah, have always had distinctly different personalities. She says she noticed it even during the first few weeks of their lives when they were still in the neonatal intensive care unit. "The nurses called Zachary the flirt, Lindsey was the tiger and Hannah was the patient one that never cried," Wieselthier recalls. "Zachary is still a charmer, Lindsey is still very independent and Hannah is still such a sweet, quiet child."

Motor Skills and Development
The biggest physical change for the baby at this stage, according to Harris, is the transition from being what she calls a "reflex machine" to learning some measure of control over his movements. At first, the baby’s limbs appear curled and short, and move in a jerky, uncoordinated manner. And, his head needs constant support. By the end of the first month, those movements will be more controlled, his arms and legs will begin to straighten and he should be able to lift his head briefly while lying on his tummy. Soon, he’ll be moving his head from side to side, and by the end of the third month, he should be able to hold his head steady -- and even raise his head and chest from the floor. Some babies may even roll over by this time.

Eating and Sleeping
The first few weeks of baby’s life will probably pass in a blur of exhaustion for the parents. The baby is getting used to a bright, noisy new world, and can be fussy. Dr. Ravindranath Reddy, a pediatrician at Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, Ill., says not to worry about schedules at first, just feed him when he seems to be hungry - even if it means you’re nursing every 30 minutes. It takes a while before baby’s stomach capacity is sufficient to tide him over for longer periods. Both Dr. Reddy and Harris agree that breast is best, but even babies on the bottle don’t need any other nourishment for several months. Dr. Reddy does recommend waking the baby to feed him during the day every two hours to promote a nighttime sleeping schedule. As baby’s stomach capacity increases, time between feedings will lengthen. By the age of 3 months, he will have longer sleep/wake patterns, and may only wake once in the night. You can help by lying the baby down at the same time for naps and bedtime, and by starting a bedtime ritual such as winding a music box, or darkening the room.

Doctor Visits, Immunizations and Common Problems
With today’s emphasis on early release, your baby needs to be seen by his doctor within a couple of days after leaving the hospital. After that, the baby should be seen at one month, 2 months and 4 months. At 2 months, he’ll get his first immunizations. These vaccines will protect him against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, hepatitis, measles, mumps, rubella and meningitis. And don’t worry that the doctor is going to turn your baby into a pincushion. Most of these vaccines are combined, so he only has to have two or three shots.

Dr. Reddy says that he could fill a book with common problems and concerns. Instead, he recommends a book: Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5, by The American Academy of Pediatrics. He says it addresses common problems like colic, reflux, feeding problems and crying, and is an excellent resource for parents when they’re trying to decide what’s normal. Otherwise, Dr. Reddy says a parent should never hesitate to call the doctor if her newborn is crying inconsolably, is feverish, unusually irritable or has a color change to his skin.

Age-appropriate Toys
A newborn doesn’t really play with toys, but providing visual stimulation from birth is important to baby’s brain development, Harris says. Early on, provide high contrast toys, like mobiles, for him to look at. Later, mirrors and play gyms often fascinate curious babies.

Now that the "culture shock" of having a newborn has set in, get ready for the next exciting stage of your baby’s life - ages 3 to 6 months.