Personality

Getting to know you

Temperament - how your baby reacts to the world, whether she's placid, energetic or fretful, is noticeable soon after birth and will stay very much the same as she grows.

You know it's normal for your baby to cry frequently in the early weeks, but it may seem she cries to annoy you especially when you're tired or feeling drained. This isn't the case.

As your first year together progresses, she'll begin to recognise family members. Don't be surprised or embarrassed, however, if she reacts with distress when you introduce someone new.

Your child will have a great need to explore and try out new experiences by touching, tasting and making a mess. At times this will probably be inconvenient as pans are pulled from your cupboard, and bags and wallets are emptied - however curiosity is a vital part of your child's learning. All this exploring means you'll need to make your home child-safe early on in the first year, or even before.

If you're having a very demanding day, you may feel your baby is being naughty. You should remember that babies express themselves because they have a need to and certainly don't do it to annoy you.

There's no limit to the amount of love and attention you can give

You may worry you're spoiling your baby, but there's no limit to the amount of love and attention you can give. Your baby will benefit from all the care and closeness you have to offer.

As you celebrate your baby's first birthday, take a moment to think back over the past year. You've had amazing triumphs together and started an exciting adventure of learning that has only just begun. Maybe take a moment to write down some first memories. See our feature on Being a parent.

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