From Vincent Iannelli, M.D.,
Your Guide to Pediatrics.
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About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Kate Grossman, MD

Parents are often surprised that their newborn has graduated, or are just as likely to miss this first graduation altogether.

Graduating?

Yes, graduating.

After week four, or day 28 to be more precise, your newborn officially becomes an "infant."

With four weeks of parenting a new baby under their belts, new parents can view this as a sort of graduation too. They may feel like they are graduating from the days when they first came home from the hospital and may have been afraid they would "break" their baby every time they picked her up. In their baby's second month, many parents are much more comfortable and confident in their ability to take care of their baby.

And think about how much more confident you will be at your baby's next graduation - when she becomes a toddler...

General definitions for the ages and stages of a child include:

• Newborn or Neonate - birth to 28 days
• Infant - 1 to 12 months
• Toddler - 1 to 3 years
• Preschooler - 3 to 5 years
• School Age - 5 to 11 years
• Preteen or Tween - 11 to 12 years
• Teen - 13 and older