Glossary

Baby & parenting terms, explained simply

Plain-language definitions of the words you'll meet in the first years — from wake windows and cluster feeding to percentiles and reflux. One clear sentence each, then the detail.

B

Baby-led weaning (BLW)

Offering suitable finger foods that a baby can bring to their own mouth.

C

Cluster feeding

Several feeds grouped close together, rather than spread evenly through the day.

Colic

A term used for frequent crying in a baby who is otherwise well.

Colostrum

The milk produced in the first days around birth.

Corrected age

A way to describe a premature baby’s developmental age by allowing for the weeks born early.

Cradle cap

Greasy, scaly patches of skin commonly seen on a baby’s scalp.

D

Developmental leap

An informal label for a period when caregivers notice new skills.

Dream feed

A parent’s term for offering a late feed before their own bedtime.

E

Engorgement

Painful swelling and fullness of the breasts.

F

Fontanelle (soft spot)

A soft space between the bones of a baby’s skull.

Foremilk and hindmilk

Terms describing changes in milk fat content during milk removal, rather than two separate types of milk.

G

Gag reflex

A response that helps move food away from the back of the mouth.

Growth percentile

A comparison with a reference population of the same age and sex.

Growth spurt

A period of faster growth.

I

Infant reflux (spit-up)

Milk or stomach contents coming back up during or after a feed.

L

Let-down reflex

The reflex that releases milk from the breast.

M

Meconium

A newborn’s first dark, sticky stools.

Moro reflex (startle reflex)

A newborn startle response involving an outward movement of the arms followed by bringing them back in.

O

Overtiredness

An informal description of a baby who seems very tired and difficult to settle.

P

Paced bottle feeding

Bottle feeding that follows the baby’s cues and allows pauses.

R

Responsive feeding

Following hunger and fullness cues when offering feeds.

Room-sharing

A baby sleeping in their own separate sleep space in a caregiver’s room.

Rooting reflex

A newborn response in which touching the cheek or mouth prompts a turn towards that side.

S

Separation anxiety

Distress when separated from a familiar caregiver.

Signs of readiness for solids

Skills that help a baby begin eating solid food.

Sleep pressure

A term for the drive to sleep that changes with time awake.

Sleep regression

An informal label for a change towards more interrupted sleep.

Swaddling

A wrap used around a young baby.

T

Tummy time

Time spent on the tummy while awake and supervised.

W

Wake window

The elapsed time between waking and the next sleep.

Weaning

A term that can mean starting solid foods or gradually stopping breastfeeds, depending on context.

Witching hour

An informal name for an unsettled spell, often in the evening.