Newborn Definition
Our little Nayul is now on her 43rd day of life! Whenever I searched for something related to her health or needs, I'd always type "newborn oo". But, it turns out, Nayul is no longer a newborn! How time flies, my little one~ 😍 According to Article 2, Section 4 of the Maternal and Child Health Act, a newborn refers to an infant within the first 28 days of birth. The name might not be that significant, but it's amazing to realize that Nayul has already transitioned into the infant phase! (Oh, but while checking the act, I discovered that a pregnant woman is defined as "a woman who is pregnant or less than 6 months postpartum". So, does that mean my wife is still considered pregnant!? 😲)
Infant Definition
Though she's still adorable now, I'll only be able to revisit Nayul's tiny squishy newborn phase through pictures in the future, which feels a bit bittersweet😅. So, Nayul is now considered an infant. According to the Maternal and Child Health Act, an infant is defined as a child under 6 years old. While it’s divided into "infant-toddler" stages, it's unclear about the specific criteria. While there isn't a clear legal distinction like 'newborn', based on the Parental Allowance guidelines, officially a child is considered an 'infant' until 24 months. So, do we call them a toddler from 24 months? However, looking into the "Early Childhood Education Act", it defines a child as "from age 3 until entering elementary school".
So, does this mean an infant is until 24 months? But then, the "Full-day Infant Care Service" policy targets up to 36 months... so until age 3!? Sigh..😅 I initially wanted to write about a simple topic today, given how exhausted I was from yesterday's intricate post, but this doesn't seem any simpler. By the current standard, Nayul is definitely an infant. I guess I'll just have to explore welfare systems with her being classified as an infant.
And what comes after the infant stage? Child and youngster (thinking of terms like child clothing)? I had always thought "child" referred to younger kids, but the legal definitions surprised me. A youngster is defined as "a person under 13 years old", while a child is "a person under 18 years old". I quizzed my wife on which term referred to the older age group, and while she correctly guessed "child", she too was surprised that it applied up to 17 years old. (At least she had a better guess than me, thinking youngsters had a higher age limit..😅)
Today's post... didn't exactly turn out as intended. I simply wanted to note that Nayul has transitioned from the newborn stage to the infant phase, and that she'll later be a toddler, then a child or youngster when she enters elementary school. However, striving for factual accuracy made this post a bit more convoluted than planned. I guess it's just my penchant for clarity kicking in..😭 Regardless of these definitions, all I really want is for Nayul to grow up healthy and for us to make the most of any welfare benefits we qualify for 😅.
Study notes from May 17, 2023.