From helpless newborn to active toddler. It takes just 12 short months for your baby to undergo this incredible transformation. Babies grow and change astoundingly, and every month brings new and exciting developments.
New moms and dads often wonder what to expect next and how to know if their baby's development is on target. Instead of focusing too much on developmental milestones, however, it's important to remember that babies all develop at their own pace. There's a fairly wide "window" for when it is normal for a baby to reach a particular developmental stage.
Some babies may say their first word at eight months, while others don't talk until a little after one year. And walking may start anytime between nine and 18 months.
Keeping those variations in mind, here's what your baby may be doing during each three-month stage of the first year.
During this first development stage, babies' bodies and brains are learning to live in the outside world. Between birth and three months, your baby may start to:
During these months, babies learn to reach out and manipulate the world around them. They're mastering the use of those fantastic tools, their hands. And they're discovering their voices. From 4 to 6 months old, your baby will probably:
During the second half of this year, your little one becomes a baby on the go. After learning they can get somewhere by rolling over, they'll spend the next few months figuring out how to move forward or backward. If you still need to be baby-proof, better get on it!
The last development stage in a baby's first year is quite a transition. They aren't infants anymore, and they might look and act more like toddlers. But they are still a baby in many ways. They are learning to:
| Age | Gross Motor | Fine Motor | Language/Cognitive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Month | Moves head from side to side when on stomach. | Strong grip | Stares at hands and fingers |
| 2 Month | Holds head and neck up briefly while on tummy | Opens and closes hands | Begins to play with fingers |
| 3 Month | Reaches and grabs at objects | Grips objects in hands | Coos |
| 4 Month | Pushes up on arms when lying on tummy | Grabs objects — and gets them! | Laughs out loud |
| 5 Month | Begins to roll over in one or the other direction | Is learning to transfer objects from one hand to the other | Blows “raspberries” (spit bubbles) |
| 6 Month | Rolls over both ways | Uses hands to “rake” small objects | Babbles |
| 7 Month | Moves around –is starting to crawl, scoot, or “army crawl” | Is learning to use thumb and fingers | Babbles in a more complex way |
| 8 Month | Sits well without support | Begins to clap hands | Responds to familiar words, looks when you say their name |
| 9 Month | May try to climb/crawl up stairs | Uses the pincer grasp | Learns object permanence — that something exists even if they can’t see it |
| 10 Month | Pulls up to stand | Stacks and sorts toys | Waves bye-bye and/or lifts up arms to communicate “up” |
| 11 Month | Cruises, using furniture | Turns pages while you read | Says “mama” or “dada” for either parent |
| 12 Month | Stands unaided and may take first steps | Helps while getting dressed (pushes hands into sleeves) | Says an average of 2-3 words (often “mama” and “dada”) |
What should you do if you think your baby is not meeting growth or developmental milestones when they should? First, says Shu, trust your instincts. "If you feel like something's wrong, then talk to your doctor about it because if there is a problem, we want to catch it as soon as we can," she says. "Early intervention is best; you know your child better than anyone."
Remember, however, that it is not exactly when your baby sits up by themselves or says their important first words; it's that they are moving forward in their development. "Don't look at the time as much as the progression, and see that your child is changing and growing," says Shu. "It's not a race. Nobody's going to ask on a college application when your child first walked or said 'da-da.'"
In four primary categories, this table shows typical developmental milestones babies reach each month during their first year. Remember that all babies are different; every baby grows at their own pace. There's no precise time that most of these skills first appear. If your child hasn't reached a milestone by the month it is listed on this chart, it is usually a perfectly normal variation in child development. Watch for progress, not deadlines.
Nimai Institute of Medical Sciences Private Limited (NIMS) was founded by its founder chairman Dr Santosh N. Madrewar, a renowned Pediatrician, who has designed an unique Mother and Child Health Concept, integrating modern medical management with Ayurvedic treatments and traditional Indian ethos making Pregnancy and Birthing a Joyous Celebrations and Child development focused on Physical, Mental, Social and Spiritual Well-being.
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