During the first year of life, your newborn will grow and develop at an incredible speed. Their weight will double by 5 to 6 months, and triple by his or her first birthday. Major achievements, or Developmental Milestones”, include rolling over, sitting up, standing and possibly walking. And your heart will surely melt at the sound of your little one’s first “mama” or “dada.”
No two babies are exactly alike – your baby will develop at his or her own pace. However, it’s expected that most babies will reach certain developmental milestones by a certain age. babies reach certain milestones at similar ages. While we’ll cover these milestones for the first two years, know that it’s not unusual for a perfectly healthy baby to fall behind in certain areas (or race ahead in others!). Like you, your baby is a unique and special growing individual who will experience the world at their own pace.
The following milestones are only guidelines. Your baby’s health care provider will evaluate your baby’s development at each well-baby visit. If you start to notice your baby is lagging behind in one area or another, it’s a good idea to bring this to your pediatrician’s attention and to lean on their expert guidance.
If your baby was born prematurely (typically considered prior to 37 weeks), you should expect to look at these milestone guidelines a little differently. The age at which your baby is expected to reach various milestones is based on the mom’s due date, not the baby’s birthday. So if your baby was born two months early, she will most likely achieve milestones two months later than the guidelines below predict.
Milestones In The First 12 Months
1-3 Months: Smile, raise their head/chest when on their tummy and reach for and grip objects
4-6 Months: Roll over from front to back or back to front, laugh, manipulate toys and other objects, sit up with support
7-9 Months: Start to crawl or scoot, sit without support, respond to words like their name, clap, pull up to a standing position
10-12 Months: Begin feeding themselves, holding small objects, move around the room while holding onto furniture, say one or two words (often “Mama” and/or “Dada”), point at options, begin pretend play, and take their first steps (around 1 yr, but varies)
Milestones For Ages 1 – 2
- Walking alone
- Pulling toys behind them while walking
- Carrying large toy or several toys while walking
- Beginning to run
- Kicking a ball
- Climbing on and off furniture without help
- Walking up and down stairs while holding on to support
- Scribbling with crayons
- Building tower of four blocks or more
- Recognizing names of familiar people, objects and body parts
- Saying several single words (by 15 to 18 months)
- Using simple phrases (by 18 to 24 months)
- Using two- to four-word sentences (“want snack”)
- Following simple instructions
- Beginning to sort objects by shapes and colors
- Beginning to play make-believe
- Imitating the behavior of others
- Showing growing independence
While each child is on their own pace, and there is no formula to make sure each child hits every milestone on time, there are some ways to encourage baby’s development in that first year:
- Give them time and and safe space to move and play. If you’re sitting to fold laundry, let your baby lie down near you free of any equipment. Tummy time helps babies develop strength in their neck, shoulders, arms and trunk that they need to roll, crawl and walk (limit time spent in “equipment” such as bouncers, infant seats, swings).
- Provide loving touch like cuddling and tickling.
- Encourage them to grab a toy just out of reach.
- Provide toys and activities with different sounds, textures and colors; different shapes also build different muscles and build dexterity.
- Give them praise and encouragement for attempting something new.
- Use consistent communication by calling things the same name (e.g., the dog, doggy, puppy, their name). The more you talk to them, the more incentive you give them to want to communicate right back!
- When you talk to them, waiting for them to respond helps to teach them about the rhythms and give-and-take of conversation, even if they aren’t quite ready to talk back yet.
- Making eye contact when you talk to them as a way to grow social skills.
Our client families know that the nannies and newborn care specialists that we represent are not only experienced and professional, but knowledgeable about the various developmental milestones that children experience. Monitoring these milestones determines whether a child’s development is on track and can provide warning signs for developmental delays. It can also explain children’s behavior and give you direction for age-appropriate activities to reach those milestones. Watching those precious little humans grow and reach their milestones is such a wonderful journey.
Remember, there’s no need to stress about babies hitting every milestone right on time. Every child is unique and will blossom at their own pace. The important thing is to provide them with a nurturing and stimulating environment, shower them with love, and celebrate every step they take towards growth and development. So, enjoy the ride, cherish the moments, and let those cuties amaze you with their brilliance!
For more information, check out the CDC’s latest Developmental Milestones For Babies.
