INFANT DEVELOPMENT STAGES

During the first year of life, your baby will grow and develop at an amazing speed. It is an important thing for newly parents to understand the development milestones of their baby. Growth and development includes not only the physical changes in your infant’s life, but as well changes in behavior and emotions. They begin to develop in the world around them. Skills such as taking a first step or smiling for the first time are called developmental milestones.  

Be ready with your camera. Because your baby’s first year is the most magical one.

The first year milestones include:

• Rolling over
• Reaching for objects
• Sitting up
• Crawling
• Standing
• Walking

By the end of the first month: most babies can focus on objects, hear very well, bring hands close to their mouth, and turn toward familiar sounds and voices.

By the end of their third month: raise head and chest, open and shut hands, grab and shake hand toys, smiling at the sound of your voice, kicking their legs when lying on their stomach, making more vowel sounds, recognizing familiar faces and objects from a distance, trying to imitate your facial expressions.

By the end of the sixth months: your baby is rolling from tummy to back, pushing down on legs when held in standing position, grabbing their feet, moving objects from one hand to another, showing interest in the food you’re eating, sitting up briefly without any support, playing and expressing displeasure when playtime stops, recognizing their name.

They are getting better and better at holding some objects. 6 months is the best time for your baby to hold spoon in their hands and to start feeding themselves with their hands.

By your baby’s first birthday: they can stand without any support, and some babies can even walk, explore objects by banging, throwing, and dropping them, saying some simple words, using a spoon to eat and a comb to brush hair (so they use objects correctly), understanding simple declaritive statements, copying your behaviors, putting objects into a container and then taking them out again, shaking their head “no” and waving “bye-bye”, playing peekaboo or looking for an object you’ve hidden.

There is no wide range when your baby should follow one of these milestones. Every baby is different and unique. All along the way, your baby’s pediatrician will be looking out for milestones and watching your baby’s progress.

Remember that some babies will do things earlier, while others will do them later. That is normal!

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s growth - always speak with your doctor!

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