Congratulations on your new baby! Baby’s firsts are important and unique for every parent. This is the time to take out your cameras and baby journals and be prepared to document your baby’s first.
Each month your baby will reach significant milestones that lay the foundation and act as building blocks for your child’s future.
Here is a monthly chart of some of the critical milestones including gross motor skills, fine motor skills, language, social, and cognitive skills your baby may reach during their first year:
Month 1:
- Can lift and turn their head slightly while lying on their stomach
- Responds to familiar voices and sounds
- Shows a rooting reflex when seeking food
- Your baby will begin to make eye contact with you and other people, which is an essential social skill.
- Your baby will respond to touch and may startle or flinch when touched.
2 month old milestones:
- Begins to smile in response to others
- Can hold their head straight up for short periods of time
- Starts to coo and make other vocalisations
- Your baby will start to follow objects with their eyes and turn their head to track moving objects. This is one of the most important 2 month old milestones
- Can hold rattle
- 2 month old milestones include communicating through body moments,” waving arms or opening and closing of fists.”
Month 3:
- Can grasp and hold objects for short periods of time
- Begins to reach for and bat at objects
- Starts to roll from their stomach to their back
- May be able to sit up with support, such as propping them up with pillows or in a baby seat.
- Can blow bubbles.
- Recognises mother’s voice.
- Throws tantrums and expresses boredom through crying or fussing
Month 4:
- Begins to laugh and squeal
- Can sit with support
- Starts to reach for objects with one hand
- Starts to recognize and respond to their name when it is called.
- Makes “raspberry” sounds
Month 5:
- Begins to babble and imitate sounds
- Rolls from their back to their stomach
- Starts to sit unsupported for short periods
- Can differentiate between bold colours.
- Starts to play with hands and feet
Month 6:
- Begins to recognize their own name
- Starts to crawl or scoot on their stomach
- Begins to pull themselves up to a standing position
- Can pass objects from one hand to another
- May be ready to start solid food
- Combines syllables
- Imitates facial movements and expressions
Month 7:
- Starts to develop a pincer grasp
- Begins to explore objects with their mouth
- Responds to their own image in a mirror
- Waves at people
- Can drag objects towards oneself
Month 8:
- Begins to say “mama” and “dada”
- Begins to clap hands
- Begins to cruise or walk with support
- Can gesture at things he wants
- Drinks from a cup
- Expresses separation anxiety from caregiver
Month 9:
- Begins to use objects for their intended purpose (e.g. using a brush to brush their hair)
- Begins to understand simple commands (e.g. “come here”)
- May take their first steps without support
- Plays peek-a-boo and claps
- Can stand while holding on to something
Month 10:
- Begins to use gestures to communicate (e.g. pointing)
- Begins to show some preference for familiar people and objects
- Begins to understand cause and effect (e.g. banging objects together)
- Can put objects into containers
- Can crawl with belly off the ground
Month 11:
- Begins to use simple words (e.g. “mama”, “dada”)
- Starts to develop a sense of object permanence (knowing that objects still exist when out of sight)
- Begins to imitate actions and sounds of others
- Understands simple instructions like “no”
Month 12:
- Can say a few words and understand more words than they can say
- May begin to take their first independent steps
- Shows more interest in playing with other children
- Can scribble with crayon
- Starts to pronounce more words other than, “mama” or “dada”
Remember that every baby grows at their own pace, and these milestones are just a general guideline. You will be surprised at the progress your baby has made at the end of the year. Keep in mind that there is no “perfect” way of achieving these milestones and every baby is different.
Your child’s healthcare provider will discuss milestones with you during your baby’s regular checkups. Raising Superstars educates parents and provides a list of various milestones. So that parents can recognise uncertainties early on and seek appropriate care.
If you have any concerns or doubts about your baby’s development, don’t hesitate to speak with your paediatrician.