Your baby’s amazing first year is full of important baby milestones, each one more exciting to witness than the last. And in that first year it will seem as though your baby literally changes overnight, from a tiny infant to a full fledged toddler in a matter of months. And while it’s important to know the signs of child development, always keep in mind that not all babies are exactly alike.
Some reach certain milestones earlier than others, some bypass certain milestones all together (eg. skipping the crawling stage and going right to standing). Developmental milestones are only guidelines, but be sure to talk to your doctor if you feel that your baby is falling significantly behind.
That being said, it is exciting to know when your baby has reached a certain milestone (with your camera at the ready of course)! So to help you keep on top of all those important baby milestones, we’ve created some simple monthly charts for you to follow!
1 Month Old Baby Milestones
- Can lift their head during tummy time
- Responds to sounds and can recognize your voice
- Notices faces and black and white patterns
- Can briefly follow an object with their eyes
- Can smile/laugh
- Can make “ooh” and “aah” sounds
2 Month Old Baby Milestones
- Begins to make gurgling and cooing sounds
- Begins to follow things with their eyes and recognizes people at a distance
- May begin to bring their hands to mouth to self-soothe
- Can hold their head up for short periods of time and can lift head and shoulders up during tummy time
- Movements are less choppy, begins to make smoother movements with arms and legs
3 Month Old Baby Milestones
- Begins to recognize your face and scent
- Can recognize the voice of Mom and Dad
- Can hold their head steady
- Can follow a moving object with their eyes
- Begins to squeal, gurgle and coo
- Can blow bubbles
- Can do a small pushup during tummy time
- Begins to roll from tummy to back
- Reacts to loud noises by turning towards them
- Can bring their hands together and swat at toys
4 Month Old Baby Milestones
- Begins to bear some weight on their legs
- Will coo or ahh when someone talks to them
- Will grab at favorite toys or objects
- Can roll over from the back onto the tummy
- Begins to imitate sounds like “baba” and “dada”
- Their first tooth will appear
5 Month Old Baby Milestones
- Begins to play with their hands and feet
- Responds to their name
- Will turn towards a new sound
- Can roll over from tummy to back and vice versa
- Can sit for a short amount of time independently
- Begins to chew on toys/objects
- May start to experience separation anxiety
6 Month Old Baby Milestones
- Begins to imitate sounds
- Is ready to begin trying solid foods (check with pediatrician first before you begin)
- Can sit independently
- Begins to pass objects from one hand to another
- May start to crawl
- Begins to babble or combine syllables
- Begins to pull or drag favorite toys or objects towards themselves
MORE TIPS: From Breastfeeding to Solids: Baby Food Guidelines for The First Year
7 Month Old Baby Milestones
- May experience “stranger danger” and become shy around new people
- Continues to babble and/or combine syllables
- Is able to wave “bye-bye”
- Begins to stand supported by an object or person
- Can bang objects or toys together to make a sound
8 Month Old Milestones
- Can say words like “mama” and “dada”
- Continues to stand while supported by an object or person and can pull themselves up to standing
- Begins to cruise around tables and furniture
- Will start to point at things to communicate wants/needs
- Will search for hidden objects
- Begins to use a thumb-finger pincer grasp to pick things up
9 Month Old Milestones
- Can stand independently while holding on to an object (i.e. furniture)
- Continues to babble
- Continues to cruise around tables and furniture
- Understands the permanence of objects
- Begins to hold and use a sippy cup
- Can feed themselves with fingers
- Begins to engage in games/songs like patty-cake or peek-a-boo
- Can distinguish between and correctly identify mama and dada
10 Month Old Milestones
- Can wave “bye-bye”
- Continues to communicate wants and needs through pointing or hand gestures
- Can stand unassisted for short periods of time
11 Month Old Milestones
- Continues to stand unassisted for longer periods of time
- Can easily cruise around furniture and objects
- Is able to understand the word “no” and other one-step directions
- Can place toys/objects into a bin
- Can say at least one other words besides mama and dada
12 Month Old Milestones
- Begins to imitate the actions of others
- Can take a few steps unassisted (may be able to walk unassisted)
- Begins to scribble or doodle
- Can say at least two words besides mama or dada
Once your baby reaches that 1 year old milestone, most parents focus their attention on one thing – walking. And while some babies do walk unassisted by their first birthday, the reality is most don’t. Babies can begin walking anywhere from 9 to 18 months depending on their temperament and personality. Babies who are easygoing may approach walking more cautiously while babies who are impulsive will tend to race towards it.
There are so many things to celebrate in baby’s first year – first word, first tooth, first steps – the list of baby milestones goes on and on. And while you may want to compare your baby’s milestones with that of other babies around you, keep in mind that child development is unique to each individual child and that many babies accomplish milestones at different ages. Instead, celebrate your baby’s milestones with love and pride (and lots of pictures too)!
