July 01, 2024

Baby Milestones: What to Expect in the First Year

3 min read

A month by month guide to baby development and the key milestones.

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Watching your baby grow and reach new milestones is one of the most exciting parts of parenthood. Each baby is unique, and they develop at their own pace, but there are common milestones to look out for during the first year. Here’s a month-by-month guide to what you can expect.

Month 1: The Newborn Stage

Motor Skills: Limited control over head and limbs. Reflexes such as rooting and sucking are prominent.
Sensory Development: Can focus on objects about 8-12 inches away. Prefers faces and high-contrast patterns.
Communication: Cries to communicate needs. Begins to make simple sounds.

Month 2: Growing Awareness

Motor Skills: Starts lifting head briefly during tummy time. Improved arm and leg movements.
Sensory Development: Begins to track objects with their eyes. Responds to sounds and recognises familiar voices.
Communication: Coos and gurgles. Smiles in response to interaction.

Month 3: Engaging with the World

Motor Skills: Better head control. Starts to push up on arms during tummy time.
Sensory Development: Follows moving objects. Enjoys looking at faces.
Communication: More expressive with smiles and laughter. Recognises and responds to caregivers.

Month 4: Strengthening and Coordination

Motor Skills: Rolls from tummy to back. Grabs and shakes toys.
Sensory Development: Improved vision and ability to see colours. Enjoys playing with hands.
Communication: Babbles and mimics sounds. Shows excitement and displeasure.

Month 5: Exploration

Motor Skills: Rolls over both ways. Begins to sit with support.
Sensory Development: Explores objects with hands and mouth. Recognises familiar faces from a distance.
Communication: Responds to name. Uses different cries to indicate different needs.

Month 6: Half-Year Milestones

Motor Skills: Sits without support. Rocks back and forth, preparing to crawl.
Sensory Development: Transfers objects from one hand to the other. Enjoys looking at reflections.
Communication: Babbles with vowel and consonant sounds. Responds to simple spoken requests.

Month 7: Moving and Grooving

Motor Skills: Begins to crawl. Stands with support.
Sensory Development: Develops a pincer grasp (using thumb and finger). Explores toys with curiosity.
Communication: Recognises and responds to familiar words. Enjoys social play and peek-a-boo.

Month 8: Increased Mobility

Motor Skills: Crawls more confidently. Pulls to stand and cruises along furniture.
Sensory Development: Explores objects in more detail. Has favourite toys.
Communication: Uses gestures like pointing. Understands simple words like “no” and “bye-bye”.

Month 9: Curiosity and Interaction

Motor Skills: Stands holding on. May start taking steps with assistance.
Sensory Development: Looks for hidden objects. Shows curiosity about the environment.
Communication: Says “mama” and “dada” non-specifically. Imitates sounds and gestures.

Month 10: Independence

Motor Skills: Cruises along furniture. May stand alone briefly.
Sensory Development: Engages in interactive play. Understands object permanence.
Communication: Waves goodbye. Shows preference for certain people and toys.

Month 11: Almost There

Motor Skills: May take first steps. Improved hand-eye coordination.
Sensory Development: Explores with purpose. Shows understanding of simple instructions.
Communication: Babbles with inflection. Recognises and reacts to familiar songs and rhymes.

Month 12: The Big One

Motor Skills: Many babies take their first steps. Can drink from a cup and feed themselves finger foods.
Sensory Development: Understands and mimics more complex actions. Enjoys more varied play.
Communication: Says a few simple words. Understands more words and simple phrases.

Remember, every baby develops at their own pace. Some may reach certain milestones earlier or later than others. If you have concerns about your baby’s development, don’t hesitate to speak with your health visitor or paediatrician.