So much happens during the first year of baby’s life we wrote a whole book about it. But if you’re just looking for a quick rundown of how it’s going to go, you’ve come to the right place!
If you’re concerned that your baby isn’t meeting developmental milestones, talk to her pediatrician as soon as possible — early intervention is key.
Month | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1 | Congratulations on making it home from the hospital! We hope recovery is going well. If recovery is rough, here are some signs you should call your doctor postpartum. Three things to know about newborns: they hate to be put down, they want to nurse seemingly all the time, and while they sleep a lot, their sleep stints are short. A lot of parents handle this by sharing a bed — if you do, please make sure that your sleeping space is safe. Newborns will all have the same reflexes– sucking to breastfeed, turning their heads if their cheek is touched, gripping your finger, and dramatically throwing out their arms if startled, to name a few. Tummy time is important for building back and neck muscles, but baby probably won’t like being put on the floor quite yet– lying down with baby on your chest counts too, and is a great way for dad, grandparents and siblings to bond with the baby. Feeling discombobulated? Check out our list of 10 things to do after you bring your baby home. If you’re breastfeeding, here are five tips to make it easier. |
| 2 | The crying peak: while three-week-olds cry an average of 1.7 hours per day, 6-week-olds cry 2.2 hours per day, with the worst jags in the late afternoon. You may wonder what you’re doing wrong or if the baby has colic, but chances are the crying is normal. Awful for you, but normal. You should have a postpartum checkup at six weeks. Your postpartum bleeding should have stopped by six weeks, if not let your health care provider know. Also let your healthcare provider know if you are experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression, such as feeling sad, irritable or hopeless most of the time. Social smiles: while a baby might make the smiling motions sooner (while passing gas, for instance), most will have their first real smile at around 8 weeks. |
| 3 | At some point around 3 months your baby will start rolling over. She can also support her own head, so you can move her from a bassinet-style stroller to an upright stroller in the recline position. Move an object in a circle in front her her and her eyes will follow. She’ll be able to grab things and put them in her mouth, so if you put her on the floor make sure it’s clean! If you’re breastfeeding you should be able to pump enough milk to have a spare bottle on hand, letting you leave the house without baby for a whole hour or two. If baby resists taking a bottle, here are some tips. |
| 4 | At four months the risk of SIDS goes way, way down. Most babies will be sleeping in entire four or five-hour stretches at night by now. You can help your baby get into a sleep schedule by establishing routines. She’ll babble and may start imitating your sounds. Babies this age love looking at themselves in a mirror. Put your phone, tablet or computer in self-portrait mode and enjoy watching her coo and jabber at the handsome baby on the screen. |
| 5 | Aww! At five months baby learns how to hug. She should also be able to grasp objects, like a rattle, spoon or a pacifier. |
| 6 | At six months your baby is likely ready for solids– click here for the four signs that baby is ready. |
| 7 | Soon baby will be able to sit up by herself. At first you may need to support her with pillows. Most pediatricians recommend transitioning from a bottle to a sippy cup around now. Breastfeeding isn’t an issue, but sucking a bottle for hours a day can risk damaging baby’s teeth or causing them to come in crooked. Babies this age love playing peek-a-boo, they now realize that an object that goes away can come back. Another great game is “stinky feet”– sniff her feet and exclaim “pyew!” to get a laugh. |
| 8 | If she isn’t crawling yet she will be soon. She may start by doing the “army crawl” with her arms, or even crawling backwards! Encourage her development by putting her down and putting a toy (or yourself) just out of her reach. |
| 9 | Your baby’s arms and legs are strong enough for her to start pulling up on sofas, coffee tables, or whatever is within reach. Time to baby-proof! Remove stuff from the floor that isn’t stable enough for her to pull up on, like potted plants. |
| 10 | Between now and 18 months she’ll be strong enough to start walking. Help her practice by standing behind her and holding her fingers. |
| 11 | Once babies master pulling up, many begin a love affair with stairs. They can crawl up them, but they may not be able to crawl down! |
| 12 | Da! Da! By now your baby understands the basics of what you say, and may be saying some words herself. While a big deal is made out of baby’s first word, it can be tough to tell babbles from real words, and if “da” means “dog,” “dad,” or something else. |
