Baby's First Year: Monthly Milestones
Your baby's first year is filled with rapid growth and exciting milestones. To help you track and celebrate these accomplishments, here's a month-by-month guide of what to expect during this magical time.
Month 1
- Focuses on faces, especially yours
- Starts to make cooing sounds
- Begins to lift head when on tummy
Month 2
- Smiles responsively and socially
- Tracks objects with eyes
- Starts to hold head up for short periods
Month 3
- Begins to grasp objects
- Laughs and smiles more frequently
- Develops better head control
Month 4
- Starts to roll from front to back
- Babbles and makes more varied sounds
- Reaches for toys and objects
Month 5
- Begins to sit with support
- Rolls from back to front
- Starts to explore with hands and mouth
Month 6
- Begins to eat solid foods
- Starts to sit without support
- Recognizes familiar faces
Month 7
- Develops pincer grasp (thumb and forefinger)
- Babbles with consonants and vowels
- Shows interest in playing with others
Month 8
- Begins to crawl or scoot
- Develops stranger anxiety
- Shows preferences for certain toys
Month 9
- Pulls up to standing position
- Begins to clap hands
- Explores cause-and-effect (e.g., dropping toys)
Month 10
- Cruises along furniture
- Waves goodbye
- Understands simple commands (e.g., "no")
Month 11
- Stands alone for a few seconds
- Points to objects of interest
- Begins to feed self with fingers
Month 12
- May take first steps independently
- Imitates sounds and actions
- Enjoys interactive games (e.g., peekaboo)
Remember, each baby develops at their own pace.
