Your baby’s first year goes by in a blur! It seems like no time passes before they go from a tiny, helpless newborn to an active and curious toddler. Along the way, they’ll hit several baby milestones that mark their growth and development.
From making eye contact to sitting up and rolling over, these milestones are an exciting and important part of your baby’s journey. And though every child develops at their own pace, there are some general guidelines for when you can expect your baby to do certain things.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the most common baby milestones by age. We’ll also give you some tips on encouraging and supporting your little one as they master these critical skills.
Table of contents
What are baby milestones?
A milestone is a significant marker or achievement in a person’s life. For babies, developmental milestones are the skills and abilities they acquire as they grow.
Each one coincides with a specific age range when you can expect it to occur.
Milestones are typically divided into four categories: social-emotional, language, cognitive, and physical development. Each one is critical for your baby’s overall health and well-being.
Why are baby milestones important?
Baby milestones show how your child is developing and growing. They also indicate that your baby’s brain and body work together as expected.
Tracking these milestones can help you identify potential challenges early on and take action if needed. The CDC has a Milestone Tracker App that can help you monitor your child’s progress. They also offer a digital checklist.
Your child’s doctor will also ask about milestones at each checkup. They can provide guidance and recommendations if you have any questions or concerns.
Baby milestones by age
Now that you know what baby milestones are, let’s look at some of the most common ones by age.
1-2 months old
As your newborn adjusts to life outside the womb for the first month, they gain more control over their body. By the time they’re two months old, your baby will likely reach the following milestones.
Social-Emotional
- Stop crying and calm down when you talk to them or pick them up
- Stare intently at your face
- Smile when they see you or when you talk to them
Language
- Make simple vowel sounds like “oooo” or “aaaa”
- Startle when they hear a loud sound (known as the startle or Moro reflex)
Cognitive
- Stare at you as you move around
- Look at a nearby object for several seconds
Physical development
- Briefly lift and hold head up during tummy time
- Move all four limbs
- Open hand for a short time before closing it again
The baby in this short video demonstrates all three of these physical milestones:
3-4 months old
Your little one becomes more interactive and communicative between three and four months of age. They’ll likely reach the following milestones during this time.
Social-Emotional
- Giggle or chuckle when you do something silly to try and make them laugh
- Try different ways to get your attention (Such as making eye contact, smiling, moving, or cooing)
Language
- Coo and babble with vowel sounds
- Use different cries to express needs (hunger, boredom, wetness, etc.)
- Turn towards your voice
- Babble back when you talk to them
Cognitive
- Show interest in their hand (looks at it while opening and closing it, tries to grasp things, etc.)
- Open mouth when they see the breast or bottle if they’re hungry
Physical development
- Support their own head when you’re holding them
- Lift chest slightly by pushing up onto their elbows or forearms when on their belly
- Swing arms to try to reach toys
- Put hands in mouth
5-6 months old
By now, your baby’s personality is starting to shine! They’re becoming more curious about the world around them and beginning to realize that they are a separate person from you.
Here are some milestones you can watch for during their fifth and sixth months of life.
Social-Emotional
- Recognize familiar people such as family members and caregivers
- Enjoy looking at self in a mirror
- Laugh out loud
Language
- Respond with cooing after you talk to them
- Make raspberry sounds
- Squeal
Cognitive
- Use mouth to learn more about objects
- Reach for objects
- Close their mouth to indicate they don’t want any more food
Physical development
- Roll over onto their back from their tummy
- Use hands to support self while sitting
- Push up onto straight arms during tummy time
7-8 months old
Your baby is now more mobile and active. If you haven’t yet baby-proofed your house, here’s your reminder to do so.
During these months, your baby may:
Social-Emotional
- Fuss when you leave
- Show different emotions like happiness and sadness
- Reach their arms up to show you they want to be picked up
Language
- Try to imitate sounds you make
- Voice two-syllable sounds (like da-da)
- Babble with different vowel and consonant sounds
- Understand simple words like no, bye-bye, and come here
Cognitive
- Look when you call their name
- Uncover a toy they see you cover
Physical development
- Roll over in both directions
- Sit unsupported
- Get into a hands-and-knees position
- Stand with support
- Hold an object in each hand
9-10 months old
At this stage, your baby is constantly moving and exploring their environment. They’re also starting to communicate more and indicate their needs and wants.
You can expect your nine or ten-month-old to do the following:
Social-Emotional
- Feel shy or clingy around strangers
- React when you leave by crying or reaching for you
- Smile or laugh when playing an interactive game
Language
- Make lots of different sounds and combining them into strings of syllables (like ba-ba-da-oo)
- Point to things with a finger
- Copy movements they see (like sticking out their tongue or waving bye-bye)
Cognitive
- Explore objects by shaking them or banging them together
- Track falling objects to see where they land
Physical development
- Can get into sitting position
- Starts to crawl
- Transfer objects from one hand to the other
- Use fingers as a rake to pull objects or food closer
11-12 months old
Can you believe it’s almost been a year since your little one was born? It’s amazing how much they’ve grown and learned already, and this is just the beginning!
Keep your eyes peeled for these exciting milestones:
Social-Emotional
- Plays simple, interactive games like Pat-a-cake
- Hands you an object when they want to play
- Demonstrates preferences for toys and food
Language
- Waves goodbye
- Uses a special name for you (such as mama or dada)
- Understands the word “no”
Cognitive
- Puts objects into containers
- Stacks one object on top of another
Physical development
- Pulls to stand
- Cruising around furniture
- Takes a sip from an open cup if you hold it
- Picks up objects with a pincer grasp (between their thumb and index finger)
What if your baby is behind?
As you read through this list of baby milestones, you may realize that your baby hasn’t met all of the ones for their age. If that happens, don’t panic! Instead, take a deep breath and remember that every child is different. They all develop at their own pace.
Your baby may be a little ahead in some areas and slightly behind in others. That’s OK! As long as they’re making progress and showing growth, there’s usually no cause for concern.
However, there are some red flags to watch for, including:
- Lost skills
- No response to loud sounds
- No babbling by 12 months
- Not moving all four limbs
- Using only one side of the body
- Floppy head at four months
- No intentional smiles or laughter by six months
If you notice any of these, you’ll want to discuss your child’s progress with their doctor.
How to help your baby meet milestones
As your child’s first teacher, you play a vital role in helping them meet their milestones. Here are some tips for supporting their development during their first year of life:
- Give them plenty of tummy time to help them strengthen their muscles (the Newton Baby Travel Crib & Play Yard makes a great, safe location.)
- Read, sing, and talk to them often to help with language development.
- Encourage exploration and independence by providing safe places for them to play and learn.
- Play interactive games like Peek-a-boo or Pat-a-cake to promote social-emotional skills.
- Provide plenty of age-appropriate toys and objects to stimulate their senses.
- Make sure they get enough sleep and rest to support their physical and mental growth (check out the Newton Baby Crib Mattress — it’s ultra-breathable for safety).
-
Be patient and loving, and celebrate their progress every step of the way.
Grow baby, grow!
Your little one’s first year is an exciting journey full of growth. From that first bright smile to their first steps, each baby milestone is a testament to their development and your support as a parent.
By understanding the typical milestones and providing your child with a safe, nurturing environment, you can help them reach their full potential. And Newton Baby is here to support you every step of the way.
Our blog contains plenty of helpful tips and parenting advice, and we design our products with your baby’s health and safety in mind. We’re always here to help you and your little one thrive.
Here’s to many more milestones and magical moments in the years to come!
