There is nothing more exciting than watching your baby grow and develop! From a newborn who can’t even move to a toddler who can think and move independently, your little one comes a long way in his developmental journey. This journey is kick started at birth itself, and while every baby develops at his own pace, most tend to follow a trend.
Remember that comparing two babies (even if they are both your own!) is not the right thing to do. Instead, track your baby to ensure that he is meeting his developmental milestones month on month. Read on to know how!
More about baby milestones
Babies grow rapidly in the first 12 months of their life, and while no two babies will do the same things at the same time, they will more or less follow the milestones. As a parent, you have to keep tabs on not just their height and weight, but also developmental parameters that hold equal importance. These include skills and activities that your baby picks up along the way. They are typically categorised as:
- Cognitive development
- Speech and language development
- Social and emotional development
0-3 month milestones
- While lying on his tummy, your baby can push himself up on his arms
- Your baby can bring his hands to his mouth
- He is excited to track a toy or moving object with his eyes
- Your baby can now make eye contact
4-6 month milestones
- Your baby can now possibly roll over from his back to his tummy, and tummy to back
- He is able to use both hands to grasp toys
- He is more likely to respond when spoken to
- He is now able to babble and you’ll notice a larger range of sounds to communicate
7-9 month milestones
- Your baby is now likely to sit without support
- He may now try to pick up objects
- His curiosity is increasing and he wants to explore the world around him
- His babbling will increase, and so will his communication
10-12 month milestones
- Your baby is now likely to attempt walking by holding on to furniture
- He may now try to pick up objects between his thumb and forefinger
- Your baby can now respond to simple instructions, so be sure to engage with him meaningfully
What is a cause for concern?
Ensure that you take your baby for his well-baby check-ups with the doctor on a regular basis. If at any point you believe that there is a delay in achieving milestones, flag it off to the doctor for timely intervention.