Your baby’s first year of life will be very exciting. Your baby will grow and develop quickly, and there are several major achievements that your baby will achieve before its first year.

Milestones in a baby’s first year

These milestones are simply guidelines, and your baby’s health care provider can evaluate their development along the way. Also, if your baby is born prematurely, then these guidelines may be a little different for you.

By the end of your baby’s first month, they will be able to bring their hands to their face, keep hands in tight fists, recognize human faces, and hear very well. As they reach their third month, they will be able to raise their head and chest when lying on their stomach, support their upper body with their arms while on their stomach, and be able to stretch legs and kick when they’re lying on their stomach or back. Your baby will also be able to grab and shake toys, watch faces closely, and smile at the sound of your voice.

Your baby’s seventh month of life brings a lot of other milestones, including rolling over both ways, sitting up, reaching for objects, and being able to support their whole weight on their legs when held upright. Your baby should also be able to respond to their name, baby talk with consonants, actively play peekaboo, and show an interest in mirror images.

Finally, once your baby reaches one year, your baby should be able to sit without assistance, crawl, pull themself up to stand, use a pincer grasp, and respond to “no” or other simple verbal requests. Your baby should also have said their first words by now, be able to use simple gestures, and look at the correct picture when an image is named.

Of course, every baby develops differently, so if your baby hits some milestones early and others a little later, there isn’t a reason to be alarmed. However, if your baby is very behind in their fine motor skills or verbal skills, it is important to check with your physician to make sure your baby does not have a developmental delay.