Tiny Steps to One: From 0 to 12 Months of Child Development
Childbirth is the beginning of a beautiful era, parenthood. The first year of child development is a journey from infancy to toddlerhood. Dear Mom and Dad, prepare to embrace this first year of parenting with open hearts and arms.
At this stage, significant milestones are motor skills, cognitive, social, emotional, language, communication, and sensory development. These developmental stages are tracked over the months until your baby turns one.
As parents, you need to know and understand your infant’s growth and wait patiently for your baby to achieve milestones. Thus, here’s a guide that takes first-time parents through the ABCs of child development.
1 to 2 Months of Infancy
Bundle of Joy
The initial weeks of child development are also the first few weeks of understanding parenthood. So, here’s how it all begins. In the first month, your baby will start tracking moments with its eyes and focusing on nearby objects. They start staring and looking at faces, especially of the parents or the primary caregiver. This is also when your baby begins to bond with the mother and recognise her scent. Though mostly sleeping, the infant progresses with these little moments.
Then, as your baby moves into their second month, they will begin to smile. Awww! Now that’s a moment. Your little one begins to turn towards sounds, but their neck needs constant support. You’ll often see your baby calming themselves by sucking on their fingers or fist. In these weeks, your baby sleeps for about 15-16 hours. Meanwhile, their sleep pattern will slowly begin to settle in. As your baby adapts to the world from the protected environment of the womb, touch and skin-to-skin contact is essential.
3 to 4 Months of Infancy
Giggles and Drool
These are the months when your baby begins to enjoy playing. Your three-month-old also begins to imitate actions and noises. There are sweet sounds of babbling that you would love to hear. Also, your baby will start to recognise faces and smile spontaneously. They may also try to reach out and grab a toy when they see one.
Slowly moving towards the fourth month, your baby may try to push on their arms while lying on their tummy. And may even hold their head unsupported. Your baby is keen to watch, recognise, and imitate moving faces. At this stage of child development, the little one will love to play with you and may even cry if the playing stops. And most blissfully, this is when your baby will recognise all the affection you show them.
5 to 6 Months of Infancy
Halfway Happiness
You have been eagerly looking forward to the upcoming months of child development. Your little angel will achieve their first significant milestone: rolling over. Beginning from the fifth month, your tiny one begins to roll over in one direction or the other. They even begin to differentiate between strangers and their parents, often crying at the latter’s absence. Also, grabbing things and bringing them to their mouth starts at this stage. It is also when your baby recognises their name and is cheerful or crying.
They might become experts in rolling over in both directions on reaching six months. The babbling continues along with blowing spit bubbles. Cuteness overloaded! Curiosity begins for the objects around, grabbing and interchanging them from one hand to another. You could bring a mirror to your infant and enjoy their reactions.
7 to 8 Months of Infancy
Charming Crawler
After six months of child development, your baby will learn to achieve one milestone after another. When your baby is seven months old, it is time for another significant milestone: crawling. It is one precious moment that every parent waits for. Your baby will begin by crawling on its tummy. It will lift itself more quickly and move around as it catches up. The little curious one will also start to respond to your expressions.
By the eighth month of growth, your baby will begin to choose their favourite persons and toys and may even cry when held by others. Imitation becomes more common, with your baby trying to imitate gestures and even pointing at things. It is also the time for more play, with your baby responding to peek-a-boo and other interactive games. Also, they begin to observe moving or hidden objects. That is not all; in the eighth month of child development, your baby will cross another significant milestone: sitting up without support. Aaha! Now that’s the time you have been waiting for.
9 to 10 Months of Infancy
Tiny Triumphs
Crossing one milestone after another, your infant triumphs in child development and leaps towards toddlerhood. In the ninth month, your baby will crawl faster and smoother. However, this is also when most babies are anxious with strangers. They recognise that objects are in their surroundings, even out of sight. Your baby starts to use their fingers to grasp things around.
Progressing to the tenth month, your baby will begin to pull themselves to stand up. They will also play with toys around them, and it’s the perfect time for stacking and sorting toys. Your little one may even begin to respond to others with their hands, waves, and arm lifts. Moreover, your baby understands the cause and effect of their gestures and expressions. Thus, communication slowly develops.
11 to 12 Months of Infancy
Almost a Toddler
Your baby will wish to leap into toddlerhood in these final months of infancy. Voila! Your baby might surprise you in the eleventh month with their first words. The happiest of milestones! Moreover, your baby, having mastered the pincer grasp by now, can use it to hold objects and even turn pages. Them engaging you in mealtime games and other fun activities will become common. So, sit back and cherish these joys of child development.
In the twelfth month, your baby will achieve the final milestone of infancy: standing up. A moment every parent would love to capture in their heart forever, your tiny tot taking their first steps! Your not-so-little-one leaping smoothly into toddlerhood. Also, they begin to help you while you dress them up and will also entertain you with their pretend games. Your baby has become more interactive and happily explores around.
Happy Parenting
These stages of child development, from infancy to toddlerhood, are beautiful moments of bonding that first-time parents share with their babies. Understand that these developmental stages are more about progress than deadlines. Most importantly, don’t worry about your infant’s growth; each baby develops at its own pace. You’ll love to patiently enjoy their progress. Communicate with a paediatrician who will track and chart your baby’s development. Be without worries and cherish these moments with your cheerful little charmer.
Your baby has come a long way from crying to crawling and is stepping into toddlerhood. It’s time for celebration; your baby is turning one! And what doubles the joy is that you, as mom and dad, will have beautifully completed one year of parenthood.
