Baby Development Guide

Newborn through 2 months

newborn baby

Babies develop at their own pace, so it's impossible to tell exactly when your child will learn a given skill. The developmental steps listed below will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect, but don't be alarmed if your own baby's development is not exaclty as listed .

The infant can lift and turn the head when lying on its back.

The neck is unable to support the head when pulled to a sitting position.

The hands are fisted, the arms are flexed.

Primitive reflexes are in full operation. These include:

rooting and sucking -- turns head in search of nipple when cheek is touched and begins to suck when nipple touches lips.

tonic neck response -- left leg extends when infant gazes to the left, while right arm and leg flex inward, and vice versa.

palmar hand grasp -- infant closes its hand and "grips" your finger.

plantar grasp -- infant flexes the toes and forefoot.

Babinski reflex -- toes fan outward when sole of foot is stroked.

Moro reflex -- extends arms then bends and pulls them in toward body. placing -- leg extends when sole of foot is stimulated.

stepping and walking -- takes brisk steps when both feet placed on a surface, with body supported.

Ages and Stages: Baby Development for 3-6 Months

diverse group of babies

Social and Emotional

  • Begins to display a social smile
  • Enjoys playing with others and may cry when playing stops
  • Expressive and communicates more with face and body
  • Imitates some movements and facial expressions

Movement

  • Raises head and chest when lying on stomach
  • Supports upper body with arms when lying on stomach
  • Stretches legs out and kicks when lying on stomach or back
  • Opens and closes hands
  • Pushes down on legs when feet are placed on a firm surface
  • Brings hand to mouth
  • Takes swipes at dangling objects with hands
  • Grasps and shakes hand toys

Vision

  • Watches faces closely
  • Follows moving objects
  • Recognizes familiar objects and people at a distance
  • Starts using hands and eyes in coordination

Hearing and Speech

  • Smiles at the sound of your voice
  • Begins to babble
  • Begins to imitate some sounds
  • Turns head toward sound
Developmental Health Watch
Alert your child's doctor or nurse if your child displays any of the following signs of possible developmental delay for this age range.

  • Does not seem to respond to loud noises
  • Does not notice hands by 2 months
  • Does not follow moving objects with eyes by 2 to 3 months
  • Does not grasp and hold objects by 3 months
  • Does not smile at people by 3 months
  • Cannot support head well by 3 months
  • Does not reach for and grasp toys by 3 to 4 months
  • Does not babble by 3 to 4 months
  • Does not bring objects to mouth by 4 months
  • Begins babbling, but does not try to imitate any of your sounds by 4 months
  • Does not push down with legs when feet are placed on a firm surface by 4 months
  • Has trouble moving one or both eyes in all directions
  • Crosses eyes most of the time (occasional crossing of the eyes is normal in these first months)
  • Does not pay attention to new faces, or seems very frightened by new faces or surroundings

Baby Development - Ages and Stages 7 Months - 12 Months

Child development by the end of 7 Months

 diverse group of babies

Social and Emotional

  • Enjoys social play
  • Watches self in mirror images
  • Responds to other adult's expressions of emotion and appears joyful often

Cognitive

  • Finds partially hidden object
  • Explores with hands and mouth
  • Tries to get objects that are out of reach
Movement

  • Rolls frontoto back and visa versa
  • Sits with, and then without, support on hands
  • Supports body weight on legs
  • Reaches with one hand
  • Transfers object from hand to hand
  • Uses hand to rake objects

Vision

  • Develops full color vision
  • Distance vision matures
  • Tracks moving objects improves

Language

  • Responds to own name
  • Begins to respond to "no"
  • Can tell emotions by tone of voice
  • Responds to sound by making sounds
  • Uses voice to express joy and displeasure
  • Babbles chains of sounds

Developmental Health Watch
Alert your child's doctor or nurse if your child displays any of the following signs of possible developmental delay for this age range.

  • Seems very stiff, with tight muscles
  • Seems very floppy, like a rag doll
  • Head still flops back when body is pulled to a sitting position
  • Reaches with one hand only
  • Refuses to cuddle
  • Shows no affection for the person who cares for him or her
  • Doesn't seem to enjoy being around people
  • One or both eyes consistently turn in or out
  • Persistent tearing, eye drainage, or sensitivity to light
  • Does not respond to sounds around him or her
  • Has difficulty getting objects to mouth
  • Does not turn head to locate sounds by 4 months
  • Does not roll over in either direction (front to back or back to front) by 5 months
  • Seems impossible to comfort at night after 5 months
  • Does not smile on his or her own by 5 months
  • Cannot sit with help by 6 months
  • Does not laugh or make squealing sounds by 6 months
  • Does not actively reach for objects by 6 to 7 months
  • Does not follow objects with both eyes at near (1 foot) and far (6 feet) ranges by 7 months
  • Does not bear weight on legs by 7 months
  • Does not try to attract attention through actions by 7 months
  • Does not babble by 8 months
  • Shows no interest in games of peek-a-boo by 8 months

Child development by the end of 12 months

Social and Emotional

  • Shy or anxious with strangers
  • Cries when mother or father leaves
  • Enjoys imitating people in his play
  • Shows specific preferences for certain people and toys
  • Tests parental responses to his actions during feedings
  • Tests parental responses to his behavior
  • May be fearful in some situations
  • Prefers mother and/or regular caregiver over all others
  • Repeats sounds or gestures for attention
  • Finger-feeds himself
  • Extends arm or leg to help when being dressed

Cognitive

  • Explores objects in many different ways (shaking, banging, throwing, dropping)
  • Finds hidden objects easily
  • Looks at correct picture when the image is named
  • Imitates gestures
  • Begins to use objects correctly (drinking from cup, brushing hair, dialing phone, listening to receiver)

Language

  • Pays increasing attention to speech
  • Responds to simple verbal requests
  • Responds to "no"
  • Uses simple gestures, such as shaking head for "no"
  • Babbles with inflection (changes in tone)
  • Says "dada" and "mama"
  • Uses exclamations, such as "Oh-oh!"
  • Tries to imitate words

Movement

  • Reaches sitting position without assistance
  • Crawls forward on belly
  • Assumes hands-and-knees position
  • Creeps on hands and knees
  • Gets from sitting to crawling or prone (lying on stomach) position
  • Pulls self up to stand
  • Walks holding on to furniture
  • Stands momentarily without support
  • May walk two or three steps without support

Hand and Finger Skills

  • Uses pincer grasp
  • Bangs two objects together
  • Puts objects into container
  • Takes objects out of container
  • Lets objects go voluntarily
  • Pokes with index finger
  • Tries to imitate scribbling

Developmental Health Watch
Alert your child's doctor or nurse if your child displays any of the following signs of possible developmental delay for this age range.

  • Does not crawl
  • Drags one side of body while crawling (for over one month)
  • Cannot stand when supported
  • Does not search for objects that are hidden while he or she watches
  • Says no single words ("mama" or "dada")
  • Does not learn to use gestures, such as waving or shaking head
  • Does not point to objects or pictures
Sources: Center for Disease Control, Academy of Peditricians and American Medical Assoc.

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