Becoming a parent is one of the best experiences you will ever have. However, navigating your new role – whether it be your first or third child, can be challenging. There are always adjustments. You may have learned from the past what to do and/or what not to do; or you may be going in completely blind. Whether you are experienced or not, below are some of my tips, as well as the expected stages/milestones you will face in the first year.
* It is important to remember every baby is different, and will achieve developmental milestones at their own pace; however, if you suspect something is off, it is always best to trust your instincts and consult with a healthcare professional.
0-4 Weeks: During the first month, your baby is all about sleeping, eating, and cuddles. What my husband and I learned with our first child, is the importance of tummy time – you can start the day you bring your newborn home (unless otherwise instructed by a healthcare professional). Their eyesight is quite poor at first, only being able to see 8-12 inches away – just enough to see their caregiver feeding and changing them. Their best sense is their sense of smell. In fact, a mother’s body odor will change postpartum – it is their bodies way of helping their infant bond and help them locate their food source.
Development:
* Makes different facial expressions
* Recognizes your smell
* Startles at loud sounds (hearing is fully developed)
* Can hold their head up for brief moments when on their tummy
Wake Windows: Between 35-60 minutes
4-12 Weeks: Between 4 and 12 weeks your baby is starting to become more aware. Their primary focus is still sleeping, eating, and cuddles.
Development:
* Hold their head up for longer periods when on their tummy
* Move their arms & legs equally
* Follow objects and people with their eyes
* Bring hands to their mouth
* Turn towards sounds
* Smile
* Recognize Familiar Faces
Wake Windows: Between 60-90 minutes, with longer periods at night
3 Months: At 3 months, your baby is no longer considered a newborn. The first 3 months may seem like a blur due to exhaustion and adapting to your baby’s needs. You will have longer periods between feeds, and baby should be doing longer stretches at night sleep-wise – fingers crossed!
Development:
* Recognize you from further distances
* Continues to follow objects with their eyes
* Reach & grasp things with their hands
* Push up on their arms when on their tummy
* Smile
* Might laugh
Wake Windows: Between 75-120 minutes, with longer periods at night
4 Months: Your baby is becoming more aware, and desperately wanting to move.
Development:
* Starting to babble & make sounds
* Reaching for objects & recognizes objects (like a favorite toy)
* Following people & objects with their eyes
* Pushing up on their arms when on their tummy
* Trying to roll over (they might be rolling already) – *Even if your baby is wanting to sleep on their tummy (like both our kids did), continue to put them to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of SIDS
Wake Windows: Between 75-120 minutes, with longer periods at night
5 Months:
Development:
* Between 3-5 months – sit up with support
* Rolling over (or close to it)
* Grasp is getting stronger & will pull objects to their mouth
* Eyesight has improved drastically – able to see several feet or more away
* Can tell the difference between different colors
Wake Windows: Between 2-3 hours during the day, with longer periods at night
6 Months: This was my biggest milestone with both of my kids. They began to sleep better at night, which meant I was sleeping better. I was finally out of the newborn/baby blur, and able to focus more. 6 months is also around the time most babies start teething, so prepare for fussier periods if their gums are bothering them. This is also a milestone in terms of introducing foods (unless otherwise instructed by a healthcare professional). Your baby should be able to tell you when they’ve had enough by closing their lips and/or turning away.
Development:
* Recognize familiar faces
* Laugh
* Take turns making sounds with you
* Say consonant sounds like “m” & “b”
* Reach for toys
* Sit (with or without support)
* Rolling
* Pushing up with straight arms when on their tummy
Wake Windows: Between 2-3 hours, with longer periods at night
7 Months: Breastmilk and/or formula is still their main food source, but introducing new foods is exciting!
Development:
* Rolling from front to back & back to front
* May crawl (crawling is not considered a developmental “must”)
* Sit (with or without support)
* Reach with both hands & use them symmetrically
* Pass objects between hands
Wake Windows: Between 2.5-3.5 hours, with longer periods at night
8 Months: The age our daughter is currently! It seems like just yesterday we brought her home…
Development:
* Make sounds when talked to
* Pick up objects & hold in pincer grasp
* Sit without support
* Rock back and forth on hands & knees (& possibly crawl, or be close to it)
* Understand basic words
Wake Windows: Between 2.5-3.5 hours, with longer periods at night
9 Months: By 9 months your baby is quite aware of the world around them, as well as very curious! They may be shy or fearful around strangers (also known as “making strange”). If your baby isn’t already crawling, they are probably really trying to – especially if they have older siblings they want to keep up with!
Developmental:
* Show different facial expressions according to their mood
* Respond to their name
* Move objects from one hand to another
* Sit without support
Wake Windows: Between 2.5-3.5 hours, with longer periods at night
10-12 Months: Infant development during this stage is fast, it seems their skills can change day by day; and if you haven’t already, now is the time to baby-proof your house (i.e. gate off stairs and other unsafe areas, move unsafe objects out of babies reach, and look into toilet and drawer safety locks).
Development:
* Sit without support
* Crawl (again, this is not a developmental “must”)
* Close to, or are currently taking their first assisted steps
* Feed themselves finger foods, and/or use a spoon
* Words are constantly evolving & taking on new tones
Wake Windows: Between 3-4 hours & possibly (hopefully), sleeping through the night!
After 12 months your baby is officially a toddler, and your days will revolve around running after your little one to ensure they aren’t endangering themselves. You will still be tired, but in a different way than the baby phase. You will look back on the baby phase and miss it; but don’t worry, when your toddler begins to tell you they love you, gives you a hug and a kiss, it fills your heart in a way you never felt possible – until 10 seconds later, when you are met with a smack to the face, and go back to reminiscing the baby phase… Prepare yourself for the beautiful ups and downs of toddlerhood!
