Hey moms and dads! Your child’s first year of life is filled with so many little accomplishments. From smiling, to raising their arms, to making vocalizations, a lot happens in these first 365 days. I wanted to take some time to address these baby milestones month by month with you. As a newborn photographer in Akron, OH, I see newborns all the time and I love it! I also do milestone photoshoots to document their growth and little successes! However, I’ve noticed that lots of moms tend to wonder what milestones their baby should be reaching. So, let’s talk about it!
These are the primary baby milestones month by month that you should be aware of!
Months 1-3
Those first 90 days may feel relatively slow for you as the parent, but a lot is happening behind the scenes for your little one. They’re going to be fairly stationary during this time, but they’ll be working on little advances that are vital to their future development. Their first week in particular may feel a bit, repetitive, but setting up an amazing newborn schedule can help set you both up for success!
You should notice the following baby milestones month by month:
- Opening their eyes and fixing them on objects that are far away
- Moving towards a sound they recognize. For example, if they hear your voice, they may orient their body towards you. They likely won’t turn their head towards you, but they may move their hands or arm in your direction
- Reacting to loud noises such as a barking dog or a dropped toy
- Moving their smaller joints around such as their fingers, ankles, and wrists.
Months 4-6
Little ones during these three months start doing things with a bit more intention. They begin to have more control of their bodies. You’ll likely notice the following baby milestones month by month!
- They’ll start trying to roll from their tummy onto their back. Some will do it by six months, other will take longer. It just depends on the child!
- Distinct types of cries representing different needs. For example, you baby may have a certain cry for hunger vs being tired.
- They’ll be able to hold their head off the ground for brief periods of time (short) and may try to use their forearms to push their belly off the ground
- Imitating sounds vocally. If they hear a loud ring, they may make a loud squeal to imitate that.
- Should start being able to clench their fists
Months 7-9
During months 7-9, you’ll start to notice rapid physical advances taking place. This is the age in which you start noticing significant growth! Watch out for these baby milestones month by month!
- Learning how to sit up on their own or with assistance
- Keeping their head off the ground while on their belly for extended periods of time
- Fidgeting with toys in their hands and recognizing toys they like vs don’t like
- Moving their arms up and down and kicking their legs out to try and crawl. They’ll likely start successfully crawling at this time as well
- Recognizing their name and responding to it
- Smiling and laughing or expressing other emotions through facials signs
Months 10-12
These last few months of their first year are when your baby takes all the little things they’ve learned, masters them, and moves on! You should start to see the following baby milestones month by month!
- Using nonverbal signals or signs to represent needs or desires. For example, if they’re hungry they may reach for a breast or wave their hands towards the kitchen. They may start imitating physical gestures as well such as waving hi or bye
- Making noises to express wants and desires. While they likely have specific cries, they may also start to develop certain sounds for things like hunger or a dirty diaper
- Noticing an object is missing or was removed – such as a toy being taken away or you leaving the room
- Some fine motor development may take place here. For example, using their pointer finger and thumb (the pincer grasp) to pick up small objects
- Trying to walk on their own (or successfully doing so pending the child)
Final Thoughts on These Need-to-Know Baby Milestones
The first year of your baby’s life is going to be filled with an abundance of physical progressions, cognitive changes, and even emotions advances. All of which are vital baby milestones! Your little one will slowly start developing their personality, learning how to get what they want, and just growing as an individual!
They’re so cute as newborns, so make sure you contact me as your newborn photographer in Akron, OH so I can capture this precious time! However, watching them grow and become who they truly are is equally as exciting and adorable! I can’t wait to hear all about your little one’s progress!
