Becoming a parent is an exciting and sometimes overwhelming experience. As your baby grows and develops, it can be hard to keep track of all the milestones they should be reaching. From their first smile to their first steps, each achievement is a special moment for parents. In this blog post, we will be discussing the top 24 baby milestones that all parents should know. We will cover everything from physical and cognitive milestones to social and emotional ones. So let’s dive in and celebrate each step of your baby’s development!
Physical Milestones
1. Holding Their Head Up: Around 3 to 4 months, your baby will start to have better head control and will be able to hold their head up for short periods of time.
2. Rolling Over: By 6 months, your baby will start to roll over from their back to their stomach and vice versa.
3. Sitting Up: Between 6 to 9 months, your baby will be able to sit up without support.
4. Crawling: Around 8 to 10 months, your baby will start to crawl and explore their surroundings.
5. Standing: By 9 to 12 months, your baby will be able to pull themselves up to a standing position using furniture or your hands.
6. Walking: Most babies take their first steps between 9 to 18 months, but every child develops at their own pace.
Cognitive Milestones
7. Recognizing Faces: From birth, babies are able to recognize faces, and by 3 months, they will start to show a preference for familiar faces.
8. Hand-Eye Coordination: Between 4 to 6 months, your baby will start to grab and grasp objects, improving their hand-eye coordination.
9. Object Permanence: Around 8 months, your baby will start to understand that objects still exist even when they can’t see them.
10. Babbling: From 6 to 9 months, your baby will start to babble, imitating the sounds they hear.
11. Responding to Name: By 9 to 12 months, your baby will start to respond to their name and turn to look when called.
12. Problem Solving: Around 12 to 18 months, your baby will start to solve simple problems, such as fitting objects into a container or stacking blocks.
Social Milestones
The Top 24 Baby Milestones All Parents Should Know
13. Smiling: From birth, babies will smile in response to their caregiver’s voice and touch.
14. Laughing: Around 3 to 4 months, your baby will start to giggle and laugh, showing their joy and happiness.
15. Stranger Anxiety: Between 6 to 9 months, your baby may start to show fear or discomfort around unfamiliar people.
16. Playing Peek-a-Boo: By 12 months, your baby will start to understand the concept of hiding and revealing objects, making games like peek-a-boo fun for both of you.
17. Imitating: From 12 to 18 months, your baby will start to imitate actions and behaviors they see, such as clapping or waving.
Emotional Milestones
18. Separation Anxiety: Around 6 to 8 months, your baby may start to show signs of separation anxiety when you leave the room.
19. Expressing Emotions: From 9 to 12 months, your baby will start to express a wide range of emotions, from joy and excitement to frustration and anger.
20. Empathy: Around 12 to 18 months, your baby will start to show empathy towards others, understanding when someone is upset and trying to comfort them.
21. Sharing: By 18 months, your baby may start to understand the concept of sharing and taking turns, although it may take some practice.
22. Self-Awareness: Between 18 to 24 months, your baby will start to recognize themselves in the mirror and understand their own reflection.
Language Milestones
23. Cooing: From birth, babies will make cooing sounds to communicate their needs and emotions.
24. First Words: Around 12 months, your baby will start to say their first words, usually simple words like “mama” or “dada.”
Summarization:
Babies go through many milestones in their first two years of life, and it can be hard for parents to keep track of them all. From physical milestones like holding their head up and taking their first steps to cognitive milestones like recognizing faces and responding to their name, each achievement is a special moment for parents. Social and emotional milestones, such as smiling, playing peek-a-boo, and showing empathy, are also important for a baby’s development. And as your baby grows, they will also reach language milestones like cooing and saying their first words. Celebrate each milestone and enjoy watching your little one grow and develop!