Infant Development Month by Month

It is indeed a delight to watch your baby grow from a newborn to an infant, then to a toddler and preschooler. But, the most difficult among all these stages is infancy, where the parents are worried about little things. The first year of a baby's life is full of tremendous changes and each one can be considered a milestone in itself. There is a basic developmental chart for babies which enlists the developmental milestones of a baby, during his/her first year. This infant development month by month chart gives a brief list of the milestones to be achieved by a baby, from his first month to the twelfth. However, the developmental rate may vary from one infant to another. So, parents must be patient in this matter and encourage your baby to accomplish these milestones. This infant development chart may not apply for premature babies too. The following paragraphs deal with the infant growth and development month by month.

Month by Month Infant Development

Month One: As a newborn, babies sleep for almost 20 hours a day and cry whenever they are hungry or wet. They have some innate reflexes and basic sensory capacities of vision, hearing, temperature, pain and touch. By the end of the first month, babies can bring their hands to the face, move their head side to side, respond to loud noises, get familiarized with the voices of their parents, may turn towards familiar sounds or voices, blink at bright light, etc. At this age, babies don't possess the strength to keep their head upright. So, the parents have to support their neck, while lifting them. Skin to skin contact is the most effective means to make them feel secure. Hold them, rock them to sleep or gently massage them.

Month Two: For the first two months, you may not see any noticeable changes in your baby. But hearing and vision improves, along with their movements. They may make some noises other than crying, may try to roll a bit or try to lift their head briefly. They can bat at objects or grasp them. They may suck the fingers and may start identifying faces. It may also happen that the baby starts smiling too. They may move their arms and legs more smoothly, instead of the former jerky movements.

Month Three: During the third month, infants will get adjusted to the new world and will become comfortable with their surroundings. They will get settled to their daily schedule, which can give the parents some much-needed rest. Till this period, they will have slept for small intervals only, but during the third month, the stretch of sleep may also get extended up to five or six hours, especially during night. The neck strength will improve and they may be able to hold up their head for sometime, without support. They can recognize their parents and smile at their faces. They may start listening to music and like brightly colored objects. Their cries get reduced and they start communicating with sounds. They may follow people with their eyes and responds to noises. They can open and close hands and reach for dangling toys. They may try to hold objects or toys and shake them.

Month Four: By month four, the baby will have gained weight and obtained good head control. They may do more things with their hands. They will start grabbing everything within their reach and most of these things end up in their mouth. The sleeping time of your baby reduces to around 15 hours a day, but they will sleep for longer periods. They may start identifying colors, especially the dark ones. Communication skills develop, as they make different sounds for different purposes. Some babies may try to roll over during this period and some others may sit with support.

Month Five: Fifth and sixth months may witness more transitions in infants, as they start rolling over from the back to their stomach. Their grasps will get stronger, as well as their hand to eye coordination will improve. They may hold objects and move it from one hand to another. Their vision improves and they will be able to see objects at a distance. They may start babbling too. In some cases, baby teething may begin at this stage.

Month Six: During the sixth month, babies may sit without support, and they can move independently. They may have attained double their birth weight at this stage. They can roll over from their back to their stomach and vice versa, in a more smooth manner. Some babies may try to rise on their hands and knees, but may not start crawling. They may voluntarily open their mouth while spoon feeding and may also drink from a cup/glass with help. They may also be able to hold feeding bottles successfully and make two-syllable sounds. As far as infant development by month is concerned, the sixth month is very important. It is at this stage that health experts recommend to start solid foods for infants.

Month Seven: During the seventh month of infant development stages, they may start creeping, scooting, rolling or crawling. While some babies try all these movements, some others may resort to any one or two. Their eating habits also improve, as they can easily hold a glass or eat from a spoon. They will be strong enough to stand on their legs with support. Another milestone during this month is teething, which may cause drooling and some other symptoms. They may be irritable and fussier too. You have to be careful while introducing new food items to the baby, as the baby may develop symptoms of food allergy. They know how to chew food and how to show disgust to particular food. They can sit unsupported and start recognizing names.

Month Eight: By the eighth month, babies get more stronger and pull themselves up to a standing position, by holding either furniture or the walls. They will crawl more freely and can play with toys like balls. Their grasping and chewing skills develop and they may also show their likes and dislikes regarding food. Some babies may start using basic words.

Month Nine: By this time, babies can crawl very freely. They may even crawl up or down the stairs. You can see them holding some toy in one hand and crawling with the help of other hand and knees. They may crawl and grasp a toy and then sit straight and play with it. Some babies may also start walking at this stage. They may cry, when taken away from parents or with unfamiliar people.

Month Ten: During this period, babies may understand the meaning of familiar words and directions. They can sit straight and stand up holding objects like furniture. Some of them may move around with your hands as support. By now, they have a few teeth, so you can introduce semi solid foods. They may also start using some familiar words.

Month Eleven and Twelve: Some of the babies may start walking during the eleventh or twelfth month, while some others may do this later. They may enjoy playing with toys, like stacking blocks and nesting cups. As in the case of walking, some babies may start using several words as the first step of talking, while others may require some more time to develop this skill. They may develop strong attachment to objects, like toys, baby blankets etc. They may become more efficient in using everyday items, like spoons, cups, hairbrushes, etc. They will sleep less during the daytime and more at night.

Now, you know the important milestones in infant development month by month. The above infant stages are only guidelines, which may vary from one baby to another. However, a basic idea about infant development month by month is necessary, so that you can identify any problem in the development of your baby. If you notice any problem, consult the pediatrician immediately.