Milestones...from birth to 1 year!

First time parents (and even repeat offenders) often inquire about the timing of various milestones throughout the first stressful year of their baby's life. Reaching milestones is not only rewarding but is also instrumental in normal development. Seeing your child roll over for the first time is exciting and reassuring.

Given the complexity of the various stages of development, I thought I would quickly outline some of the important milestones for the various ages up to 1 year.

1) Birth - 1 month: Responds to sound, blinks, fixates on face, moves all extremities, has a startle response.

2) 2 months: Attentive to voice and noise, coos, lifts head and neck when on belly, smiles responsively.

3) 4 months: Babbles, laughs, raises body on hands, rolls from front to back, good head control, reaches for objects, grasp without release.

4) 6 months: Babbles, rolls 2 ways, sits with support, single consonants, transfers objects (from one hand to the next), rakes.

5) 9 months: Responds to own name, understands "no" and "bye-bye", sits independently, self finger feeds, stranger anxiety, crawls, creeps, scoots, inferior pincer grasp.

6) 12 months: Pulls to stand, walks independently (average range 9-15 months), plays peek-a-Boo, precise pincer grasp, bangs blocks together, 1-3 words spoken but also says mama and Dada (not yet specific), wave bye-bye, drinks from a cup.