Milestones are stages or “punctuations” in a baby's growth and development. They always follow the same order, as each one depends on the previous stage. Milestones come along with such regularity that it is possible to forecast with some accuracy when they will occur for most babies.
| Month | Milestone |
|---|
| Birth | If you grasp your baby around the upper chest and lift his body from the mattress, his head will be so heavy and floppy that it will just hang back. This is why it is so important to support his neck and head carefully.- Your baby won’t be able to sit up at all without support. If you hold him in a sitting position his back will be round and his head will loll forward. He’ll be very wobbly, and will collapse immediately unless supported.
- Your baby will be born with a crawling reflex, but will lose this as soon as his body uncurls from the fetal position.
|
| 1 | Your baby will have lost his very newborn appearance, but his legs will still be bent. He may lift his head.- Your baby’s hand will be held in a tight fist; he’ll reflexively grasp anything put in his palm.
- Your baby will lie with his head to one side, with his bottom pushed up in the air and his knees slightly bent underneath his body.
- Your baby’s back will still be rounded and he’ll only be a little steadier. However, he’ll try and hold his head up for a second or two when held by you.
|
| 2 | Your baby continues to stretch himself. When lying on the floor, he can lift his head to a 45-degree angle and hold it for a few moments.- He’ll hold his hand open more often and his grasp will become voluntary.
- If you lift your baby from the mattress by holding on to his hands he’ll be able to hold his head in line with the rest of his body for a second or so.
- Your baby’s body will be more fully stretched out and he’ll be able to lift his head from the mattress for a moment or two.
|
| 3 | Your baby’s body will be completely uncurled and his legs will be extended. He’ll hold up his head.- His hands will generally stay open although he may not be able to grasp anything for long.
- If you pull your baby up from a lying position by his hands he will keep his head up in line with the rest of his body without additional help from you.
- He will now lie quite flat and be able to raise his head and hold it in this position for quite a long time. He’ll begin to take the weight of his shoulders and head on slightly outstretched forearms.
- Once your baby can support his head, he’ll enjoy being held facing you with his feet touching your knees. Lift him up and down so he feels his feet in contact with your legs and learns the sensation of taking his weight.
|
| 4 | Your baby should be able to roll from side to side and on to his back. He’ll support himself on his forearms.- Your baby will have discovered his own hands, which he’ll suck and play with.
- Your baby will be able to raise both legs off the mattress. He’ll be able to support his chest and head by propping himself up on his forearms. This way he’ll be able to see what’s going on around him.
- If you hold your baby in the sitting position he will be able to sit with his head held up; the lower part of his back will still be rounded, but the upper part will be almost straight.
- Your baby will probably raise both chest and legs off the floor while making swimming movements with his arms.
|
| 5 | When placed on his stomach your baby will push his head well clear of the mattress. He’ll roll from back to side.- He’ll be able to grasp objects between both hands and will love sucking his own feet this way.
|
| 6 | Your baby will be able to twist in all directions and may sit unsupported briefly.- Your baby will be able to hold an object between finger and thumb and may be able to rotate his wrist.
- Your baby’s head and neck will be so strong and well controlled that he’ll be able to raise his head from the mattress and look at his toes.
- Your baby will be able to take the weight of his head, shoulders and torso on his outstretched hands, and roll from his back to his side.
- Your baby will be able to sit up without support, but only for a few seconds.
- Your baby will be able to support the top half of the body on outstretched arms and you may see the first signs of crawling when he bends his knees up below his body. Although he’s moving into the crawling position he probably won’t quite have got the hang of it, the result of which will be his rocking back and forth.
- By now he’ll probably make jumping movements by bending and straightening his knees and hips whenever he’s held in a standing position.
|
