As you journey through motherhood with baby steps, your little one is exploring babyhood at a fast pace and you’ve got to catch up! Wasn’t it just yesterday that you saw him crawl and today he’s already speeding around like a racing car! In this blog (the first of two) we will focus on your baby’s developmental milestones.
0 to 6 months: Let’s start from the beginning!
Weight worries can wait –
During the initial days your baby’s birth weight will drop but don’t worry! It will start increasing by the 8th or 10th day! After that you can expect your baby to put on 25 to 30 grams per day.
Rock that body, yay!
By the end of the first month you will see your baby rapidly moving his arms to catch your attention. He will also start bringing his hands towards the mouth and turn his head from left to right while lying on his stomach. When he is three months old, he will lift his head and chest, stretch out his legs or get kicking on his stomach or back.
Hocus focus
After a few weeks your baby will be able to improve his focus on objects 8 to 12 inches away. He will also observe faces closely once he is 3 months old. On hearing your voice and seeing familiar faces he will light up with joy.
Sounds good
When your li’l one is one month old he will hear and start reacting to various sounds (squeaky toys are a great way to keep him engaged) which will be a key milestone. He will recognize some sounds, including parents’ voices. Once he hits the 3 month milestone he will begin to babble and try to imitate certain sounds. He may cry when you stop playing with him.
And it’s a Six
At 6 months you can expect him to start sitting with little or no support. This milestone usually takes place between 5 and 8 months of age. Your little one will be on a roll, quite literally! He will begin to twist and turn from back to belly. He will also grasp objects within his reach with all his might (your glasses in his hand might create quite the spectacle!)
There’s a lot in a name
Watch your baby giggle and shy away or roll towards you when you call him by his name. At 6 months you can expect him to react to his name.
Some important things to note:
- Till the first six months you will have to breastfeed your baby.
- The above milestones are only guidelines. Your baby’s health care provider will evaluate your baby’s development at each stage.
- You need not worry if he falls behind in reaching these milestones. Consult your healthcare professional to address it.
Click here to check out our informative video series in which Dr. Nihar Parekh takes you through these milestones.
