As a mother, I know very well how excited parents are to see their babies reach various developmental milestones. During the child development milestones period, parents are often overwhelmed with the joy of experiencing these moments with their babies.

Every child is unique, and not all babies reach the same developmental stages at the same time. Some may reach one stage earlier while lagging behind in another. It is very normal and acceptable. I know parents are often very conscious about their baby’s progress during this stage.

My little twins learned to sit by themselves at nine months, which is quite late compared to others, but they reached other developmental milestones very quickly. I never actually worried about these things because I know that children learn within a specific timeframe. If the specified time has passed, there might be something to worry about. My little girls learned everything like sitting and walking by themselves. I never had to teach them by hand.

Let’s explore the fascinating milestones that mark this journey, celebrating each step along the way. You may find it helpful to check your child’s development as per their age.

Months 1-3: The Newborn Phase

1. Sensory Exploration: In the first three months, babies are primarily engaged in discovering their senses. They startle at loud noises, track moving objects briefly, and respond to bright lights. This sensory awakening is crucial as they adjust to the world outside the womb.
2. Social Smiles: Around the second month, those sleepless nights are rewarded with the first genuine social smiles. This milestone is a sign that your baby is beginning to recognize and respond to faces, establishing the foundation for social interaction.
3. Head Control: By the third month, babies start to gain control over their neck muscles. During tummy time, you might notice your baby lifting their head and chest, a precursor to more advanced motor skills.

Months 4-6: The Active Phase

4. Reaching and Grasping: Between four to six months, babies begin to reach for objects, grasp them, and bring them to their mouths. This marks the development of hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
5. Rolling Over: One of the first major physical milestones is rolling over. Most babies will roll from their tummy to their back first and then the other way around. This newfound mobility is an exciting step towards crawling.
6. Babbling: During this phase, babies start to experiment with sounds. Babbling, characterized by repetitive consonant-vowel combinations like “ba-ba” or “da-da,” is the precursor to language development.

Months 7-9: The Mobility Phase

7. Sitting Up: By seven to nine months, most babies can sit up without support. This milestone is crucial for exploring their environment more independently.
8. Crawling: Crawling is a significant developmental milestone that typically occurs between seven to ten months. Whether they creep, scoot, or crawl on all fours, this new mode of mobility opens up a world of exploration.
9. Stranger Anxiety: Around this time, babies might show signs of stranger anxiety. They may become clingy or cry when approached by unfamiliar people. This behavior is a normal part of their emotional development, indicating a growing attachment to their primary caregivers.

Months 10-12: The Transition Phase

10. Standing and Cruising: As they approach their first birthday, many babies start pulling themselves up to stand and “cruise” around while holding onto furniture. These activities strengthen their leg muscles and improve balance.
11. First Words: The first birthday often brings the exciting milestone of the first words. Commonly, babies might say “mama” or “dada” with meaning. This is the beginning of verbal communication.
12. Pincer Grasp: The development of the pincer grasp, where babies use their thumb and forefinger to pick up small objects, is an essential fine motor skill that typically emerges around this age.

Months 13-18: The Toddler Phase

13. Walking: Many babies take their first independent steps around their first birthday, although the range is broad. Walking marks a significant transition from babyhood to toddlerhood, offering newfound freedom and exploration.
14. Simple Words and Phrases: Between 13 to 18 months, toddlers’ vocabularies expand rapidly. They begin to use simple words and may start combining them into short phrases, signaling the early stages of language development.
15. Imitation and Pretend Play: Toddlers love to imitate adults and engage in pretend play. This type of play is crucial for cognitive and social development, as it helps them understand the world around them.

Months 19-24: The Independent Phase

16. Running and Climbing: By the time they reach 24 months, toddlers are usually quite mobile. They can run, climb, and navigate their environment with increasing confidence and coordination.
17. Two-Word Sentences: Language skills continue to develop rapidly. Many toddlers start forming two-word sentences like “want cookie” or “big truck,” demonstrating their growing ability to communicate.
18. Problem-Solving: Cognitive development takes a leap forward as toddlers begin to solve simple problems. They might figure out how to fit shapes into a sorter or stack blocks in a tower, showcasing their evolving problem-solving skills.
19. Social Interaction: Toddlers start to show interest in playing with other children. While parallel play is common (playing alongside rather than with other children), the foundation for social skills and friendships is being laid.

Three Crucial Points Regarding a Baby’s Growth

1. The brain is more developed at the age of 0-7. If you choose a time to invest in your baby, then it is during childhood.
2. How you raise your child during this period is crucial. Throughout their lives, a child’s physical and mental development is influenced by their experiences and way of life.
3. To ensure that your child’s brain develops properly, you must shield them from stress.

When Will You Know That Your Child Is Not Developing Correctly?

• A six-month-old baby cannot roll over.
• An eight-month-old baby cannot sit.
• A 10-month-old baby cannot crawl.
• A 12-month-old baby doesn’t babble (meaningless sounds with their mouth).
• A 12-month-old baby does not gesture with their hands.
• A 12-month-old baby does not look when called by name.
• A 16-month-old baby is not saying a single word.
• An 18-month-old baby cannot walk.
• A 24-month-old baby is not speaking in 2-word pairs.
• Once a goal is accomplished, it is lost, abandoned, or worsened

See a doctor if your baby experiences any of these symptoms.

Each milestone in the first 24 months is a testament to the incredible growth and development taking place. It’s important to remember that every child is unique, and they may reach these milestones at their own pace. Celebrate each achievement, no matter how big or small, and enjoy the wondrous journey of watching your child grow.