Your Baby's Development

Here are some developmental markers in your baby’s growth through their first year.

By 2 Months of Age

• Baby moves her head from cheek to cheek while lying on her tummy
• Focuses 8 to 12 inches in front of her face
• Turns her head to familiar sounds and voices
• Baby remains calm when held or moved
• Holds a toy in her hand

By 4 Months of Age

• Raises her head and chest off the floor when lying on her tummy
• Makes cooing, babbling sounds and is beginning to smile
• Clasps her hands together often and brings her hands to her mouth
• Sits with support
• Rolls from her back to her side
• Reaches for and grabs a toy

By 6 Months of Age

• Grabs feet with hands while on her back
• Supports herself in sitting
• Explores by putting toys in her mouth and banging toys together
• Opens her mouth for spoon when feeding
• Smiles at herself in a mirror

By 8 Months of Age

• Rolls over in both directions
• Sits by herself without support and plays with a toy
• Is able to pick up small objects such as Cheerios or Puffs
• Babbles chains of consonants such as “baba” and “dada”

By 10 Months of Age

• Can pull to stand on furniture by wobbly
• Walks sideways along furniture (“cruising”)
• Points to show you what she wants
• Crawls on hands and knees
• Feeds herself with a cracker

By 12 Months of Age

• Stands briefly without support
• May walk two or three steps without support
• Puts small blocks into a container and takes them out again
• Tries to imitate scribbling
• Helps with getting dressed by offering a foot or an arm
• Says her first words