Babies grow quickly. And with their physical development comes rapid and dramatic changes in the way they perceive the world around them. For new moms and dads, the experience can be both jarring and exciting. Each month brings new joys and challenges. Each month introduces new surprises. Within the first year, your little one will develop her own unique personality, much of which will remain with her as she becomes a toddler.

This article will describe the development most infants go through as they race toward their first birthday. Keep in mind, babies develop at their own pace. Some sprint ahead while others lag behind. Consider the markers that follow to be a rough guide.

Through Month Two: Testing Her Limbs And Watching The World

During the first several weeks, your little one will spend most of her time (in addition to sleeping) trying to move around. For example, she’ll try to lift her head, or move it from side to side. She’ll bring her hands close to her face in order to inspect them, and occasionally move her arms in a jerking motion.

Your baby will also be far more interested in people than objects. She’ll be naturally drawn to you and soothed by your voice, but will also show interest in others – both strangers and those familiar to her. By the end of her second month, she’ll begin to smile and experiment with sounds she can make with her mouth.

Through Month Six: Aware Of Her Surroundings

During the third month, your little one will become more interested in everything around her. You’ll notice her tracking objects with her eyes and following them (as much as possible) with her head. She’ll also begin building her eye-hand coordination by grabbing objects within her reach.

Your baby will start moving with more energy, kicking her legs outward while on her back and lifting her head while on her stomach. She’ll also learn to roll over, from her back to stomach and vice versa.

By month five, you’ll hear your baby talking to herself, though she’ll be using made-up words and sounds. This will slowly develop into speech down the road. By the end of the month, she’ll start teething.

During her six month, you’ll see her sitting up by herself. She’ll also be able to focus intently on small objects, or those that are located far from her. You’ll notice your baby mimicking facial expressions that she observes on your face and the faces of others. Meanwhile, the sounds she makes with her mouth, though still unintelligible, will start to sound closer to one and two-syllable words.

Through Month Nine: Learning About Emotions And Interactions

By the seventh month, your little one will have developed the ability to discern emotions by listening to others’ voices. She may try to mimic what she hears. She will also have learned to cry for specific reasons. You’ll be able to determine why she’s crying simply by listening to her.

Her interaction with various people will be noticeably different. For example, she may behave differently with you than she does with your partner. By the end of the ninth month, she’ll begin picking things up easily with her hands. She’ll enjoy the tactile experience of holding things, including the spoon with which she is fed.

Through Month Twelve: Developing Her Personality

During month ten, you’ll see your baby successfully pull herself to her feet and stand securely. She’ll also start to communicate openly with her hands; she’ll clap when happy and wave to others to say goodbye.

By the twelfth month, your little one will start discovering the relationships that exist between objects. For example, she’ll place items into containers before removing them; she’ll dump items on the floor before picking them up and replacing them; she’ll open and close cupboard doors. By this point, your baby may also have learned to walk, and will roam wherever possible.

As noted earlier, the milestones described above are merely a guide to your little one’s development. She’ll accomplish certain feats ahead of time and take a little longer to do others. There’s rarely cause for concern in the latter case. Instead, enjoy this exciting first year of your baby’s growth. It is during these twelve months that a lifelong bond starts to develop.

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Category: Parenting
Keywords: infants, babies, first year, pregnancy, new moms, parenting