As you begin your new life as a parent you are both excited to see changes in your baby, and worried if they are making the right progress. Babies develop at different speeds, and baby steps in progress are what you should expect to see. When you’re waiting to see changes, they seem to take forever, but once they arrive, you can’t wait for more. Here are some of the events you can expect in your babies first months of life.
During their first month, you get everything you bargained for, crying, fussing, sleeping, and nursing. The big landmark you’ll see during this first month of life is the baby being able to lift their head for a short period of time. They are starting to focus on items which are very near them, usually within 10 inches.
The second month of life brings more excitement, as your baby begins to mature. Their developmental baby steps will show up as small smiles, and being able to track items with their eyes. Those precious little smiles are usually spontaneous, will bring joy to your hear.
When an infant enters their third month of life, things begin to happen more rapidly. Suddenly legs are kicking, and legs get straightened easily. Your infant will begin opening and closing their hands regularly. You’ll even see them starting to reach for the toys you have hanging in their bed, and shaking hand toys placed in their small grips.
Those baby steps or progress should be starting to get louder during the fourth month. You will start seeing your baby holding their head up high when lying on their stomach. This is getting them prepared for rolling over. Your baby will be able to support their weight on their two legs. This is the month you’ll get to start enjoying all the cooing sounds of an infant.
During the fifth month it may not be the baby steps you hear, it may be your steps running. Your baby will start doing mini push-ups, getting up high on their hands. It is time to start watching your baby very closely as they will start rolling over. You won’t want to step away from them when they are lying on a bed or couch any longer. Your baby will also be able to sit up for very short periods of time without support. Their balance will still be very shaky, buy you will be seeing big progress.
The six month is going to bring laughter to your home. You are starting to go from baby steps in progress, to big fun steps. Your baby will be rolling over easily in both directions. You’ll notice they are starting to imitate sounds, especially sounds you make to them. They are watching you closely during this month, and will start imitating some of your facial expressions, maybe some you didn’t even know you used. Toys will become more important to your infant this month as they are able to reach and grab toys easily on their own.
Each month continuing through your baby’s first year of life will continue to give you larger and louder baby steps of progress. It is amazing to see how fast a newborn goes from helpless, to crawling, eating, chattering, and climbing. Many times towards the end of your first year, those baby steps are no longer steps of progress, but real steps of walking. Get on your running shoes, the fun has just begun.