Milestones for infants: How your baby develops in the first year

In the first year of life, babies go through rapid changes that mark the beginning of their lifelong growth. These milestones for infants are a series of physical, emotional, social, and cognitive skills that babies typically learn over time. While every child is different and will develop at their own pace, these milestones can help you or other caregivers understand the common newborn development stages.

Newborn milestones by month

Tracking newborn milestones by month can provide reassurance and help you spot any potential concerns early. From first smiles to standing up, these milestones highlight the beauty and complexity of physical, language and social development in infancy.

Below, we have compiled a breakdown of the newborn developmental milestones. You can refer to this guide at any time to keep track of your little one's development.

1. Newborn to 2 months
   The first two months bring fundamental newborn developmental milestones. Babies begin showing early signs of physical and cognitive growth, including:¹• Lifting or turning their head during tummy time
   • Making eye contact
   • Reacting to sounds and familiar voices
   • Grabbing onto your finger
   • Making cooing sounds
   • Maybe beginning to smile or getting excited
   • Following objects or a person with both eyes
   At this developmental stage, newborns will cry when they are hungry, need changing or want to be held.¹ One way you can soothe your infant between feeds and during fussiness is by introducing a dummy like the Philips Avent Ultra Air Soother. The Ultra Air is light and breathable, keeping your little one happy and calm.
   These are essential signs of newborn cognitive development and early physical development in infancy.
   
2. Up to 4 months
   At this stage, infant developmental milestones by month include more intentional physical and sensory actions:¹• Being able to hold their head steady while in a supported sitting position
   • Grabbing or pulling at their clothes
   • Making high-pitched squeals
   • Giggling and laughing
   • Playing with their hands
   • Getting excited when they see a familiar face
   • Smiling and making noises in front of a mirror
   These changes reflect increasing physical development in infancy and fine motor coordination. Infant language development can be seen especially in the way your infant communicates at this stage, with their cries sounding different when they’re in pain, hungry or tired.²
   At the age of around 3 to 4 months, your infant may begin to want to feed frequently or even constantly. This is known as cluster feeding and is a completely normal part of an infant's development.³ Learn more about cluster feeding and how to make it work in another one of our articles.
   
3. Up to 6 months
   At around six months, newborns’ milestones by month become more socially interactive and physically dynamic. You can expect your little one to:¹• Siting up with support
   • Rolling from their back to their tummy
   • Babbling with repeated sounds (i.e. ‘ba’, ‘ga’)
   • Going for toys out of reach
   • Behaving differently around strangers or other people
   • Being able to get into a crawling position
   • Begin teething
   These reflect continued newborn cognitive development and growing social development in infancy.
   At this stage, you should try and engage communication with your infant in a playful way. This may involve repeating sounds that they make or talking to them in a soft, calm voice.⁴
   
4. Up to 9 months
   Nine months is marked by a period of exploration and further physical and social development, as well as infant language development:
   • Sitting (and maybe even standing) up without support¹• Beginning to start crawling¹
   • Recognising familiar faces¹
   • Starting to say simple words (such as ‘dada’, ‘mama’)¹
   • Understanding the word ‘no’
   • Responding to their name⁵
   • Copying behaviours (i.e. sounds they hear)⁵
   To support your infant's development, try and encourage your baby during playtime, such as giving them objects to pick up, or putting furniture close to them so they can use it for support while standing.⁵
   
5. 12 months
   The final months of the first year bring even more visible and exciting milestones for infants. By their first birthday, your infant may be:
   • Crawling or bottom shuffling¹
   • Standing alone without support¹
   • Displaying preferences for certain toys⁶
   • Shyness around strangers and a preference for familiar people⁶
   • Babbling starts to sound more like meaningful sounds¹
   • Helping to turn the pages of a book¹
   • Finding hidden or obscure objects
   All of these represent ongoing infant milestones in the first year, expanding on both infant language development and physical development in infancy.

Supporting your newborn's milestones

All babies grow differently, and that’s perfectly natural. However, you can still nurture their path toward key newborn developmental milestones by offering consistent care, play, and sensory stimulation. Here are some ways you can promote the development of your little one:

• Responsive caregiving: Observe and respond to your baby’s natural cues, such as hunger. Health experts recommend responsive feeding, or feeding on demand, as the best method to support your infant's development.⁷
  
• Tummy time: Builds strength in neck, arms, and upper body. Tummy time can be practised from birth, and you can gradually build up its frequency day by day.⁸
  
• Daily play: Encourages newborn cognitive development and curiosity, and may even help with your bonding. Try talking, singing, clapping, or using their favourite toys to stimulate them.⁸
  
• Crawling: Support your infant's motor development by giving them space at home to explore safely.

These strategies help guide your baby through their infant developmental milestones by month and support healthy growth in every domain.

It’s important to approach newborn milestones with flexibility. Milestones serve as helpful markers, not checklists. Focus on your baby’s general well-being and developmental rhythm. And if you’re ever unsure, talk to health professionals, your GP or midwives to seek advice.

Keep in mind:

• All babies reach infant milestones in the first year differently so don’t worry if other kids around your own develops at a different pace
  
• Progress is more important than specific timing
  
• Seek help and support if you’re ever unsure about your child’s development

Celebrate each new step in your baby's journey—no matter when it comes.

Feeling ready to go back to work? Discover what to expect when you go back to work from maternity leave.