A Baby’s growth happens in a phased manner and with each milestone, there is the progress made that is significant for the child and the parents. Parents are advised to follow certain critical steps and processes to ensure proper development and growth of the babies. The following are the details of certain important milestones that need to be considered while ensuring the proper growth of the kids. The primary step is to have a proper consultation with a doctor, if your baby does not show interest, does not turn the head to sounds and if the baby’s own sounds do not get more mature it will be good to consult these developments and turn of events with the doctor. Another major thing to be considered is the emotional development of the baby and the bonding that is developed with the parents. During the first three months, an infant learns that there is a world of things and a separate world of people.
- Between the second and seventh months, the baby discovers that there is one very special person that is always there when needed.
- Between the fourth and twelfth month, the baby discovers that this special person is separate but can be communicated with through looks, touch, and play.
- At one year, your baby is moving about, can get hold of things, and starts to communicate by changing facial expressions and making gestures and sounds.
Other important milestones: You should be alert enough to see that the baby is also alert, smiling, looking at you and playing with you, and is perturbed when either of the parents leaves. The baby may behave strangely when coming in touch with new people.
Cognitive Development
Babies are curious to see, hear, and touch. As months go by, their eyes follow people who move around. They learn to scan sounds, at the beginning with eye movements, later by turning their head. As soon as they can grasp, they get hold of everything that is near, look at what they hold, put it in their mouth, shake it, bang it, throw it and pass it from one hand to another. If a toy they like is hidden, they remember and search for it in the area where it is supposed to be lying. They bang two toys against each other and try to fit one toy inside the other.
Time-Based Progress
| 4 weeks | Rotates head when placed in the prone position. Responds to sound by changing activity. Focuses eyes on bright objects. Focuses eyes for a short while on a face. |
|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Holds head erect. Briefly raises head and shoulders off crib mattress. Follows an object with eyes. |
| 16 weeks | Brings himself up on hands in a prone position. Reaches for a toy; grasps if it is near hand. Follows object with eyes up/down, side-to-side. Plays and laughs. Recognizes mother and father with more emotional bonding with the parent who remains with the baby for the longest time. |
| 24 weeks | Raises and extends legs. Touches feet with hands. Rolls over in both directions. Approaches/grasps objects. Uses both hands. Babbles. Aware of and/or apprehensive of strangers. |
| 36 weeks | Sits, unsupported, for five to 10 minutes. Crawls on the abdomen. Is able to Play with two toys simultaneously. Starts calling mother and father. |
| 44 weeks | Creeps on their hands and knees and pulls up to stand. Grasps small objects with thumb and index finger. Imitates behavior, claps with hands, gestures goodbye. Places one object into another. Calls mother and father. |
| 12 months | Walks if one hand is held. Tries to pile two blocks after shown how to. Imitates words. Says mother and father. Responds to simple orders. Tries to feed self with fingers. |
These are some of the activities performed by the baby over a timeframe of twelve months and this is a natural progression in the growth of a baby.
