Is your little one developing properly? (Baby Developmental Milestones) Let's talk about this!

There's nothing more exciting than watching your little one grow up, right? The way he lifts his head, the way he reaches for a toy, all of this means a lot to you. These are what we call baby milestones, or 'developmental milestones' (Baby developmental milestones ) . These tell us that the baby is growing well and as expected.

How does the baby's doctor check for these things?

When you take your baby to the monthly 'clinic', the pediatrician will carefully examine these 'developmental milestones'. There, the baby will be examined, played with, and observed how the baby moves, plays, and makes sounds. This is a great time to ask the doctor any questions or concerns you may have about your baby's development.

Doctors updated this list of 'developmental milestones' in 2022. This means that it includes things that three out of four babies will do by a certain age. If your baby isn't doing something at the right age, your doctor may recommend some tests to check for developmental delays. If there are any, they will also tell you about 'early intervention' to help. This includes things like physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.

What are the main aspects of baby development?

These ' developmental milestones ' for babies can be divided into four main categories. Sometimes, a single thing can fall into more than one of these categories. It's impossible to put it exactly in one. But knowing about these categories will help you talk to your doctor about your baby's development .

Social and emotional milestones

This is how your baby shows his emotions and interacts with others. Think about things like when you smile and he smiles back at you, or when you say his name and he looks at you.

Language and communication milestones

This is how a baby makes sounds and communicates with others without words. For example, making sounds like 'coo... coo...' and raising his arms when you want to hold him.

Cognitive milestones

This is about how a baby thinks, learns, and solves problems. To be precise, it's like putting a toy in your mouth and trying to figure out what it is.

Physical and motor development (Motor milestones)

This is how your baby moves and develops physically. This includes things like pushing his elbows on the ground while crawling and lifting his head, and trying to grab something and stand up.

How is the baby developing month by month?

Your baby goes through a lot of changes from the day he is born until he is one year old. Seeing these 'developmental milestones' will bring you great joy. Your baby will be even happier, because he will gradually begin to understand the world around him.

But remember that these are just guidelines. Don't worry if it seems like your baby is taking a little longer to do these things. Not all babies are the same, and they develop at their own pace. If you have any concerns, talk to your pediatrician about them.

Okay then, let's see what babies do month by month?

What does a baby do at 2 months?

By about two months of age, most babies do these things:

• Staring at something like a toy for a few seconds at a time.
• You look at it as you walk around.
• Raises head while lying on stomach (` tummy time` ).
• Shaking hands and legs.
• Hold your hands open for a few seconds without clenching them.
• They make other noises besides crying.
• If you hear a loud noise, you react to it.
• When you talk to him or hold him, he stops crying and calms down.
• Looking at your face.
• They respond happily when they see you.
• If you smile or talk, they smile back.

What does a baby do at 4 months?

By four months, most babies:

• When they are hungry, they open their mouths at the sight of feeding (either from a bottle or breast milk).
• They like to look at their hands.
• When you're carrying it, it keeps its head straight on its own.
• You grab a toy that is given to you.
• They hit things like toys with their hands.
• They are putting their hands in their mouths.
• While lying on your stomach, you press your elbows into the ground and lift your body.
• They make 'clucking' sounds like 'Uu...' 'Aaah...'.
• They respond loudly when you say something.
• They turn their heads towards your voice.
• Laughing alone.
• When you do something to make him laugh, he giggles and giggles.
• They try to keep your attention on them by shaking their bodies, making noises, or looking at you.

What does a baby do at 6 months?

By six months, most babies:

• When they are done eating, they press their lips together to show it.
• They put things in their mouths to learn about them.
• They reach out and try to get the toys they want.
• Rolling from stomach to back.
• While lying on your stomach, straighten your arms and lift your body.
• I use both hands for support while sitting.
• They make noises back and forth with you, pretending to 'talk'.
• They stick out their tongue and make a 'bru bru' sound (`blowing raspberries`).
• It makes a noise like screaming.
• Getting to know familiar people.
• I like to see myself in the mirror.
• Without a little giggle, I laugh out loud.

What does a baby do at 9 months?

By nine months, most babies:

• They are looking for things that fall from their hands.
• Beating things together – like beating a pot with a spoon.
• Sitting alone.
• Sitting without any support.
• They pick up pieces of food with their fingers.
• Things are transferred from one hand to the other.
• They make sounds like 'ma-ma-ma', repeating the same letters over and over again.
• When you want to hold him, you raise your hands.
• Strangers often show fear, shyness, and may even hug you.
• They make various facial expressions to show emotions such as happiness, sadness, and surprise.
• Responds to hearing their name.
• If you try to leave, they will cry or reach out to you.
• When you cover your face with your hands and then remove them again ('peek-a-boo!'), they respond by smiling or being happy.

What does a baby do at 12 months (one year old)?

At 12 months, or about a year, most babies:

• Small things are put into larger containers – for example, like putting a toy train in a bucket.
• He looks for things he sees you hiding – like when you hide his toy behind your back.
• He grabs something nearby and gets up.
• Walks holding onto stationary objects, such as furniture (this is usually called `cruising`).
• Picks up small objects, like pieces of cereal, using the thumb and index finger.
• When saying goodbye to someone, you wave.
• They call their parents 'mom' or some other name.
• I know what it means to say 'no'.
• Just playing with you.

How do you protect your baby as he grows up?

Your baby's first year is a time of discovery. As he starts to move around, his curiosity about the world around him increases. Never leave your baby alone. A responsible adult should be with him at all times when he is awake. However, just watching over him is not enough. If you are not careful, accidents and injuries are more likely to occur.

Here are some things to do and things not to do to protect your baby.

These things need to be named!

• To prevent accidental scalding, set the water heater temperature to 48 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit).
• Check the temperature of the water you use to bathe your baby, and be aware of bathroom safety.
• When choosing toys, they should be sturdy, not easily broken, not sharp, and larger than the baby's mouth.
• Put gates where there are stairs. When choosing, it is better to choose gates with upright posts rather than those with crossbars, as they can be climbed over.
• Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors and follow instructions on how to use them properly.
• Learn about car seat safety (this applies to everyone who takes a baby in the car).
• Limit your baby's exposure to the sun and dress them in sun-protective clothing (you can also apply sunscreen after 6 months).
• Make sure the baby stays in the high chair and doesn't get up.
• Keep small items, sharp objects, easily broken items, and items that could be poisonous to the baby (medicines, cleaning products, soap) out of reach of the baby, or in a locked cupboard. (Sri Lanka Poison Information Center phone number 0112686143).
• When putting your baby to sleep, place him or her on his or her back on a firm mattress. Also, take other steps to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
• Securely secure window sashes and curtain cords to prevent dangling cords from becoming a hazard.

Never do these things!

• Do not drink or hold hot things while holding your baby.
• Do not give water to babies under 6 months old.
• Do not leave your baby alone in a car.
• Don't let your baby play in the kitchen while you're cooking.
• Do not put necklaces, bracelets, or toys around the baby's neck.
• Do not take babies under 6 months old to a swimming pool.
• Do not use ``infant walkers'', they are very dangerous.

What should you do when a newborn baby is one month old?

Newborn milestones are the things that most babies can do by the time they are about one month old. Although the updated list above starts at 2 months, pediatricians traditionally expect babies to do the following by the time they are one month old:

• Bringing hands to face.
• When placed on the stomach, the head shakes from side to side.
• I'm rubbing my hands together.
• They make reflex movements (i.e. movements that happen automatically).
• Familiar voices and sounds turn in the direction they are heard.

The most important thing to remember! (Take-Home Message)

Seeing your baby's milestones can be a joy to watch, and you might even end up taking a bunch of photos on your phone! However, if your baby doesn't reach a certain milestone, you might feel a little worried. Don't hold anything back at such times, but talk to your pediatrician right away. He or she will be the one who will be monitoring your baby's progress. He or she will be able to tell you if your baby needs any extra help.

Not every baby is the same, and everyone's journey is different. Your little one will come into this world at their own pace, in their own unique way. Your love, care, and encouragement are all they need!

` Baby growth, developmental milestones, baby milestones, baby development, child health, parenting tips, baby safety