Baby development month by month in the first year
The first smile, sitting up, the first steps: what most babies do by 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 months, and when to talk to your paediatrician.
4 min read
In this article
Every baby develops at their own pace. The lists below show what most babies do by that age, not what your baby must do by a set date. If your baby walks later than your cousin’s son did, that usually means nothing. What matters is that they keep making progress, and do not lose skills they had.
For babies born early, age is counted from their due date, not the day they were born.
What most babies do
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1
2 months
Smiles when you talk to them, calms when picked up, follows you with their eyes, makes sounds other than crying and lifts their head when lying on their tummy.
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2
4 months
Chuckles when you play, “answers” you with sounds, holds their head steady without support, grasps a toy put in their hand and brings hands to mouth.
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3
6 months
Recognises familiar people, laughs out loud, blows raspberries, puts things in their mouth to explore them and rolls from tummy to back.
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4
9 months
Is wary of strangers, looks when you call their name, says “mamama” and “bababa”, lifts arms to be picked up, gets into sitting and sits without support.
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5
12 months
Waves bye-bye, calls you “mama” or “dada”, understands “no”, looks for a toy you hid, pulls up to stand and walks holding on to furniture.
How to help
- Tummy time. A few times a day, when your baby is awake and you are beside them, put them on their tummy. It strengthens the neck, back and arms. Start with a few minutes, from the first weeks.
- Talk all the time. Tell them what you are doing, sing, read, even when they do not seem to understand. Answer their sounds as if in a conversation.
- Play face to face. Peekaboo, songs with actions, mirrors. To your baby, you are the best toy.
- Room to move. A blanket on the floor is worth more than hours in a chair or seat.
- Little or no screen time. In the first year, babies learn from people, not screens.
About baby walkers
Wheeled baby walkers are still very common, but they do not help babies walk sooner and they cause many accidents, especially falls down stairs. Paediatricians advise against them. Let your baby pull up on the sofa and cruise along it instead.
When to talk to your paediatrician
Do not wait for the next check-up if:
- your baby is not doing one or more things on the list for their age
- your baby loses skills they had, for example no longer smiling or making sounds
- they do not react to loud sounds or follow you with their eyes
- one side of their body seems much stronger than the other
- you simply have a feeling something is not right
A parent’s instinct counts. The earlier help starts, the better the results.
Common questions
When do babies first smile?
When do babies sit up on their own?
When do babies walk?
Do baby walkers help babies walk?
Sources we consulted
- CDC: Milestones by age
- AAP, HealthyChildren.org: Baby walkers: a dangerous choice
Written by the mam.al editors as general information. It does not replace advice from your doctor or paediatrician.