In the first year of your baby’s life, the growth will be at such a hectic pace, you will need all your energy to keep up. From learning how to sit, crawling around the house, standing steadily on her feet, making an attempt to walk and finally learning the first few words of speech are all bundled in the first year of her life. Although there is no telling when exactly it can happen, here are some few tips that can help you to keep up with your little one’s development and all the clever things that she is up to.
First and Second Months
Your baby will have started to move her head from one side to another when placed on her front. You will also begin to notice that she gently bounces her head against your chest as you hold her in front of you. By the next month, she might even be able to hold or lift her head up for a few seconds. During this stage, babies are known to copy facial expressions. A cool way to find out is to stick out your tongue and see if she follows suit. Remember to keep your camera charged and ready, as around the second month you will notice that your baby has started to coo and smile as well as babble excitedly.
Third and Fourth Months
Around this time, your baby will have learned to master the control of her head and would have discovered that her hands are like a magic magnet touching and feeling everything that comes her way. During these months you will notice your baby is spending more time observing objects around her, such as play toys, rattle toys, and other baby gadgets that have caught her fancy. At this age, the baby starts to develop her concentration skills and appears to be far more vocal and responsive as she continues to gurgle and babble with you for longer durations. Starting from the fourth month, you will notice your baby tends to put everything in her mouth. This is because, in the fourth month, she is learning to explore the texture, weight, shape and size of objects. Considered to be a primitive reflex, this typical baby habit known as mouthing takes place because the nerve endings in the mouth are far more precise than those in the fingers.
Fifth month
As your baby starts to master the art of rolling around, she has now gained more strength while her torso control is also far more focused. If you prop her to sit, you will notice that she will be able to sit for a longer time than before, while her hand eye coordination is not only acuter but she is able to snatch and grip successfully at various objects well within her reach. During these months, your baby starts to learn the ‘cause and effect’ motion. For instance, she will begin to comprehend that a ball moves way when it is pushed. This mechanism will also be noticeable when she intentionally cries to get your attention.
Sixth month
Around this time, your baby is now able to contain more weight on her forearms, as you notice that she can push herself right up, flexing her back and hoisting her head. If you pay close attention to her, you will notice that she repeats certain sound patterns, which is an indication that she is experimenting with various sounds. If your baby is beginning to babble in a singsong pattern, it is actually a good sign that her audio skills are in perfect condition, as babies with auditory difficulties do not tend to do this.
Malvika Agrawal, a blogger and writer has written this article. She loves to share content on various subjects. She has been in this field for many years. If you enjoyed this article you can follow her on Twitter @malvikaagrawal4.
