A Parent's Guide to Understanding Your Baby's Developmental Milestones

Cognitive Development: During the first 3 months, your baby is going through periods of rapid brain development. This means they are starting to recognise faces when held close. They’ll begin to determine individual voices and who they belong to and respond to familiar sounds. Due to the rapid brain growth of the first 3 months, this development often means your baby will wake up more overnight for comfort, security, nutrition, to support this brain growth.

Physical Development: During the first 3 months, your baby’s movements are controlled mainly through  reflexes, which means they don’t have a lot of control over their movements. Additionally, your baby is busy trying to develop their neck strength and head control. Head control is crucial in allowing them to develop muscle control and coordination. As your baby gets closer to 3 months, the box Trio Teether is a great option to help your baby develop their hand-eye coordination as well as explore and learn to use their senses.

Social and Emotional Development: From birth until 3 months of age, your baby is laying the beginnings of their social connections. This means that they will start trying to communicate with you through smiles and try to copy your facial expressions. These early interactions establish the foundation for developing the bond between parents and the baby. Plus, there is something so special about when your baby smiles intentionally at you for the first time!

Cognitive Development: Around the 4-month mark, your baby starts to realise there is a world outside. They’re able to see more clearly now, meaning they start to take in every little thing they can see. They start to people-watch, which often means they get distracted while feeding if something catches their eye. They start to use their hands to learn through their sense of touch, grasping objects around them. They may have also found their hand. Actively putting their hands into their mouth around the      4-6 month mark is another way they will start to learn and prepare to      eat solid food. Once they begin eating solids at 6 months, the reusable Fill + Feed silicone food pouch is a great way to develop their hand-eye      coordination and independence skills. Furthermore, they will start to respond more intentionally to affection as they start to learn about cause and effect.

Physical Development: In the 4-6 month period, your baby may have learned  to roll, and this will now be a common occurrence. Your baby might be starting to try and sit up, often with some support. Rolling and learning to sit up are all developmental milestones that will help your baby strengthen their muscles and prepare for crawling and walking later down the track. Around this period, babies often begin teething (if they haven’t already), which may mean they want to chew more – cue the Chill + Fill Teether. They may also be more prone to getting nappy rash. This is where the Protect Nappy + Barrier Cream from b.box can help prevent rashes or irritation from teething. It is now important not to swaddle your baby for sleeps if they are showing signs of being close to rolling. This is because if they do roll onto their tummy, they need to be able to use their hands to move their head to the side.

Social and Emotional Development: Around this time, your baby is now able to recognise familiar faces and will often display a preference for specific people (such as the parents). This preference often comes from feelings of love and safety, which have  already developed. This social and emotional development is the early connection that lays the groundwork for building relationships and social skills in the future.

Cognitive Development: During this period, babies are learning object permanence, an understanding that objects still exist even when out of sight. This is an essential cognitive development that allows our babies to develop problem-solving skills and a more in-depth understanding of the world around them. Due to this cognitive growth, babies may start to become more clingy, which we will discuss in the emotional aspect below.

Physical Development: Between 7-12 months babies start to develop more physically. They begin learning to crawl and stand while being supported, and some babies may even start walking. During this period, there is often a vast difference between baby's mobility and the skills they are learning. Crawling is an important skill for babies to help develop their hand-eye coordination and curiosity about the world. 

Social and Emotional Development: As your baby creates a deeper cognitive awareness of the world around them and can  move more freely, they may start to display signs of independence. It is important to remember that baby recognising they have a safe and secure place to return to will give them more confidence in building their independence. With this increased understanding of object permanence, there may come more clinginess. Babies may also develop some shyness during this period. This is due to them recognising and feeling safe with familiar individuals and, therefore, feeling shy around individuals they may not know or recognise. Babies may also fluctuate through these emotions, which is essential for their growing awareness of the world around them.

 

 

How Can I Help My Baby's Development?

Now that we know what the main milestones for our babies are, it is important to explore the variety of ways we can help to support our babies' development.

Activities to Encourage Baby's Physical Development

There are a variety of things we can do with our baby to help them develop their motor skills, coordination and strength. Some activities we can do to support physical development include:

 

Tummy Time: Tummy time involves placing your baby on their tummy to help strengthen their neck and shoulder muscles. This doesn’t mean placing baby on the floor and leaving them there. Instead, try to  think about ways you can both enjoy tummy time together. This might include you lying on the couch with your baby lying on your chest or taking your mat outside and lying down together.

Interactive Toys: By choosing interactive toys that inspire your baby to reach, grab, and kick, you'll be actively contributing to their healthy physical growth.

Daily stretches: Many paediatric physiotherapists have easy-to-follow  guides on their Instagram and/or website of simple stretches that can help improve flexibility and coordination.

 

 

Stimulating Cognitive Development

As you now know, your baby’s brain is developing rapidly in the first 12 months after birth. There are some ways that you can help support your baby’s cognitive development as well as spend some precious bonding time together too.

 

Reading Books: Reading books to your little one helps  introduce them to language patterns, tones and rhythms. When babies are little, black-and-white books are perfect for stimulating their brains and helping them learn. Once they are older, you may look for colourful pictures or touch-and-feel books to capture their attention.

Sensory Play: Sensory play is an amazing way to help your baby develop through their senses as well as encourage their curiosity. There are many sensory playgroups  you can attend, which can also help you meet new friends, or you can use textured toys, fabrics and safe objects for them to play with.

Music: Babies love to listen to music and learn to sing along. Listening to music together will help to develop rhythm through clapping to the songs as well as enhance their hearing. There are many parent and baby music groups you can attend at the library together, or you can just sing to your baby when playing at home.

 

 

Fostering Emotional and Social Skills

Helping to build your baby’s social and emotional skills can help them form positive relationships and resilience later in life. Being able to form positive relationships is an essential skill for your baby’s overall well-being.

Responsive Care: One of the most important ways that your baby will learn is by you responding quickly to their   This may be responding positively when baby is smiling or cooing at you or cuddling them when they are crying and upset. Responding appropriately to your baby helps them learn security and trust.

Mirrors: Okay, stay with us here for a second… Mirrors can be a great tool for playing with your baby. Why?! Well babies are obsessed with their reflection in the mirror and can stare at themselves for hours. Spending time in front of a mirror together will help them learn how to make facial expressions and encourage them to learn how to imitate you. Cute right?!

Social Interactions: It is important to socialise with other babies and children. Have you ever wondered why your baby stares at other babies or children? This is because these interactions allow your baby to observe and engage with others. This is the beginning of your baby's development of social skills.

 

 

When Should I Be Concerned About My Baby’s Development?

Every child will learn new skills and develop at a different pace, and sometimes comparing your child to your friends' children can cause you unnecessary distress. So when should you be concerned and seek medical advice?

When your child takes longer to develop their social, physical or emotional skills, this is called a developmental delay. A developmental delay may be a short-term delay, or it may be long-term. Keeping in mind that “normal” varies a lot, here are some key things to look out for if you are concerned about your baby’s development:

 

Physical signs

If your baby is showing physical signs that they may need support with their development, these may include:

a. They seem like they can’t see properly. This may mean they are not following you or objects with their eyes. They seem like they can’t hear properly. This may be that they do not turn their head towards noise.

b. It seems like they are unable to use either of their arms or legs.

c. By the time the baby is 4 months, they can’t hold their head up.

d. If they are unable to sit by 9 months of age.

d. If they are unable to stand up even with support by 12 months old.

 

Behaviour Signs

These may include signs that your baby is not behaving how they should be, such as:

a. Excessive crying: this may be more than one period of extended (>3 hours) crying a day, especially after 4 months.

b. They have an unusual cry that sounds either high-pitched or horse-like.

 

Social and Emotional Signs

Signs that your baby may need some social or emotional support may include:

a. Your baby doesn’t look at you

b. Your baby doesn’t seem interested in what is going on around them.

c. Your baby isn’t trying to make babbling sounds by 9 months or is using less than 5 words at 18 months old

d. Your baby responds to some sounds but not others.

 

Most importantly, if you have the instinct that something isn’t right with your baby listen to this. You know your baby better than anyone, and if something doesn’t seem right or they seem to be losing skills over time, it is essential to seek help from a medical professional early. Early intervention is the best thing that we can do to support our baby's development and improve outcomes. See the resources section of this blog for information on where to seek help.

 

 

The Benefits of Early Intervention

Early intervention plays a major role in addressing developmental delays in babies and children. Research has shown that during the first few years of a baby’s life, they go through rapid brain development, meaning that it is the best time to intervene and support development if there are any concerns. By picking up any concerns with a baby’s development early, parents and health professionals can work together to provide individualised, targeted support. Therefore, improving the overall development and wellbeing of the baby.

 

 

When and How to Seek Help for Developmental Concerns?

If you notice any developmental concerns in your baby, it is essential to seek help as soon as you can. Here are some ways that you can take the next step:

1. Trust your instincts and seek guidance. If you have an immediate concern, it may be best to go to an Emergency Department. If it is not an immediate concern, you may like to call your local GP and make an appointment.

2. When you attend your regular health check-ups with your Early Childhood Nurse, Paediatrician or GP, this is a great time to address any concerns that you may have.

3. Support groups are a great way to feel supported by other parents who may be experiencing similar situations.

 

 

Common Myths About Developmental Milestones

There are many myths surrounding developmental milestones, which can confuse and scare parents unnecessarily.

Let’s debunk some common misconceptions about baby’s development:

 

1. All children develop at the same

The reality is that all babies and children are different and will meet developmental milestones at different ages. The guidelines exist as a way to help encourage families to seek help; however, , factors such as genetics, environment and temperament all come into play when considering a baby’s unique developmental pattern.

2. Development will follow a predictable path

The truth is that some babies may develop really quickly in one area and then slower in others. Development is not a linear process, so it is important not to have rigid expectations.

3. Early development means long-term success

This myth explores the idea that if a baby develops quickly, they must have future success. The reality is there is no correlation between early development and future success, just as there is no association between late development and a lack of success in the future.

4. We need to train our children to be independent

This myth can actually hinder our children’s progression. Trying to train children to be independent can actually have the opposite effect and make them more anxious about the world around them. Independence is a natural development that babies and children will learn over time with love, security and safety.

The main theme that we can see through all of these developmental myths is the lack of embracing individualisation. Remember, all babies are different, and that is a good thing! The most important thing to do is create a safe and supportive environment for our children to learn, grow and develop.

 

Resources for Further Information

 

Websites:

• • Raising Children is a great website with evidence-based information to help you learn about your baby’s growth and development at all ages. https://raisingchildren.net.au

• • Kid Sense involves Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy services for children with developmental challenges. They also have online fact sheets https://childdevelopment.com.au/areas-of-concern/what-is-child-development/

• • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/facts.html

 

 

Organisations

• • Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority https://www.acecqa.gov.au/

• • Early childhood health centres: These are free support centres for families with children 0-5 years old.

• • If your child has been diagnosed with a developmental delay or developmental concerns, the NDIS can help you and your child get services and support. Phone 1800 800 110

• • Parent Line NSW is a confidential telephone advice service for parents and carers in New South Wales. Phone 1300 130 052

 

 

Books

• • Mary Sheridan's From Birth to Five Years 5th Edition - Children's Developmental Progress By: Ajay Sharma, Helen Cockerill, Lucy Sanctuary

• • The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did) By: Philippa Perry

• • The Whole-Brain Child By: Daniel J. Siegel, Tina Payne Bryson

 

 

Conclusion

Understanding your baby’s developmental milestones can help you to understand what is normal and when you should seek help. From birth until 12 months, babies go through rapid brain development, physical development and social and emotional development.

 

Being aware of these milestones and that all children will reach milestones at different times can help you play an active role in your baby’s growth. From fostering cognitive development through reading books and sensory play to supporting their physical development with tummy time and interactive toys, you can play a crucial role. It is equally important to play, respond and interact with your baby so they are able to develop their emotional and social development.

 

Remember, all babies develop at different times and in different ways. Avoiding common myths and enjoying time with your baby is essential. Trust your instincts as a parent, as you know your baby better than anyone. If something doesn’t feel right, or you have any concerns, always take your baby or child to a health professional. In the end, parenting is all about providing a safe and supportive environment for your baby to grow, develop and thrive.