[title]
[message]The Milestones in Baby Development - An Introduction
Children experience rapid development, especially in the first five years.
Your baby learns a tremendous amount every month: the first conscious smile, the first crawl, the first solid meal, the first word. In hardly any phase of life does your child go through as many important milestones as in the first 12 months.
Getting to know their voice and the targeted use of their hands and feet are just some of the many remarkable steps in development.
This guide is intended to give you tips on what you can do so that your child develops the best they can without stress. There is a lot to learn and to discover. Do not be unsettled if your child reaches the milestones listed here a little sooner or later. Just enjoy the time together and marvel at the progress your child is making.
When Can My Baby See Me?
After birth, your baby can only see a mixture of black, grey and white at first because their sense of sight is not fully developed. Even distant things cannot be recognised very well. However, this works quite well up to a distance of about 25cm. Therefore, they can already recognise your face and study your facial expressions.
Don't worry if your child starts squinting or crying after a few moments. The initial training of the eye muscles is strenuous, which is why you may lose eye contact with your child. Over time, however, their eyes become more trained and can fixate on you for longer.
What Reflexes Does My Newborn Have?
In the first few weeks, your child's movements are controlled purely by their reflexes. The sucking reflex is particularly pronounced. As soon as they feel a touch on the lips, they begin to suck.
This reflex helps them to eat. They also move their head to one side when you touch their cheek. This is the search reflex where your newborn looks for the nipple to get food.
The grasping reflex is another one which your little one is already born with. As early as the Stone Age, babies were helped to hold onto their mother and not fall off. For the same reason, they also has what is known as the Moro reflex.
If they are put down too quickly, or if they are startled, they will throw their arms and legs out from themself and in the next moment put them directly back to the body and clench their hands into fists.
How Does Their Weight Develop in the First Months of Life?
The first month of life is certainly one of the most exciting for you and your baby. Even if it doesn't seem like it a lot happens to newborns in the first few weeks.
Your baby not only sleeps and eats a lot in the first three months, but also puts on a lot of weight. You will see that after an initial weight loss after giving birth, your baby will continuously gain around 200 grams per week.
From the fourth month onwards, your baby will "only" gain around 100 to 140 grams per week.
From the age of six months, babies put on an average of 90 to 120 grams per week.
When Does the First Tooth Come?
A milestone which often causes pain for parents and children is the first tooth. With some babies it already grows after three months, with others only after about six months.
During this time, some babies experience sporadic restless nights.
One reason for this is the swollen gums that hurt the child. You may also notice reddened cheeks on your little one.
The first tooth is often accompanied by lots of saliva. Also, your baby is likely to chew on anything they can get their hands on.
Would you like to support your little one during these difficult phases? You can give them lots of cuddles.
In addition, your baby's discomfort can sometimes be relieved with the help of cooling teething rings or tooth gels.
As soon as the first tooth is there, you should start taking care of your child's teeth. Typically, your child will have all their teeth by the age of 24 months.
Potty Training:When Do Toddlers Learn To Stay Dry?
There is another moving milestone beyond the first year of life: Potty training or the time when your child “stays dry”.
On average, children between the ages of 18 and 33 months learn to use the potty or the toilet. Before the age of 18 months, children have no control over their bladder and bowel.
That is why it only makes sense when your child is around 18 months old that you teach them potty training.
You can tell from clear gestures or words such as "wee" or "pee" that your toddler is slowly ready for a nappy-free everyday life.
When Does My Child Crawl?
Another milestone in baby development is certainly the first crawl. From the seventh month, your little one becomes more and more mobile.
Many children begin around the eighth or ninth month of life slowly "pulling themselves up" on objects and carefully standing on their own legs.
Exactly when your child starts crawling can be very different from how other children develop. Some crawl as early as seven months, while others don't do so until a year old.
As soon as the crawling is done and your baby is on their own two feet, they will certainly make their first attempts at walking.
When Can Baby Regulate Body Temperature?
Newborns are not able to regulate their own body temperature effectively right after birth. For the first few months of life, babies are highly sensitive to changes in temperature because their bodies are still developing the ability to produce and retain heat. This is particularly the case for premature babies, who are at a higher risk of temperature fluctuations.
Typically, by the time a baby is around six months old, their body has developed better control over temperature regulation. During this time, they start to have more fat stores, known as "brown fat," which helps them generate heat. However, even at six months, babies are still less efficient at maintaining their body temperature compared to adults.
Parents should help by keeping the baby's environment comfortable—neither too hot nor too cold. Dress them in layers that can be easily adjusted, and always feel their chest or back to check if they are too warm or too cold, rather than just their hands or feet. Babies can also lose heat quickly through their heads, so a hat might be necessary in cooler conditions.
Here you can find more Milestone blog articles:
Helping your Baby Learn to Talk
When Should my Baby Start to Roll Over?
When Can I Start Feeding my Baby Solids?
Separation Anxiety in Babies and Young Children
How Does my Baby's Hearing Develop?
Why Does my Child Put Things in their Mouth?
Baby Hair - Everything You Need to Know
Family Traditions for Baby's First Christmas
How to Support Your Baby When They Start Getting Mobile
When Should My Baby Start to Roll Over?