Children's Physicians Medical Group

Monday Milestones Archives

Welcome to the wonderful world of parenthood! Every week we’ll let you know about your baby’s growth, development and milestones, from birth through the teen years. And while all babies (and kids too!) are different, our goal is to inform you about some typical patterns of development. We hope you’ll come back every week to see what’s new at Monday Milestones.
 

1-Week Old Baby

Newborn
Your newborn might be temporarily funny-looking (i.e., puffy and/or pointy) after squeezing through the birth canal. She may also drop some weight (about 5 to 10 percent of her birth weight due to normal post delivery fluid loss) before she starts to gain. And while she may be very, very sleepy at first, she'll soon be wide-awake (and not always when you want her to be). Your goal right now: Get a handle on breastfeeding or bottle feeding and take good care of yourself (adequate rest, nutrition, and hydration) so you'll be at your best as you bond with your baby. Enjoy!
Newborn Reflexes
Babies instinctively know how to grasp a finger, root for the breast, and several other reflexes. Your pediatrician will continue to check these at subsequent well-baby checkups too.
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2-Week Old Baby

Your baby is about to hit one of his first major growth spurts around 2 weeks. Colic, seeming hungry all the time and changes in sleeping patterns are typical at this age.
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3-Week Old Baby

Worried about how your baby’s skin looks? Don’t be! Cradle cap, little red bumps on her face and purplish-looking skin is normal, and better yet, temporary!
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4-Week Old Baby

Right about now it may seem like your baby is making lots of cute, new sounds. She is! Keep the conversation going -- talking to your little one is a great way to bond!
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5-Week Old Baby

Was that a real smile, or just gas? Break out the camera, because by now your baby will be smiling a whole lot more!
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6-Week Old Baby

Get a grip! At least that’s what your little one’s doing now! His eyesight and coordination is improving, so it’s time to give him some fun toys to hang on to.
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7-Week Old Baby

It's all about the senses now! Your baby's sense of sight, touch and sound are really developing, so read, tickle and show your little one lots of interesting things!
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2-Month Old Baby

Here’s the big payoff for the last 2 months of sleepless nights, dirty diapers and (seemingly) endless feeding – your baby should be smiling, laughing, and even cooing at this age! He’s growing a lot right now, so give him lots of stimulation.
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3-Month Old Baby

It’s graduation time! Your baby is no longer a newborn, she’s an infant! And one who should be showing a lot of personality, laughing, staying awake for longer periods of time (and sleeping longer too!).
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4-Month Old Baby

By this time, your baby should be able to push himself up if he’s lying on his tummy, and may even be able to flip over onto his back. He’ll also be vocalizing a lot more, starting to say consonants like “a- ba”, and maybe “da-da”!
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5-Month Old Baby

At 5 months, your baby’s vision and hearing is almost fully developed (can you believe it?). She can see tiny objects, and lots of colors, and might turn her head when you call her name! She also recognizes object permanence (that’s why peek a boo is so fun now), and may cry when you leave the room.
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6-Month Old Baby

Wow! Half way through their first year!  Your baby is growing like crazy right now.  He/She should be able to sit on his/her own, may have gotten his first tooth, and should be able to roll from front to back.  Get ready; your baby will be crawling all over the place before you know it!
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7-Month Old Baby

At this age, babies love predictability. It gives them a sense of security and power. They also are becoming very active, picking up toys, stacking, knocking them down. Crawling or scooting around may have started by now, but don’t worry if it hasn’t. Some babies skip this step altogether!
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8-Month Old Baby

It’s a whole new world when your baby starts to crawl or scoot around, which may be happening now. She’s also able to pick up tiny objects, so get on your hands and knees and do a safety check! They are putting everything in their mouth at this stage, so try introducing some crackers other safe foods.
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9-Month Old Baby

Your 9 month old’s language skills are really improving now, and he may even respond to simple commands like “give mommy the ball!” He’s also at the peak of separation anxiety, so don’t be surprised if there’s lots of crying and clinging if you leave him (even if it’s for a moment.)
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10-Month Old Baby

Walking ? Crawling? Scooting? Standing? All of the above? None of the above? Babies all grow at different rates, and it’s possible your little one may be doing some or all of these things! But don’t worry if they’re not, babies typically learn to walk between 9 to 18 months old.
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11-Month Old Baby

Becoming independent is all part of growing up – and at 11 months, your baby may be showing signs of this already!  She can hold her own bottle or sippie cup, feed herself with her hands and even obey simple commands.  Saying more words than “mama” or “dada” may be happening now too!
 

12-Month Old

Does your baby walk the walk?  Or talk the talk?  Learning to walk and saying his first words usually happen around a year old.  But if not, don’t worry!  Just make sure he has lots of opportunities to use his large motor skills, like holding his hands and having him “walk” with your help.  You’ll be chasing him before you know it!
 

13-Month Old

Wow, there’s so much going on with your little one at this age!  She may be walking (or not, and that’s okay), saying a word or two and exploring the world like crazy.  You may see a rollercoaster of emotions, too, like frustration and separation anxiety. She also may want to start self-feeding more, so smile, let her dig in and get ready for some messy mealtimes!
 

14-Month Old

Now’s the time you may start to see your toddler follow simple commands, like “wave bye bye!”.  On the flip side, he could also start using one of the newer words in his vocabulary – No.  It’s a way for him to try out his newly discovered independence, so it may be a good time to set some very basic disciplinary boundaries.
 

15-Month Old

Watching your toddler socialize more at this age can be sweet at one moment and frustrating the next.  Joining a playgroup might be a good idea, and will help her learn to share with others.  Don’t be surprised if “no” is a big part of her vocabulary – it’s her way of showing her growing independence!

 

16-Month Old

What happened to that sweet, little baby? He’s a toddler now, and can be stubborn about a lot of things, like sitting in his high chair or getting in the bath. Don’t be surprised if he only likes you and no one else (even Dad!). But don’t worry, like all stages, it’s temporary. And now would be a great time to break out the books and help start a life-long love of reading.

17-Month Old

All of a sudden, what used to be baby babble are actual words now! Your toddler’s vocabulary may be exploding right now, and so may the temper tantrums! So much learning is happening so quickly, it’s their way of expressing frustration. Try to redirect their energy into something else, like pounding a toy hammer.

18-Month Old

First you couldn’t wait for your baby to talk, now it seems like they never stop! They’re going through a growth spurt in language development , and may even start stringing words together (“more juice!”). Engage them in conversation, ask them questions, read together as much as possible, and enjoy!

2-Year Old

Your “baby” isn’t such a baby any more! She’s walking, talking dressing (or undressing!) herself, and maybe even starting to potty train. Her brain is developing so quickly right now, so don’t be surprised if every now and then she melts down, or displays over the top love and affection.

2-1/2-Year Old

At times, it may seem like other 2 ½ yeas olds are more “mature” than yours. It’s easy to compare your toddler’s development against others, but don’t fall in to that trap. Just remember, as long as she’s learning new things and growing, she’s probably doing fine. Take a look at these developmental milestones to get an idea of what’s normal and what’s not.

3-Year Old

Knowing whether or not it’s time to send your little one to preschool is not always easy. Every child matures at their own pace, so don’t rush them to preschool just because your friend’s child is going. Here’s some helpful tips and a quiz to see if your child is ready.

4-Year Old

It’s amazing how much your 4-year old knows! From riding a tricycle to using their imagination to tell a story, their development is fast and furious right now. Keeping them busy and engaged in physical activities is important at this age, and will help establish a healthy habit for life!

5-Year Old

At 5 years old, it’s Kindergarten time!  Is your little one prepared?  Since the rules for enrollment are changing in California, make sure to check with your local school to see if your child meets the cut-off date. 

 

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