Every child is unique in his own way. After all, that is what makes us human-our uniqueness, our personalities our individualism etc etc. The one thing that differentiates us from the rest of the living world is the power of our brains which defines our uniqueness. However we are still a part of the living world and thus have something common to each other! Thus the developmental milestones of children give us an idea, or rather a bench mark of where our kids stand in the development scale. It is as important to not panic when your baby is slightly slow (or fast) in the development scale  as it is important to keep track!

          Let us now, in three parts, have an idea as to what most babies do in their respective age groups and when you need to start worrying about your baby not reaching its milestones. The milestones are given (for most part) under Motor (Physical Movements), Vision and Hearing (exactly what they mean), Social and Emotional Development (which denotes the feelings your baby develops) in a month wise arrangement.



The First Three Months



       Motor Developments  

          When a cheek is touched, s/he will turn that side to suck! This might happen even during sleep.

          Sucks well from the breast or from the bottle.            

          When left on the tummy, will try to lift the head by the end of 1 month.

          Arms and legs move rapidly with bending and extending movements.

          By the end of two months, will start kicking legs strongly

          Moves head from side to side by the end of 1 month



By the end of three months         

          Has strong reflex movements

          Will start bringing hands to face

          Will open and close hands by

          Pushes with leg when placed on hard surfaces

          Will grasp objects when placed in the hands

          Starts to reach out for dangling objects

          Brings both hands together.

          Will lift head for a short period of time



      Hearing and Vision



         Blinks at sudden noises when awake

         Your Baby sleeps most of the time right from birth but might open eyes to noises

         Follows a moving light with eyes by the end of 1 month.

         Both eyes move together by 6 weeks

         Turns head to sounds by 1 month.

         Startled by loud sounds by the end of one month

         Begins to notice long sounds (like the grinders, mixer etc) by the end of one month.

        

By the end of 3 months

 

         Will watch and follow a moving face.                 

         Be able to focus on objects about 10 inches away



      Social and Emotional



         Will watch your face when being talked to, by 1-2 months

         Will first start smiling back by 5-7 weeks

       

By the end of three months



        Develops a social smile.

        Starts laughing aloud.



       Speech and Language Development

 

         Will start making noises (apart from crying) by 2 months

         Will start to make 'ooh' 'ah' kind of words in reply to your talking by 2 months

        

By the end of three months



         Will appear to intently listen to your talk.

         Will try to imitate sounds.





 

Three to Six Months   

    Motor Development

       Plays with his/her own fingers by the beginning of the 4th month

       Grasps an object tight when placed in hand.

       Lifts both head and chest when lying on his tummy by the end of 4 months

       Roles over to the side from lying on the tummy and vice versa

       Begins to learn to sit with support

       Lifts head up to 90 degrees

       Uses hands in raking fashion to bring objects closer

By the end of 6 months

      Sits with support

      Holds head when made to sit

      Reaches for and grasps objects

      Drinks from cup with help

    Hearing and Vision

            Makes eye contact

            Reacts to familiar surrounding by cooing

            Likes to look at people and bright objects.

            Begins to turn head slowly to sounds.

By the end of 6 months

           Begins to notice small objects

           Can see across the room

     Social and Emotional

            Laughs aloud by the end of 4 months

            Enjoys playing and kicks by 4 months

            Makes eye contact

            Communicates pain, loneliness and fear by crying

By the end of 6 months

            Opens mouth for spoon

            Copies facial expressions

            Drinks from a cup with help

     Language Development

           Bables and amuses itself with new noises

By the end of 6 months

            Makes bi syllable sounds like mama, baba, papa etc.