What to Expect As Your Infant Develops

0-3 Months

• During the first month of his life, an infant can briefly lift his head and move his head from side to side while on his back. He may become silent when he hears a voice and will become fixed on his mom or dad's face when they talk to him, notes the American Pregnancy Association. A newborn will use crying to communicate his needs. In his second month, he will have developed custom crying. For example, one type signals hunger while another communicates that it's time for a diaper change. Your baby may smile for the first time this month. By his third month, a baby will have gained enough strength to hold his head up while seated, although a little head bobbing is to be expected.

4-6 Months

• By the time babies are 4-6 months of age, they are striving to manipulate their world. Babies near or at mid-year will show signs of mobility, like rolling from back to side and rolling from stomach to back. A 4-month-old child can grasp toys and other objects with both hands. A 5-month-old child will begin looking at his reflection in a mirror and playing with his toes. A 6-month-old child will use his hands to lift his chest and part of his stomach off of the floor. Rough language skills like "da," "di," "ma" and "mu" are common by this age.

7-9 Months

• Movement is high on the priority list during the second half of your baby's first year. Crawling may begin as early as 7 months and may be in full swing at 9 months. Moving an object between hands, banging spoons, rattles and other objects may become a popular pastime for children in this age group. A 7-month-old child, much to the delight of her parents, may respond to her own name. An 8-month-old child may say "mama" and "dada," but will not yet realize that her newly formed words have meaning. She may understand the meaning of "no" but may choose to ignore it. The typical 9-month-old child will not like having her face washed, and she will likely put her arms in front of her face in hopes of avoiding the inevitable.

10-12 Months

• Your soon-to-be 1-year-old may look and act more like a toddler than a baby. While a child this age may have a limited vocabulary, she will begin making monumental strides. A 10-month-old child can lift one foot while standing to take a tentative step. An 11-month-old child can walk holding onto furniture, and a 12-month-old child may attempt to take a few independent steps. As your baby's first year comes to an end, she'll learn to feed herself, understand what she is verbalizing when she says "mama" or "dada" and will also say a few other words like "no" and "bye-bye."

Considerations

• Comparing your baby̵7;s growth development to other infants or to developmental charts is ill-advised. Babies develop at different rates and the only valid comparisons are those that track individual progress from the previous week or month. Your baby may achieve one milestone sooner than another, because she's so consumed with getting the other skill just right, points out Jennifer Shu, MD, pediatrician and co-author of "Heading Home with Your Newborn."