Baby's First Steps: A Guide to Developmental Milestones (0-6 Months)

​In the first six months of life, babies undergo remarkable transformations, mastering new skills and reaching exciting milestones that shape their development. Join us as we explore the fascinating world of early childhood development and uncover the milestones that mark the beginning of your baby's incredible journey.

Gross Motor

In the first few months of life, babies undergo remarkable physical development, gradually gaining control over their large muscle groups. Understanding the milestones of gross motor skills helps parents track their baby's progress and provide appropriate support for their physical development.

• Lifts head when lying on tummy (2-4 months)
• Holds head steadily when carried upright (3-5 months)
• Sits supported with hands on floor or legs (4-5 months)
• Rolls from back to tummy (4-6 months)
• Sits unsupported for about 2-3 seconds (5-6 months)

Fine Motor and Vision

Fine motor skills, along with visual development, play a crucial role in a baby's ability to interact with the world around them. From grasping objects to following moving stimuli, observing these milestones offers insights into a baby's growing coordination and sensory abilities.

• Follows an object past midline (2-3 months)
• Grasps rattle in hand for a few seconds (3-5 months)
• Reaches and grabs toy (4-6 months)

Language and Hearing

The early months are a critical period for language and hearing development in babies. By recognising the signs of emerging vocalisation and auditory awareness, parents can foster communication skills and lay the foundation for future language acquisition. Look out for when your baby:

• Looks towards sound (1-3 months)
• Makes cooing, gurgling sounds (2-3 months)

Personal Social

As babies grow, so does their capacity for social interaction and self-awareness. Tracking milestones in personal-social development provides parents with valuable insights into their baby's emerging personality and social skills, laying the groundwork for healthy relationships and emotional well-being.

• Social smile (1-2 months)
• Becomes more communicative and expressive with face and body movements (2-4 months)
• Explores with hands and mouth (5-6 months)

Development-Enhancing Activities

Engaging in activities that promote development is key to nurturing a baby's growing abilities. From encouraging exploration to fostering communication, these interactive experiences play a vital role in stimulating various aspects of a baby's development and building essential skills for the future. 

Here are some activities to partake in with your child:
Embrace moments to cuddle, converse, and engage with your baby during feeding, dressing, and bath time

• Incorporate supervised tummy time sessions, ideally scheduled at least one hour after feeding
• Stimulate your baby's curiosity by holding a toy or rattle within reach and encouraging them to grasp for it
• Provide your baby with ample room to explore and develop by placing them on a spacious floor mat conducive to rolling and play
• Enhance your baby's cognitive development by reading books with repetitive words or captivating rhymes aloud, infusing each reading session with genuine emotion
• Foster bonding and language acquisition by narrating your actions, singing, or responding with sounds to your baby's interests and cues

Encourage your baby's hand dexterity by refraining from using mittens while they are awake, allowing them the opportunity to practice opening and closing their hands freely. Additionally, limit exposure to screen media during waking hours, reserving it solely for video-chatting purposes to promote healthy development and engagement.

Take note if your child displays any of the following signs:

• Exhibits floppiness or stiffness in movements
• Fails to react to loud noises by startling
• Does not track moving objects with their eyes
• Shows no smiles towards familiar individuals by 3-4 months
• Does not bring hands towards the mouth
• Fails to roll over in either direction by 6 months
• Struggles to hold their head when being pulled into a sitting position
• Lacks the ability to lift their head while lying on their stomach
• Cannot sit supported for approximately 2-3 seconds by 5 months of age

For expert guidance and support on your child's developmental journey, don't hesitate to reach out to the neonatal department at SGH. Download our informative leaflet today for valuable resources and insights to help you navigate this exciting time with confidence and ease: 
Developmental Milestones (0-6 Months).pdf