Childhood Development Milestones Series 1 – Baby's First Year

From the first moments after the birth of your child, you know your life will never be the same. Your child will change from week to week - even from day to day - as he begins to notice the world around him, and to interact with it. Get a head start, and know what to expect as your baby matures.

Sounds Familiar

Beyond "ah-goo" to sounds you can recognise

He may even start understanding parts of the conversation you're making with him. This month, discover your baby's developmental milestones, and tips for:

Helping your baby feel secure
Keeping your baby entertained
Stepping up playtime
Helping your baby sit tall
Dealing with baby separation anxiety
Coping with 6-month-old sleeping patterns

Safe and secure – helping baby's mental and emotional health

Helping your baby feel secure and engaged in the world now can help him achieve emotional health and mental aptitude as he grows. Doing this is surprisingly simple at this age:

Soothing and calming your fussy baby helps send the message that all is well with the world - a message that stays with him as he grows
Helping baby relax by gently stroking his back, arms, or legs from top to bottom will minimise stress
Singing to your baby or rocking him will help him connect bedtime with a peaceful time

Mom turned entertainer – secrets to keeping your baby stimulated

As a mom, you're the center of your baby's world. You're his source of emotional and physical security, and mental stimulation. Fortunately, there are some simple ways to entertain him:

Run a shallow bath of warm water (while you stay near, holding him tightly and keeping him safe)
Ensure that he always has a good view – sit him in safe positions where he can see everyone and everything going on around him
Let him spend some time looking at himself in the mirror

Meaningful play – games with a goal

This month, your baby's playful side may come out. Help him learn while he's playing with:

Activity boards that encourage him to push, pull, turn, and poke bells, wheels, and dials
Cloth, wood, or plastic blocks that help show your baby how to build towers and knock them down
Toy telephones, spoons, and measuring cups that introduce him to common household objects
Hand games that help him practice his fine-motor skills

Sitting tall – practice makes perfect

It may seem like the change happens overnight – one day, your baby needs help sitting up, and on the next he's sitting up for the first time on his own. In fact, your baby has been silently working for months to sit up on his own.

He's been strengthening his muscles by sitting in his infant chair and by sitting propped up against pillows. While the first time he sits tall, he'll be leaning on his hands for balance, in the next two months, he will sit up completely and use his hands to play.

Taking the anxiety out of separation

Last month, your baby's first fear may have emerged – the fear of strangers. This month brings a new one – separation anxiety.

This fear typically begins at 6 to 8 months of age.

This is when your baby becomes aware that you're separate from him, and this means you might walk away at any time, which can be scary for your little one.

If your baby cries when you leave the room, or wakes up in the night crying and refuses to go back to sleep this month, he's probably suffering from separation anxiety. Because your baby's real fear is that you're going to leave and never return, the best way to alleviate his fears is to leave, then return, repeating the pattern, until he realises you'll always come back.

To make this fun, play "peek-a-boo" – go away and come back before the fear gets too strong. Then have fun watching the ecstatic look on your baby's face when you return.

Sleeping through the night – dream come true

Once your baby is 6 months old, he'll begin sleeping through the night. But he may still occasionally wake in the night. At this age, if he still wakes up several times a night, talk with your health care professional about possible causes and solutions.

During the day, your baby will be wide-awake and active for extended periods, taking two or three short naps totaling three to four hours.

Begin to explore objects (including his feet!) by putting them in his mouth
Pick up things by "raking" them with his fingers. (It's a good time to be even more careful about what you leave around the house.)

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