Ultimate guide to baby developmental milestones

Baby’s first smile.. First steps… First words… They’re all very exciting milestones and an indicator of your baby’s development. But when exactly should they happen? We spoke to Rachel Coley, a Paediatric Occupational Therapist and Child Development Expert at Lovevery to sort fact from fiction when it comes to your baby’s developmental milestones.

Straight off the bat, Rachel reminds us that individual milestones are not strict measuring sticks of your baby’s development or health and that all babies have varying windows of ‘normal’ when it comes to things like walking, crawling, talking and other milestones.

“Developmental windows—periods of time during which your child is primed to learn a new skill—are flexible and variable. They depend on a number of factors, including interest, temperament, and opportunities to practice,” she says.

“By far, the most common question I receive from parents is, “My child isn’t [insert milestone] yet, should I be worried?” Very often this question comes after a parent sees a child around the same age doing something their little one isn’t doing yet.”

Her advice? Don’t compare your child to other children. Instead, take stock of how your child’s skills and development compare to the month before, and look for the smaller ‘stepping stone’ milestones.

“Also, try to notice their progress toward big milestones—like rolling, sitting, walking, talking, matching shapes, stacking blocks—through more subtle developmental stepping stones.”

So with that in mind, let’s have a look at some of the milestones you can look forward to with your baby, how to help encourage your baby, and when you might think about seeing a specialist if you’re worried about your baby’s progress.

When will my baby smile?

Your baby smiling at you is one of the best feelings ever, and you can expect to see your bub smiling between 8 and 12 weeks. Before this, even though it might look like your baby is smiling, it’s usually a reflex response to gas or discomfort.

When will my baby crawl?

Crawling usually happens between 7 and 12 months. They may start off with ‘commando crawling’ where they scoot along on their stomachs before they manage to crawl on their hands and knees.

Author’s note: Our little one started crawling backwards before he managed to crawl forwards. We had a backwards crawler for about a month.

When will my baby roll over?

Babies often start to show signs of rolling over from about 4 months, though it can be later. Red Nose says that once your baby starts to roll, it’s time to stop wrapping and swaddling them, as they cannot push themselves back over if their arms are restricted.

You can read more about what to do when your baby starts to roll on the Red Nose website.

When will my baby stand up?

You might see your baby pulling themselves up to stand from about 8 to 9 months. Standing is a precursor to walking and can help them gain confidence to then take their first steps. You might also notice your baby starts to ‘crab walk’  before they walk unassisted - pulling themselves along furniture.

When will my baby walk?

One of the big milestones is walking. This one tends to signify your baby becoming a toddler, and while some believe that a baby should be walking by the time they’re 12 months old, the average age range for walking is between 9 and 18 months! Even then, Rachel says these are just averages. “The weeks or even month after the age range listed for a milestone is not considered a delay.”

When will my baby start solids?

There are three main indicators to look for to determine whether your baby is ready to start on their solids journey.

1. Can sit up unsupported
2. Show an active interest in your food
3. Has good head control

This tends to occur between 4 and 6 months. Generally babies show these signs at around 6 months of age, but for some babies, they're given the go ahead from 4 months. Chat to your family GP about when your baby should start solids.

When should I see a specialist?

So we have a rough idea of when to expect some of the big milestones to happen, but if you think your bub might be really behind, at what point should you go and talk to a specialist?

Rachel says Dr Google is not your friend, and instead of searching the internet for answers, discuss any developmental concerns you might have with your pediatrician who knows your child and their history. 

“Feeling concerned is normal. There’s no need to be shy about asking for outside perspectives and help. Even as a child development professional, I’ve needed that as a parent,” she says.

And while there is a big range of what’s considered a normal timeframe for hitting milestones, early intervention is key if you are worried.

“[The] skills in the first years of life lay a foundation for more advanced skills, [so] early interventions can make profound differences in a child’s long-term development.

Rachel says there are three key areas where you can help encourage your baby’s milestones.

Loads of convenient items (think car seats, prams and infant swings) where your baby may spend a lot of time, actually restrict their movement. By allowing them to move about freely, babies can work on little mini-milestones, like learning to stretch and strengthen out of their newborn womb position. 

“Use convenience gear in moderation, opting first for playtime on a play mat or under an activity gym during awake times.” Rachel says.

Little mini milestones are the stepping stones towards the bigger ones, and can help reassure parents that their little ones are getting closer. Think being on all fours as a mini milestone towards crawling, and holding onto furniture while standing as a mini milestone before walking.

Tummy time is when you pop your baby on their tummy to help strengthen their head and neck, and is an important activity in the early weeks and months. But, some babies just hate it!

“If your baby doesn’t seem to like tummy time, remember that the senses and connection with loved ones are key to baby play.” Rachel says and encourages parents to keep going with it, as even small amounts of tummy time is beneficial for bub. She suggests taking breaks, soothe your baby, and pop them tummy-down on your own body for a change.

Author’s note: We found rolling up a towel under our baby’s sternum really helped with tummy time. We also had books with black and white contrast images to keep bub engaged.

While some may consider play unimportant when it comes to your child’s learning and development, Rachel says it’s “one of the most essential activities of childhood.”

“Play is incredibly powerful and is considered one of the important ways to nurture development. While play for an infant under a [Lovery] Play Gym looks very different from that of preschoolers building a fort together, children of all ages are learning through joyful engagement with their surroundings and the people in their life.”

She says even newborns benefit from play.

“For newborns, play is really rooted in the senses and in connection with caregivers. Through active awake time in a variety of body positions, babies begin to understand how their own bodies can move and affect the people and objects in their environment.”

She says play is also paramount to lay the foundations of language, and helps them on their journey towards independent movement.

For toddlers, play helps them develop a plethora of skills.

“Play encourages forming and testing hypotheses, understanding spatial relations and physics, assessing and taking risks, sorting and categorizing, problem-solving, collaborating, communicating, independence, self-advocacy, exploring, and learning from mistakes.” Rachel says.

Rachel Coley, MS, OT/L is a Paediatric Occupational Therapist and Child Development Expert at Lovevery.