Baby Development Month by Month

Your baby can tell the difference between familiar voices and other sounds, and they're becoming a better listener. They can also show you that they're in tune with their environment.

Whether your baby is a night owl or a morning lark, a long sleeper or short sleeper, that pattern will probably stay the same throughout childhood.

Your little one's movements are getting a bit more coordinated. You'll notice that the jerky arm and leg movements of their newborn days have given way to smoother, more circular motions, especially when they're watching people.

Varying the pitch of your voice, using accents, and singing will make the connection between you and your baby that much more interesting.

See which development milestones your 3-month-old may be hitting – and learn more about your baby's feeding, sleep, growth, and health this month.

Your baby has been able to recognize you since they were just a few days old, but now they may actually be able to show it. About half of babies this age begin to exhibit an obvious recognition of their parents.

Babies simply love to be touched. In fact, they thrive on it – touch is a critical part of growth and development. All that skin-to-skin contact not only helps you and your baby bond, but it's comforting when they're upset and soothing when they're irritable.

When placed on their stomach, your baby will probably lift their head and shoulders high, using their arms for support. This mini push-up helps strengthen their muscles and gives them a better view of what's going on.

Your baby is starting to draw conclusions about the world around them. They're looking at everything with curiosity – even their own reflection.

See which development milestones your 4-month-old may be hitting – and learn more about your baby's feeding, sleep, growth, and health this month.

Between this time and 6 months of age, your baby will start babbling, which means you may hear the words you've been dreaming about – namely, "mama" and "dada."

By now, your baby may play with their hands and feet for a few minutes at a time. They're quite fond of doing one action over and over again until they're sure of the result. Then they'll switch things up a bit to see if the result is different.

Encourage your baby's laughs, giggles, and smiles with funny faces and lots of general silliness. You don't need special toys or instruments to create them. Simply click your tongue, whistle, or make animal noises — your baby will love it!

You may decide to alternate going-to-bed activities with your partner (you do the bath, they read the story, and so on).

See which development milestones your 5-month-old may be hitting – and learn more about your baby's feeding, sleep, growth, and health this month.

Your baby can't express their emotions in the same complex way you can. Although they can clearly let you know when they're happy or unhappy, their ability to demonstrate their love and sense of humor is just developing.

Your baby may become clingy and anxious around new (and even familiar) people and may cry if a stranger suddenly approaches them.

Your baby's getting better at spotting very small objects and tracking things that are moving. At this point, they may be able to recognize an object after seeing only part of it – like their favorite toy peeking out from under a blanket.

At this age, about half of babies babble, repeating one syllable — such as ba, ma, ga, or other consonant-vowel combinations — over and over. A few will even add another syllable or two, making their sounds more complex.

See which development milestones your 6-month-old may be hitting – and learn more about your baby's feeding, sleep, growth, and health this month.

As your baby starts becoming more active, they'll appreciate comfy clothes. Opt for soft fabrics that won't chafe them as they move around. Loose, stretchy, and breathable clothing will provide your energetic little one plenty of wiggle room.

Your baby may favor one hand for a while and then switch to the other. But you can't really tell whether they're a lefty or a righty until they're about 2 or 3 years old.

Soon your baby may let you know that they're ready to try eating finger foods by grabbing the spoon you're feeding them with or snatching food off your plate. Scatter four or five pieces of finger food onto your baby's highchair tray or an unbreakable plate.

New grandparents mean well. They really do. They just tend to mean well a little too much sometimes.

See which development milestones your 7-month-old may be hitting – and learn more about your baby's feeding, sleep, growth, and health this month.

Your baby may have already started feeding themself finger foods, although this can begin as late as 10 months. Once they reach this stage, you can introduce a sippy cup.

By now, you may have already told your baby that the phone isn't a toy, or that rattles aren't for throwing, or that their sibling's hair isn't for pulling. At this age, your baby may begin testing your authority by refusing to follow your simple directions.

Teething can start as early as 3 months or as late as 12 months, but most babies sprout their first white caps (typically the two middle teeth on the bottom) between 4 and 7 months of age.

Your baby's emotions are becoming more obvious. Over the next few months, they may learn to assess and imitate moods and might show the first stirrings of empathy. For instance, if they hear someone crying, they may start crying too.

See which development milestones your 8-month-old may be hitting – and learn more about your baby's feeding, sleep, growth, and health this month.

Your baby's newfound mobility means that they're now entering the land of bumps and falls. These are an inevitable part of childhood. Try to enjoy watching your baby explore their surroundings and discover their limits.

It's natural for your baby to start showing signs of separation anxiety when you leave them in the care of others. In fact, it's a sign of normal, healthy development.

Your baby's vision – previously about 20/40 at best – is now almost adult-like in its clarity and depth perception. Though your baby's short-range sight is still best, their long-range vision is good enough to recognize people and objects across a room.

Once your baby starts standing and cruising, you may wonder whether real shoes are necessary. Until your baby is walking around outdoors regularly, most doctors and developmental experts don't think so.

See which development milestones your 9-month-old may be hitting – and learn more about your baby's feeding, sleep, growth, and health this month.

Because of separation anxiety, this can be a tough time to be away from your baby for any length of time.

By this week, your baby will start to remember more specific information, such as where their toys are in your home. They'll also be able to imitate actions they've seen as long as a week before.

The more you talk to your baby — either directly or while doing other things, such as preparing dinner, driving, or getting dressed — the more they learn about communication.

Your baby's personality is really emerging now. They may be very social, granting broad smiles to everyone they meet, or a little more shy, hiding their face when well-meaning strangers try to engage them.

See which development milestones your 10-month-old may be hitting – and learn more about your baby's feeding, sleep, growth, and health this month.

Your baby is just beginning to understand many simple words and phrases, so it's more important than ever to keep talking to them. Give your chatterbox a head start on good speech patterns by repeating their words back to them using adult language.

At this age, your baby's pincer grasp is improving, and they're picking things up left and right. Keep things they could choke on out of reach.

Your baby may "walk" while you're gripping their hands, and even hold out an arm or leg to help you dress them.

Your baby now understands simple instructions, though you may still be ignored when you say "no." (To help the word carry a little more weight, use it sparingly, for setting important limits.)

See which development milestones your 11-month-old may be hitting – and learn more about your baby's feeding, sleep, growth, and health this month.

Wordlike sounds are now spilling out of your baby, and they're able to use some of them meaningfully. As their brain continues to develop, so does their ability to reason and speak.

Your baby probably enjoys looking at books and leafing through the pages, though turning those pages one by one doesn't always happen. Indulge in great picture books or stick with sturdy and inexpensive board books that can stand up to small fingers.

It's a good time to introduce your baby to the concept of helping out. Though they won't be able to get it just yet, by the time they're a toddler they'll be excited to assist in putting toys away and picking up spilled snacks.

If your baby isn't walking already, they're likely to take their first independent steps soon. (If not, don't worry. Some babies are 17 or 18 months old before they start walking, and that's perfectly normal.)