Parenting Assistance Line - PAL

Your Child's Development

Developmental Milestones of Infants

Birth Through 6 Months

Learning about ages and stages of typical development can help parents better anticipate, then guide children more successfully and confidently, through each developmental stage. Please keep in mind that even though there are typical patterns of development, actual timelines will vary for each child. The information below is a basic guideline to help parents identify the developmental milestones of their infants.

1 Month

Responds to parents' faces and voices
Lifts head briefly
Moves head from side to side
Brings hands to face
Has strong reflex movements (Rooting, sucking, gripping, etc.)
Can sleep 3-4 hours at a time. Stays awake an hour or longer between sleep times
Can be comforted by being held or talked to

2-3 Months

Smiles in response to attention
Follows objects with eyes
Coos in response to language
Can lift head, neck, and upper chest when lying on tummy
Straightens and kicks legs when lying on back
Grasps and shakes hand toys
Holds head up with control

4-6 Months

Coos and makes some consonant-vowel sounds such as "dada"
Amuses self with babbling and noises including laughs and squeals
Controls head well
Lies on tummy and lifts head and chest to look around
Rolls over from tummy to back and eventually back to tummy again
Explores objects with mouth
Reaches for and bats at objects
Begins teething- Bites on toys and objects
Recognizes the bottle or breast and eventually holds bottle
Pulls up to a sitting position holding someone's fingers
Sits with support
Can see across the room
Is interested in toys
Pays attention to small objects
Recognizes and eventually reaches for parents

If you feel your baby is not growing or learning in the way you expect, please talk with your pediatrician and/or call Alabama's Early Intervention System for further assessment (334-242-8114).