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Parenthood is an extraordinary journey filled with magical moments, and one of the most exciting parts is witnessing your baby’s milestones. These milestones mark important stages in your little one’s development and provide valuable insights into their growth.

Understanding these milestones can help you celebrate your baby’s achievements and ensure they are on track.

Read on for the top baby milestones to see if your baby is on track or if they may need a quick appointment with their pediatrician to assess.

What Are Baby Milestones?

Baby milestones are the skills and abilities that babies develop naturally as they grow. These milestones cover various aspects of a baby’s development, including physical, cognitive, emotional, and social skills.

Milestones are typically bench marked by a baby’s age. It should be noted that no two babies are alike and that if your baby doesn’t reach these milestones it does not mean that anything is wrong. However, it’s important for your baby’s health to mention your concerns to their doctor.

Importance of Monitoring Developmental Milestones

Baby milestones play an important role in understanding your baby’s growth and detecting any potential developmental delays. By monitoring your baby you can identify if your baby is meeting the expected markers.

Early detection of delays can trigger early intervention, ensuring that your child receives the necessary support and resources to thrive.

Developmental Milestones

Welcoming a new baby is an incredible journey! It’s filled with the joy of first smiles, first laughs, gurgles, and coos. It’s also filled with the dreaded sleepless nights, teething, and fussiness that goes along with milestones and wonder weeks.

From the moment your baby is born they embark on the adventure of growth and development. It’s your job as a parent to recognize and understand baby milestones so that you can assess their development and recognize when something may be delayed.

Newborn Milestones

During your baby’s first three months, s/he undergoes rapid growth and development.

In this phase, your little one will start making eye contact and grasping objects. As they grow in these 3 months, you may witness their first smile and eventually, those smiles will become responsive. By that we mean that instead of a reflexive smile, they’ll light up when they see you or hear your voice.

You may also hear your baby cooing at this age.

As parents, you play a crucial role in supporting your baby’s development during this phase. You can copy their sounds as they learn how to exchange verbally, and help them develop their neck control by engaging in tummy time.

4 to 6 Months Milestones

As your baby reaches four to six months, their development will become a lot more physical. At this age, your baby will likely begin rolling from belly to back and back to belly. Because they’re on the move, it’s important to baby proof your home if you haven’t already!

Another key milestone is they will begin to sit with support. This means that if you prop them up they should have enough trunk control to sit and play. They will begin to reach for their toys and discover new sights and sounds!

To help prompt your baby to move, put toys just out of their reach. Soon you’ll see your baby beginning to wiggle towards the object of their desire. Look out!

7 to 9 Months Milestones

The seven to nine months period is even more exciting! Your baby is curious and mobile. They will explore every nook and cranny so be ready caregivers!

At this age, your baby may also begin pulling up to a standing position. This is the stepping stone for walking!

It’s important for parents to create a safe space for their baby to explore at this age. It fosters their curiosity but also keeps them safe.

10 to 12 Months Milestones

As your baby approaches their first birthday, they are advancing by leaps and bounds.

One of the most anticipated milestones during this phase is your baby taking their first steps. It’s a momentous occasion that we know you’ll try to record!

They’ll also make some language leaps and you may hear ‘mama’ or ‘dada’ in a more deliberate way than just babble.

Parents can support their babies by giving them a secure place to cruise without the risk of injury. Play peek-a-boo, read stories, and play on their level. Play is so important during this time.

Beyond the First Year: Key Milestones to Watch For

1 to 2 Years Milestones

As your baby transitions into their second year, their milestones expand and become more diverse. They will begin to show independence, learn to use utensils, build towers with blocks, and engage in pretend play. Encourage their growth by providing age-appropriate toys, engaging in imaginative play together, and introducing simple puzzles to stimulate problem-solving skills.

2 to 3 Years Milestones

Between the ages of two and three, your little one will continue to blossom with their milestones. They will gain more control over their movement, develop a wider vocabulary, and enjoy playing with other children. You can support their development by engaging them in physical activities such as running and jumping, reading books that expand their vocabulary, and encouraging social interactions through play dates or toddler groups.

Milestones Are a Fun and Useful Tool

Milestones are not only a delight for parents and babies, but they also play a crucial role in recognizing if your child has potential delays in their development.

While we don’t want you to worry, if you notice something is a little behind, it’s best to book an appointment with your child’s pediatrician. Most likely everything is perfectly fine, but it allows us to gauge where your child is at on the developmental scale and schedule early intervention if needed.

At Kid Care Pediatrics we care about your child like they’re our own. So give us a call today for all your childcare needs.

You know you should encourage your child to read…

…But why is reading important for kids?

 

We see it everywhere as parents: Encourage your kids to read. Read to your kids at bedtime. Kids should read a minimum of 20 minutes a day. But have you ever asked yourself, “Why is reading important for kids? After all, don’t they learn enough at school?”

Read on to find out the top 10 reasons why reading is so important and how it can benefit your child (and you!).

They can’t read (yet), but literacy is still important for our little ones.

Here are some of our recommendations of the best books for babies.

Being a parent is hard. We often worry about whether our children are getting the proper nutrition, play enough, or get enough sleep.

But there’s one aspect of parenting that very few people disagree on, and something that you can never do too much of. Reading.

Most parents have heard about the importance of reading to their children but, more often than not, don’t know why it’s important. What if we told you that reading to your baby could give them a leg up in school? I’ll bet we’ve got your attention now.

Before we answer “What are the best baby books?” we first need to tell you the “why” behind reading. It’s so much more than words on pages; reading can strengthen speech, phonics, spelling, and more.

So what are the best books for babies, and why is it so important to read to them regularly? Read on to find out.

Sports physicals for children, also known as preparticipation physical examination (PPE), are a crucial part of childhood sports. It’s important for physically active children to have an annual examination tailored specifically to sports, to document injuries, mobility, flexibility, and any underlying problems. 

Read on for more information about what a sports physical examination is, why it’s important, and what it entails. 

Trusting someone to take care of your children may seem impossible, but fortunately, it’s not. There are several things you can do to ensure that not only are your children safe when not in your care, but having fun too!

From trusting local resources and friends, to hiring professional agencies, there are a plethora of resources for parents available.

Read on for some tips on how to find a nanny you can trust, and how to vet them in the process.

Your child’s health doesn’t have to involve a fighting match.

Here’s how to get kids to take medicine…no shouting necessary.

 

Most parents will agree that giving their kids medicine can be a challenge.

Not only do most medicines taste somewhat yucky, but when your child is sick, they are usually somewhat irritable. However, there are ways to avoid fights so that when it is time to “say ahh!” you can help your child feel better.

Read on for the top 10 ways to make taking medicine fun (or at the very least, tolerable).

When it comes to your children, you can’t be too careful.

Here’s how to find safe childcare that your family can trust.

 

As a parent, your child’s safety and wellbeing are your number one concern and dictate every decision you make. Whether you’re a new parent, switching jobs, or moving to a new area, finding yourself in need of new childcare can be incredibly overwhelming.

Figuring out who you can trust with your child is one of the most important decisions you’ll make, which is why it’s one you can’t take lightly.

Our world faces unprecedented uncertainties, from COVID to violence and more, so it’s no wonder “safe” has a different meaning to all parents. You don’t have to face this decision on your own; Kid Care Pediatrics is here to help by providing the information necessary to help you make the best childcare decision for your family.