6 milestones to celebrate in your baby's first months

Every baby is wonderfully unique, but there are general milestones of development that babies are expected to achieve as they grow. Here are the main developmental milestones you can expect from your new bundle of joy within their first three months from birth.

1. Heads up!

Babies tend to have somewhat wobbly heads at first, but within the first three months, most babies will be able to lift their heads and turn it towards people or sounds. When lying on their bellies, babies should be able to raise their head and chest, and support their upper body with their arms.

2. Face recognition

Shortly after birth, a baby will only be able to focus on parts of the face, but later on, full facial recognition occurs, and babies appreciate and focus on the whole face intently.

3. Cooing and babbling

In the first few months of life, babies begin mimicking sounds, and enjoy babbling and cooing in response to conversation. Even at this young age, they can show a recognition and preference for native language(s), as well as their mother's voice. They can also display a sensitivity to melody and the rhythm of speech.

4. Following objects and a hand to hold

Young babies usually grasp and shake an object offered to them, such as a parent’s finger or a toy. They can also spend hours inspecting their own hands and watching their movements. Within three months, most babies will follow moving objects, and they may try to swipe the objects with their hands.

5. What a pretty smile you have!

A baby's first smile is a joyous moment, and within the first three months of life, the first smile is followed by countless toothless grins. Smiles may be triggered by seeing someone, hearing a parent’s voice, or later, as a form of social communication. They’ll become increasingly communicative with their face and body.

6. Cycling while lying down

Few things are quite as cute as a baby lying on their back practicing their cycling by stretching and kicking their legs! In the first few months of life, this stretching and kicking becomes more coordinated and more vigorous.

This information is this article is intended for general purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a healthcare professional.