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What To Expect In Baby’s First Year

Monthly Baby Milestones

First of all, it’s worth nothing that these baby milestones are intended to be a rough guide only and they certainly aren’t set in stone. Every baby is unique and they will do things at a rate which suits them individually.

It’s an age old cliché that babies grow up too fast, but in actual fact, in their first year this is the fastest your baby will grow in their entire life! They’ll go from being a teeny tiny baby who seems to only drink milk, sleep, poop, repeat - to a fully fledged toddler in what feels like the blink of an eye.

Try to savour and enjoy these precious moments with your little one - raising miniature humans is a rollercoaster ride that flies by in a sleep deprived whirlwind.

Watching your baby develop a little bit more every day is one of the most incredibly re-warding jobs we can have as parents. It makes all of those sleepless nights and the caffeine fuelled days totally worth it.

Remember - if you have any concerns about your little one’s development make sure to speak to your Health Visitor and get the advice and help that you need.

Here are some of the magical milestones you can look forward to in your little one’s first year.
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What To Expect In Baby’s First 4 Weeks

1. Baby’s First Bath
2. Baby’s First Time in their Car Seat
3. Baby’s First Time in their Pram
4. Learning to turn their head in response to voices/sounds
5. Starting to recognise faces
6. Beginning to Smile (by the end of their first month)

What To Expect In Baby’s First 6 Months

1. Baby’s First Teeth
2. Learning to giggle
3. Learning to roll over
4. Learning to sit up

What To Expect In Baby’s First Year

1. Learning to crawl
2. Learning to walk
3. Learning to eat solid foods
4. Learning to sleep through the night for the first time

What To Expect When Your Baby Is 1 Year Old

1. Be roughly triple their birth weight
2. Grow to about one and a half times the length they were when they were born
3. Have approximately one and a third times the head circumference

Baby Milestones
Tips for Enjoying Baby’s First Year

Tips for Enjoying Baby’s First Year

It’s easier said than done - but don’t stress about what your little one can and can’t do.

Document your little one’s milestones as you go - you could even just make a note of them in your Health Visitor book or a notebook. Taking photographs and videos with milestone cards/blankets along your journey is a great idea too. We’re sure you’ll love looking back on them one day in the not so distant future.

Tummy Time And Milestones

Tummy time is really important during the first few months of your baby’s life. Practicing tummy time will allow your little one to build up and strengthen core muscles in their neck, back, and shoulders which will help them to grow and develop. This should help your little one to reach their milestones appropriately.

Start with a few minutes of tummy time a day with your newborn and gradually build this up over the first three months.

It can sometimes be tricky to get your baby interested in tummy time - watch them closely and listen to their cues, if they’re crying and getting frustrated take a breather and come back to it later.

There are special cushions designed to encourage tummy time you can also use toys or mats to stimulate and encourage your baby to participate.

Some Of The Most Fun Milestones To Expect

‘I really enjoyed my little one learning to smile for the first time. It made all of those sleep-less nights feel totally worth it and our bond felt so strong! I can vividly remember the first time my little one chuckled for the first time too - it was for his Daddy and it completely melted my heart to see the two of them together!’

‘I loved listening to my little one learn to speak - from the very first coos, to his first word (mama) and now that he’s a toddler hearing him form full sentences. The whole journey is just amazing.’

Some Of The Scariest Milestones To Expect

‘I was really worried when my little one started his weaning journey. We waited until he was 6 months exactly - he was sitting up by this point and showing an interest in what the rest of the family were eating. I can remember feeling terrified the first time I gave him a piece of toast - it’s well worth looking into basic first aid as it’s so easy for them to choke on food during this stage.’

The Proudest Milestone Moment

‘For me, I could have burst with pride when my little one took his first steps! I managed to capture the moment on video and it still makes me feel so happy when I watch it back - happy tears galore!’

The Milestone Which Brought The Most Relief

When my little one started sleeping through for the first time - although I will admit I kept getting up to check he was ok at the times he would normally wake! My little one was ap-proaching the first year mark by the time he slept through for the first time - thankfully he kept it up (apart from nights when teething was causing him discomfort) A good night’s sleep was one of the things I missed most when I first became a mum.