Motor Milestones: Your Baby's First Year

Is my baby on track? 

It’s a question plastered across Google searches, social media and an ever-expanding shelf of parenting books at Barnes and Noble. Many parents eagerly await the day their baby will learn to roll over, to crawl, to stand and then to walk. These milestones are an indicator that you’re succeeding at the complex task of parenthood (a brief aside— if you’re asking these kinds of questions, you’re doing great).  

Babies learn by progression— and the steps to get to these major milestones can be more subtle than you might expect. In this blog, we’ll guide you through the motor milestones of baby’s first year. 

1 – 3 Months 

Between 1 and 3 months, your little one’s body and mind is still getting used to the outside world. As they begin to observe and interact with their environment, a few of the milestones you can look forward to are: 

• Lifting & holding their head up. 
• Pushing up on their arms, while lying on their tummy 
• Opening and closing their hands. 

To encourage your baby, make sure you are practicing tummy time several times throughout the day. At this age, babies should be laid over your lap, on their tummy, while awake for 2 to 3 minutes at a time. This gives them the opportunity to practice using their neck muscles. 

 As they get used to the sensation, you’ll be able to let them lay down for a longer period of time, and after a few months, you can place them on a blanket, close to you. Some babies get fussy during tummy time, so if possible, aim to give them tummy time when they are well-rested, changed and happy. 

 4 – 6 Months 

At 4 to 6 months, your baby is getting better at identifying their world— and now he or she wants to make an impact! Many of their milestone indicators center around the use of their hands. A few new tricks your baby will start practicing include: 

• Reaching for toys and other objects (watch out for your hair!) 
• Reaching hands up while on their back, to play with their feet. 
• Transferring toys from one hand to another. 

With skills like these, your baby is on a roll— and soon enough, they should begin to be able to roll, themselves! Whichever way your baby masters first— from back to belly, or belly to back— they’ll be practicing with a range of muscles that are essential to developing their core strength.  

7 – 9 Months 

The  7 to 9 month range is often when you’ll learn if you’ve baby-proofed your home enough. As your baby learns how to get somewhere by rolling, she or he will begin to experiment with moving forwards and backwards. A few other skills they’ll start picking up include: 

• Sitting up without support
• Attempting to belly-crawl or moving with alternating legs and arms
• Picking up small objects with thumb and fingers. 

Around this timeframe, your baby’s strength and spatial awareness will also be on the rise — they’ll begin to reach for toys without falling over, and can follow objects with their eyes. As they get a grasp on this new sense, it sets the stage for the last major progressions of their first year.  

10 – 12 Months 

The last months of your baby’s first year begin the transition to toddlerhood! However, your little one is still a baby in many ways. As he or she gains confidence in their motor skills, you might notice them: 

• Starting to crawl on hands and knees. 
• Pulling up to stand using furniture (or a conveniently-located parent)
• Cruising or shuffling along the edge of furniture. 

As well as these larger motor skills, your little one will begin to gain confidence moving smaller muscle groups, like their fingers! These fine motor skills may include: 

• Picking up and letting go of toys 
• Turning the pages of a cardboard book. 
• Pulling off their shoes 
• Clapping or bringing their hands together. 

These skills all lead to one of the biggest milestones parents are watching for— your baby’s first steps. But before you fill up your phone storage (the cloud is a lifesaver) be aware that the end of the first year is still considered early for that coveted moment to happen. Many children will  begin to test their standing and walking skills in the months following their first birthday. 

What If My Child Isn’t on Track? 

Don’t panic, do speak up. Help is out there, and you and your child will be okay. 

While the reason your child isn’t meeting their milestones may seem unclear, you have access to a number of resources— many in your own community. Here in the Triangle, we have a number of free resources available for new & expectant parents, such as: 

• TAPS (Triangle Area Parenting Support): A nonprofit organization dedicated to providing new parents with critical resources and a community of support  (website also available en Español) 
• MSM (Moms Supporting Moms): A Triangle-based organization supporting expectant and postpartum moms through the transition of baby’s first year and beyond 
• FSN NC (Family Support Network of North Carolina): An organization providing  family support services, local programs and parent mentors to parents of children with disabilities, special healthcare needs, or mental health challenges. 

Here at Therapy Smarts, our mission is to turn challenges into triumphs for children and their families. We are experienced at helping parents find the answers they need to help their child thrive. 

If you are concerned about your child meeting their motor milestones, we offer free screenings.  Give us a call at (919) 378-1340 to learn more!