Baby’s First Year Milestone Guide
Your baby’s first year is full of incredible growth and development! From their first sounds and smiles to standing on their own, every month brings new milestones. This Baby’s First Year Milestone Guide provides an overview of key speech, feeding, and physical milestones from birth to 12 months. Click the links to dive deeper into each stage!
You may be asking, “Why would an SLP care about physical milestones?” The short answer is that movement and motor development are connected to speech and language skills. Gross and fine motor abilities impact a child’s ability to explore their environment, interact with caregivers, and develop the skills needed for speech and feeding.
Newborn to 8 Weeks: The First Steps in Communication
- Speech & Language: Recognizing voices, cooing, and making early vowel sounds.
- Feeding: Learning to latch, suck, and swallow effectively.
- Physical Development: Reflexive movements, head control improvements, and early hand-to-mouth coordination.
Read more: Newborn-8 Week Milestones
3-5 Months: Babbling and Building Strength
- Speech & Language: Increased cooing, laughing, and experimenting with different sounds.
- Feeding: Stronger sucking, early attempts at holding a bottle.
- Physical Development: Pushing up during tummy time, rolling over, and reaching for objects.
Read more: 3 Month Old Milestones, 4 Month Old Milestones, 5 Month Old Milestones
6-8 Months: Exploring Sounds and First Foods
- Speech & Language: Babbling with consonants (e.g., “ba,” “da”), responding to their name.
- Feeding: Introduction to solid foods, munching and early chewing.
- Physical Development: Sitting up without support, reaching for food, and early crawling.
Read more: 6 Month Old Milestones, 7 Month Old Milestones, 8 Month Old Milestones
9-11 Months: First Words and Increased Mobility
- Speech & Language: Saying first words (“mama,” “dada”), copying sounds and gestures.
- Feeding: Self-feeding with fingers, drinking from a cup with help.
- Physical Development: Pulling to stand, cruising along furniture, fine motor improvements.
Read more: 9 Month Old Milestones, 10 Month Old Milestones, 11 Month Old Milestones
What’s after Baby’s First Year Milestone Guide? 12-24 Month Milestones
As your child transitions into toddlerhood, expect big leaps in speech, feeding, gestures, and movement! Over the next year, they’ll go from saying their first words to combining words, walking independently, and using utensils.
Upcoming blogs will cover:
✔️ 12-15 Month Milestones
✔️ 15-18 Month Milestones
✔️ 18-24 Month Milestones
Stay tuned for more insights on how speech and physical development work together to build strong communication skills!
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