The stages of a baby’s development
Stage 1: newborn baby – 0 to 3 months
This first stage of the baby’s first days of life, instinctive reflexes appear, which are a good indicator that its development is evolving correctly.
The Palmar Prehensile Reflex will make your baby close his fingers around yours; the Plantar Prehensile Reflex is when he flexes his toes and instep forward; and the Postural Reflex is what makes your child lengthen his leg when you touch his foot.
Other reflexes to take into account would be: Moro reflex, in which they lengthen and bend their arms, accompanied by a light cry. This reflex would be like when adults are suddenly frightened. Babinski’s Reflex is when your toes spread out like a fan if you rub the sole.
Their eyes are still sensitive, so you should avoid very strong and direct light.
At two months, the baby will begin to gain strength in the neck, so you can put him on his tummy and see how he tries to lift his head, thus strengthening his spine. Of course, always do it under supervision. Avoid placing him/her in this position to sleep, as there is a risk of sudden death in this position.
Babies from one to three months old see things better when they are 20 to 30 centimeters away. At this stage your baby will be able to see more clearly the colorful objects you put in front of him, he will try to reach them and will begin to recognize his parents. Babies at this stage begin to imitate what you do: they will notice you and when you smile, they will replicate the gesture.
He will also show interest in auditory stimuli, so if you use a rattle you can attract your baby’s attention: you will see that he looks for the source of the sound with his eyes.
Stage 2 Infant – 4 to 6 months
In your baby’s second trimester you will notice that your baby’s growth and weight gain slows down, but this is not something you should worry about.
The flexibility of this stage is much greater, he will even be able to put his foot in his mouth! He will start to show his personality: he will specifically ask for certain objects, he will growl when he doesn’t have them and he will call for your attention. From five months onwards, you will know the first traits of his character.
One thing you will notice (positively) is that he is now sleeping at night for about 6 hours at a time. You may even experience his irritability if for some reason he skips a nap or doesn’t sleep as much as he would like. In the second trimester it is important to follow a routine: repetitive and basic, allowing you to recognize the moments of the day. For example, if you always bathe him before bedtime, he will learn that once he has bathed, it is time to go to bed.
At six months of age, babies begin the teething stage, when the first milk teeth begin to erupt. For your child it will be uncomfortable and painful, so he or she will complain and try to relieve the pain. How can you help? You can give him popsicles made from breast milk or consult your pediatrician for a pain reliever .
Six-month-old babies are able to recognize some faces around them, so they will be happy if they recognize someone in the environment and will also reject those who seem strange to them. He may show early signs of separation distress, i.e., he may start crying when you leave the room. It’s normal!
Stage 3 Infant – 7 to 9 months
At seven months your baby will still be teething, and you will also notice that his skin is more sensitive to diapers: you can try using ointments prescribed by your pediatrician or simply changing diapers more frequently.
The most exciting thing about this phase is to see how little by little the baby will gain autonomy: he will sit up on his own and even stand up by leaning on a piece of furniture or your legs. He will become an expert at crawling, developing his sense of balance and gaining knee and arm strength.
If you see that he does not crawl much or does not feel secure enough, you can help him by putting toys in front of him as a stimulus.
Stage 4 Toddler – 9 to 12 months
With crawling, the baby will have acquired a lot of coordination, especially eye-hand coordination. It will also help you exercise your vision and stimulate the tactility of the palm of your hand.
In these last months up to the age of one year, the baby will continue to perfect his motor skills. Months 10 and 11 are a reinforcement of all that has been achieved so far.
This is a key moment for his autonomy: you will see that he wants to spend more time sitting on the floor playing and experimenting with different textures, sounds and colors. Little by little, he will start to speak and babble, naming everything around him. He will begin to express himself with a basic vocabulary so that those of you who are close to him will understand him.
By the time he is one year old, his fine motor skills will have improved so much that he will be able to pick up an object with two fingers rather than his whole hand. He will point and ask for what he wants, and if he can’t get it, he will complain.
Stage 5 More than one year
He will start exploring everything, and walking will be the best way to get everywhere. Being in constant movement will cause him to lose a little weight, but it’s nothing to be alarmed about, unless it’s something drastic.
Tantrums will be part of everyday life, as he will be developing his emotions and personality. Accompany him with affection and empathy.
From the age of 15 months he will begin to understand what the word ‘no’ means, he will know how to tell you what he wants and how. It is a good idea to take him to the park and let him start interacting with other children, to develop socially.
Between 16 and 18 months, he will regulate his sleep rhythm and better control his movements, as well as greatly increase his vocabulary words.
This has been a brief summary of all the phases that a newborn baby goes through in its first months of life, a stage full of essential changes and learning.
