Infant Milestones to Mark
Being aware of the infant milestones is vital to understanding your baby's current development and future
behavior.
You need to be able to catch those "windows of opportunity" in your infant's life.
Knowledge of the infant developmental stages helps you guide your child along the path of becoming a
healthy and functioning adult.
You want your baby to grow
not too fast...not too slow...
but at just the right pace.
This "mothersense" lets you to see into the future and identify either those areas where your newborn
is excelling, or areas where he needs a little nudge.
Worst case scenario, you can bring it up to your
doctor at the next well baby visit. Either way, your baby benefits!
What are the Infant Milestones?
A milestone is a significant stage or event in a persons life. Your baby will hit more milestones
in this first year than at any other time in his life.
There are 5 sets of developmental stages to watch for in the first year.
{Photo by Nico Maessen}
I have found the easiest way to track all these infant milestones is in a Baby Binder (a notebook that organizes all my
medical information for my baby).
How Often Do You Track the Milestones?
You can track your baby's development on a weekly basis, but that may be asking for
a panic attack. What if he's a week behind? two weeks?
In the big picture that's nothing, but tracking
weekly may tempt you to be overly concerned.
For the most part, observe the milestones quarterly and occasionally monthly. Briefly check what's coming up (using the
Infant Milestone Marker) and then make a note when they occur.
Chances are, your Baby Binder will be more accessible
than your Baby Book. You can always transfer the results over later on.
If Your Baby Seems Behind
First of all, take a deep breath. Some children may be slower in some areas, but super fast in others. Is your infant extremely active but slow to speak?
Most often these things even themselves out. Be patient.
If it seems not to be improving after a few weeks, mention it to your pediatrician.
Become an expert on your baby. She is wonderfully unique and will develop at her own pace.
Influencing Your Baby's Development
Mothers (and others) can have a huge influence on their infant's development. Here are some tips on
how to encourage this growth:
- read books out loud
- tell bedtime stories (make that eye contact!)
- encourage playtime with educational toys
- turn bath time into spa time - complete with baby massage
- teach your baby to use sign language to communicate
- sing (he won't care if you can't carry a tune - it's YOUR voice he wants to hear)
- establish a sleeping schedule
- establish a feeding schedule
- use specialized activities like those included every month in The Merry Mother E-zine. (Subscriptions are free!)
Can I Hurt My Baby's Development?
Unfortunately, there are ways you could negatively impact your baby's development. Here are some things
you should avoid:
- smoking around the baby (CigArrest is a great way to quit smoking
 .)
- exposing your baby to lead (especially in older homes)
- having harmful chemicals in close contact with your baby (i.e. carpet shampoo, harsh cleansers, etc.)
- too much exposure to television
Watching your baby grow and develop through these infant milestones is one of the greatest prizes of being a mother.
Cherish these moments as you cheer your little one on. They will be too fleeting!
All the photos on this page can be found at www.flickr.com and
were used according to licensing requirements. The photo on the cover of the Milestone Marker was
taken by Nichole Manner.
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