insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 06 - August 2015

BABIES+KIDS magical milestones: babies and kids BY LISAMARIE LAMB No two children are the same, and each one marches to the beat of their own drum when it comes to developing. There are, however, some milestones that are used as a measure of your child’s development, so although they do work at their own pace, they are expected to have reached certain stages at certain ages. Below is a checklist for these milestones so you can see how your child is doing, and what to expect in the weeks and months to come. 0-3 months 3-6 months • Your baby will begin to move a lot more during the next three months – this is usually when rolling over begins, for example • They will be able to sit now, and may use their hands to support themselves • Since your baby’s legs are getting stronger, you should be able to notice that, when held in a standing position, he or she can now take their entire weight (although they won’t be able to stand unaided just yet) • They will be reaching for things now too, so make sure anything you don’t want them to have is kept away! • When they are holding a toy, babies of this age will really be checking it out, exploring every part with their hands. They should even be transferring objects from one hand to the other • Now the babbling will begin to make a little more sense, with the ‘b’, ‘p’, and ‘m’ sounds often making an appearance; in fact, there won’t be much time when your baby isn’t making some kind of noise! • This is the stage when facial expressions are experimented with too. Communication is key • Your baby will now be showing an interest in different foods, and will open their mouth when the spoon comes near • When your baby is lying ﬂat on his or her stomach, they will lift their head up to look around, and push up on their arms • Babies are fascinated by their own hands, and in the ﬁrst three months they should be experimenting with motor skills by making a ﬁst • Those same exciting hands should also be brought to the mouth • Arms and legs should be moved around when experiencing excitement or joy • When lying down on their backs, your baby should be tracking moving objects and moving their eyes to do so • They will also try to grab at a toy held above them • By this stage, everyday noises that frightened them as tiny babies will no longer be so scary • When you speak to your baby, although they will probably not know their name as such, they should turn their head in your direction, and even smile when they hear your voice • They will want to touch faces, make eye contact, and generally be more aware of the people around them • Their crying will be different now too – you may even be able to distinguish the meanings of each type, from hunger to tiredness to fear • And it’s not just crying anymore either; by the time your baby reaches three months, they should be making other noises (e.g. ‘cooing’) too 55

insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 06 - August 2015 | Page 55