Baby milestones by month: what to expect in year one
A month-by-month guide to the physical and social milestones most babies reach in their first year — with the honest range of "normal" timing.
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Reviewed by Dr. Ananya Rao
MBBS, MD (Pediatrics) — 30 July 2026
Published 31 July 20261 min read
On this page
0-3 months
- Lifts head briefly during tummy time
- Follows faces and objects with their eyes
- First social smile, usually by 6-8 weeks
4-6 months
- Rolls from tummy to back
- Sits with support
- Reaches for and grabs objects
7-9 months
- Sits without support
- Crawls or scoots
- Responds to their own name
10-12 months
- Pulls to stand, may cruise along furniture
- Says one or two words with meaning
- Waves bye-bye or claps
These ranges are wide on purpose — babies reach the same milestones weeks or even months apart and are still entirely typical.
About the reviewer
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Dr. Ananya RaoMBBS, MD (Pediatrics) · Pediatrics
Dr. Rao is a practicing pediatrician with over a decade of experience in newborn and infant care across urban and rural India.
