development through the months

  • Newborn

    Here’s a quick overview of the 2 most important things to know before you leave the hospital with your newborn baby. As a new parent, you will likely be overwhelmed by advice. Much of it you can ignore and find what works for you. This video highlights what not to ignore.

  • 1 month

    What does life with a 1-month-old infant look like? Here’s a summary of what to expect- including developmental milestones and what 1 month olds do. Remember that developmental milestone age ranges are broad, and babies all move at their own pace.

  • 2 months

    What does life with a 2 month old infant look like? Here’s a summary of what to expect- including developmental milestones and what 2-month-olds do. Remember that developmental milestone age ranges are broad, and babies all move at their own pace.

  • 4 months

    What does life with a 4 month old infant look like? Here’s a summary of what to expect- including developmental milestones and what 4-month-olds do. Remember that developmental milestone age ranges are broad, and babies all move at their own pace.

  • 6 months

    What does life with a 6 month old infant look like? Here’s a summary of what to expect- including developmental milestones and what 6-month-olds do. Remember that developmental milestone age ranges are broad, and babies all move at their own pace.

  • 9 months

    What does life with a 9 month old infant look like? Here’s a summary of what to expect- including developmental milestones and what 9-month-olds do. Remember that developmental milestone age ranges are broad, and babies all move at their own pace.

  • 12 months

    What does life with a 12 month old baby look like? Here’s a summary of what to expect- including developmental milestones and what 12-month-olds do. Remember that developmental milestone age ranges are broad, and babies all move at their own pace.


Use the arrows to navigate left/right to find under 2 minute videos highlighting development through the months. Remember that developmental age ranges are broad, and that each baby is different and moves at his/her own pace. These videos are intended to give you an idea of what to look for at each age. They are supplements, not replacements, for checkups!

See below for a snippet of development through the months content from each video:

Newborn: Safe sleep is absolutely key. The video mentions that a “boring” crib is best (since bumpers, pillows, quilts, blankets are a firm no). You can spice up boring with a cute crib sheet. Breast milk is deficient in vitamin D, so if you plan to breastfeed, your baby will need a supplement (I like this one because you only need one drop). While baby is still in your room, a flat bassinet or crib can be used for safe sleep. My kids all slept in this mini pack’n’play, which is also good for travel.

2 months: Soothing measures are crucial at this cranky age. I recommend a good sound machine (I like this one…it’s rechargeable so you can travel cordlessly). I’m on team pacifier (my 3 kids have all loved these, and the glow-in-the-dark feature is brilliant).

4 months: This is such a fun age! 4 month olds are usually pretty happy. New food adventures can start between now and 6 months (see video). My diaper bag is stocked with these plates and bibs.

6 months: In addition to the fun new tricks discussed in the video, 6 month olds might start teething. Topical medications like orajel are not recommended (I like frozen washcloths for soothing teethers). 6 months is a good age to let your baby start practicing with a cup. Many occupational therapists recommend straw cups; I love this one for my kids.

9 months: These cruisers start spending a lot more time on their feet! Occupational therapists recommend soft-soled shoes (choose some that curious kids can’t rip off- mine wear these).

12 months: Lots of developmental changes, including an ever-growing vocabulary, start around this age. Saying the one word name of objects helps your baby understand where the word begins and ends (ie simply dog instead of that’s the dog). These fun-textured flashcards (we also have the animals and colors and shapes sets) are good practice and are much loved by my children.

*This post contains affiliate links. I make a small percentage of each sale at no extra cost to you. I would never recommend products I haven’t used or found to be useful or products that are not in support of AAP-recommended safety guidelines.