Keeping track of your baby’s milestones
In the UK, shortly before or after birth, you'll be given a personal child health record (PCHR). The PCHR usually has a red cover and is frequently referred to as the "red book".
This book is often used to record any important information about your little one, including their weight, height and details of any vaccinations. There is also a developmental milestones section in the book, which you can use to make notes about their growth and development. I would recommend parents use this or a similar notebook to track their baby’s milestones, and that they bring this with them to any GP or health visitor appointments.
As you track, please remember that all babies are different and will develop at different paces. Try not to worry if your baby hasn’t hit a milestone yet and don’t compare your newborn’s development journey to anyone else’s. If you are concerned at all, speak to your GP or health visitor.
Premature babies and development
Corrected age counts your baby’s age from the time they should have been born (40 weeks) as opposed to the time they were actually born. For example, if a baby is born 8 weeks early (32 weeks), and they’re now 10 weeks old, their corrected age is 2 weeks old. (10 weeks old – 8 weeks premature = 2 weeks corrected age).
A premature baby who is 10 weeks old is at a different stage of development from a term baby who is 10 weeks old. The corrected age is used to assess all milestones of a premature baby from birth for the first two to three years. For example, a baby born 8 weeks early may smile 8 weeks later than a baby born on the same day.
You can help your premature baby develop by:
Making time for skin-to-skin contact
Talking to your baby to help them get used to sounds
Dimming the lights in your house and avoid using bright lights that can stress your premature baby
Avoiding strong odours such as perfumes and scented candles while they learn to recognise your natural scent
Sleeping is vital for your baby’s growth
0-3 months milestones
The first three months of your baby’s life can feel like a whirlwind as you both adjust to your new routine. Your little one will grow significantly during this time, and will sleep, cry and eat a lot as well. Some other things you can expect to experience, include:
Your baby’s first smile in response to you! Making your little one smile is an amazing experience so take the time to enjoy it. Babies will smile at different times, but you could expect your baby’s first smile between weeks 6 and 8. You may also see your newborn begin to understand your voice and recognise your face too.
Your newborn may make their first sounds and giggles. Nothing is better than making your little one laugh, it’s a fantastic feeling! Try to talk and interact with your baby as much as possible too, I promise that they are taking you and everything around you in.
Your baby’s gross and fine motor skills will develop greatly by 3-months. Your baby will have good control over their head, hands and arms, being able to prop themselves on their elbows during tummy-time.
4-6 months milestones
As your baby begins to approach six months of age, you’ll notice their personality appear and their movement skills start to improve. You may also experience:
Your little one supporting their weight on their legs (when held)
Your baby grabbing and picking up objects or small toys
Your baby being able to roll over and sit up – You can help encourage this by giving your little one regular ‘tummy time’ to help them learn about movement and develop the skills to roll over, sit and crawl. Please remember to always supervise your baby when they are on their tummy and not to worry if your baby is not yet rolling over or sitting up. Some babies may take a bit longer to reach these milestones. If you are seeing gradual progression and improvement this is reassuring. If you are concerned about any delays in reaching their milestones, then please discuss them with your health visitor.
Sleep
By six months of age, you might find that your baby has established more of a sleep routineand is able to nap during the day and manage longer stretches at night. On the other hand, this might not be the case and that’s ok! When it comes to how your baby is sleeping, if you’re happy with how things are then that’s the most important thing.
If you have any questions about their sleep, or if you need any further help or guidance, speak to your health visitor or sleep consultant.
Teething
Most babies also start teething at around six months, however again each baby is different. For some babies, teeth can emerge without any pain or discomfort but for others, their gums may be red and sore while teething.
Weaning
Around this time, you may also be starting to wean your baby, as they will now be able to cope with solid food made into purees. Don’t worry too much about the type or amount of food they eat. The most important thing during this time is getting them used to having solid foods in their mouths and swallowing them. Learning to accept and eat solid foods is a whole new developmental milestone for your little one. Some babies will accept these new foods and textures much quicker than others, but don’t feel discouraged if it takes your baby a while, this is completely normal!
