Frequent sleep deprivation and integrating a new child into your life can result in a first year that’s a complete blur. If you’re like the rest of us, you’ll probably wonder what the first year’s milestones are and whether Junior is on track. So here’s a brief list of the first year milestones that ought to help.
Remember that this is comprised of averages and that there is likely to be some differences between children. For example, the occasional child is born with one or more teeth or your daughter may not choose to crawl until later. One friend’s son was eating cut-up steak at two months. Be patient and if you have questions, talk to your mate or contact your pediatrician.
You should also note that some of these milestones build upon one another. For instance, holding the head up and sitting up without support all build upon the basic control of the neck muscles. Happy reading and hang on tight!
| Event | Timeframe |
| 1st stool (Meconium*) | 1st day |
| 1st Well-baby doctor visit | 2nd day |
| 2nd Well-baby doctor visit | 4th day |
| Umbilical cord falls off | 2 weeks |
| Well-baby checkup | 1 month |
| 1st time clearly smiling at you | 1 month |
| Lift head up | 1 month |
| Well-baby checkup | 2 months |
| 1st sex with new mom (theory) | 3 months |
| 1st tooth | 3 months |
| Able to grasp/lift light objects | 3 – 4 months |
| Well-baby checkup | 4 months |
| Hold head up | 4 months |
| Turn over | 4 months |
| 1st pulling up | 4 months |
| Well-baby checkup | 6 months |
| 1st time clearly seeing you | 6 months |
| Stops needing breast milk/formula | 6 months |
| 1st time solid foods introduced | 6 months |
| 1st time crawling | 7 – 8 months |
| 1st time walking | 10 – 12 months |
| 1st Dental visit | 1 year |
| Well-baby checkup | 1 year |
| * Meconium is not a gladiator or fuel for a Federation Starship. It is the term for the thick, tarry substance that constitutes your child’s first stool and is the remains of what was in his intestines/colon while he was in utero. Despite the rather nasty look and concept, it doesn’t smell – that comes later. | |