Developmental stages: introduction Claire Halsey The changes you'll see in your baby over their first year will amaze and delight you. You'll look back at this early period and wish it could have lasted longer!

Early days

Your baby is developing fast and you'll notice at about two weeks of age she'll pay attention to your face, and by six weeks she'll begin to recognise you and may also be smiling at you.

You'll start to hear your baby use different cries: one sort of cry may mean "I'm thirsty" and another may tell you "I'm tired".

In the first four weeks your baby will be sleeping between 15 and 16.5 hours in every 24 hours*, including up to four naps during the day... though some can and do survive on as little as nine hours!

As your baby reaches six to eight weeks old you'll hear sounds develop - coos and chuckles join crying as a way to attract your attention. She'll enjoy it when you 'pop-up' in a peek-a-boo game.

As she reaches three months you'll notice she can hold her head up when lying on her tummy and she may start to reach out for colourful toys you put next to her.

Three to six months

Watching your baby develop from three to six months, you'll see her start to roll over, hold her head up when she's in a sitting position and take hold of toys and other objects with her hands. Your baby will begin putting toys, and anything else she can reach, into her mouth.

Your baby will begin to experiment with two sounds

You'll hear laughter, squeals and your baby will begin to experiment with two sounds together, such as "ah-goo". If you sing simple songs or rhymes, it will soothe your baby at this age.

Your baby will now be sleeping an average of 14 to 15 hours in every 24 hours with two to three naps during the day.*

The six-to-nine-month stage

From six months onwards your baby will be learning how to get around as crawling begins. She may start by crawling backwards, or may not crawl at all but bottom shuffle instead. She'll be able to sit without support, and by the time she's nine months old she may be able to pull herself up to stand using furniture or your helping hands.

You'll hear repeated sounds like "dadadadada" as well as imitations of sounds you make. These are the building blocks for first words which will come along around 12 to 15 months of age.

Your baby needs to be talked to in order to stimulate her own vocabulary - no matter how limited! If you're concerned about your baby's speech development, it may be worth talking to your doctor and asking for a hearing test.

One way to gauge your child's progress and development is through her height and weight. Regular weigh-ins at your clinic or doctor's surgery will give you an idea of how well your baby is doing. And while babies vary in how fast they gain weight, you will see the biggest gain during the first six to nine months. Listening to nursery rhymes will delight your baby. Singing or simply talking will also hold her interest.

At six to nine months of age your baby will be sleeping around 14 hours in every 24 hours including two daytime naps.*

Nearly a year...

As your baby's first birthday approaches, you may see her standing without support and beginning to walk. She may start anytime between the age of ten and 18 months. If she's not walking by 18 months, contact your health visitor or doctor.

Your baby may be able to throw an object, point and even wave "bye-bye". Listen out for "mama" and "dada" around this age as well as lots of babbling. She'll begin to understand the word "no" at around 12 months of age.

Your baby will still be sleeping around 14 hours in every 24 hours but the two daytime naps may be getting a little shorter.*

The information provided should be used as a guide only. Children develop at different stages, but if you're concerned, contact your doctor or health professional.

* Source: Ferber, R (1985), Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems, Dorling Kindersley.

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