13 Jan 2011
8 Cutest Baby Milestones
Get the insider info on your baby’s cutest milestones.
By Rochelle Bonifacio-Prado
The fun has already started for your tiny tot as faint coos turn into noisy gurgles and clumsy claps into unwavering waves! Cheer on your little one’s cutest milestones and pave the way for bigger things to come. 1. Smiling (6 to 8 weeks)
While your baby sleeps, you see the slightest upturned lip, rush to grab your camera, and find yourself half a second too late. “Before one month, baby’s smile is predominantly an inborn behavior,” says John Ong, M.D.,pediatrician at The University of Santo Tomas Hospital in Manila. It is a reflex rather than a response to something he sees, hears, or feels, he adds. Give your baby a few more weeks before he flashes his first social smile. When he does, you will see movement of all his facial muscles, including his eyes and cheeks.
Let’s practice! Sights and sounds, like a favorite toy or mommy and daddy’s faces, usually elicit a social smile, says Dr. Ong. Your baby learns best by imitation. Keep wearing your grin and he will indulge you with picture-perfect smiles.
2. Lifting his head (3 to 4 months)
Look at your baby bopping his head up and down, trying with all his might to keep it still. He lies on his tummy more frequently to accomplish this curious feat, raising his head to get a glimpse of his world.
Let’s practice! “The cutest practice drill that is motivating to the baby and satisfying to mom or dad is having baby lie face down on the parent’s chest while propping both elbows forward,” suggests Abbie Mensenares, pediatric physical therapist and managing director of Movement Matters Therapy Center in Quezon City. While moving a toy in different directions can make him curious enough to lift his head and follow the movement, nothing beats hearing the sound of your voice and seeing your face to encourage him.
Read on to learn more about your baby's cutest milestones.
3. Shaking a rattle (4 months)
From holding his bottle with both hands, he can now hold a rattle with one hand independently and soon discover that even a slight shaking movement produces a sound.
Let’s practice! Strengthen your baby’s hand muscles during playtime with colorful rattles, soft balls, blocks, and other sound-producing toys. If your baby’s grip is a bit loose, put your hand over his and guide him as you shake up, down, and side to side until he’s ready to shake his sillies all on his own!
4. Laughing (4 to 6 months)
Surprise! Your baby suddenly bursts into unexpected laughter. While his first giggle means that his vocal chords are maturing, it is also a good sign that your little one is happy and content.
Let’s practice! It begins with a ticklish spot here and there before funny sounds and faces trigger his first fits of laughter. Kiss his tummy, talk in a squeaky voice, make comical noises, or gently blow on his hair. Your own laughter encourages your baby to laugh some more!
5. Sucking on thumb (5 to 6 months)
At this age, the mouth is as important in exploration as it is in feeding. While your child takes pleasure in sucking his thumb, you wonder if you should immediately stop the habit. Dr. Ong says, “Most children can safely suck their thumb without damaging the alignment of their teeth and jaws until their permanent teeth begin to appear. This usually occurs at the age of six.”
Let’s practice! Relax. Let your baby suck away without intervention. It allows him to self-soothe. Dr. Ong adds, “Children usually give up thumb sucking when they’ve found other ways to calm and comfort themselves.”
6. Babbling (6 months)
Your baby, who is now learning to open and close his mouth and to use his lips and jaws, is in fact pursuing a higher mission, says Dr. Ong. “Latest research suggests that babies are enthusiastic code breakers decoding the secret code by which their parents communicate.”
Let’s practice! Very simply put—talk to your baby! Though your little one cannot produce recognizable words just yet, he is beginning to experiment with uttering sounds of language. Clear and distinct words will help him approximate the right sounds. 7. Clapping (9 to 10 months)
At this time, your baby will clap his hands every chance he gets. He just loves the sound his palms make as they smack together. From holding his bottle with both hands, he can now hold a rattle with one hand independently and soon discover that even a slight shaking movement produces a sound.
Let’s practice! Strengthen your baby’s hand muscles during playtime with colorful rattles, soft balls, blocks, and other sound-producing toys. If your baby’s grip is a bit loose, put your hand over his and guide him as you shake up, down, and side to side until he’s ready to shake his sillies all on his own!
4. Laughing (4 to 6 months)
Surprise! Your baby suddenly bursts into unexpected laughter. While his first giggle means that his vocal chords are maturing, it is also a good sign that your little one is happy and content.
Let’s practice! It begins with a ticklish spot here and there before funny sounds and faces trigger his first fits of laughter. Kiss his tummy, talk in a squeaky voice, make comical noises, or gently blow on his hair. Your own laughter encourages your baby to laugh some more!
5. Sucking on thumb (5 to 6 months)
At this age, the mouth is as important in exploration as it is in feeding. While your child takes pleasure in sucking his thumb, you wonder if you should immediately stop the habit. Dr. Ong says, “Most children can safely suck their thumb without damaging the alignment of their teeth and jaws until their permanent teeth begin to appear. This usually occurs at the age of six.”
Let’s practice! Relax. Let your baby suck away without intervention. It allows him to self-soothe. Dr. Ong adds, “Children usually give up thumb sucking when they’ve found other ways to calm and comfort themselves.”
6. Babbling (6 months)
Your baby, who is now learning to open and close his mouth and to use his lips and jaws, is in fact pursuing a higher mission, says Dr. Ong. “Latest research suggests that babies are enthusiastic code breakers decoding the secret code by which their parents communicate.”
Let’s practice! Very simply put—talk to your baby! Though your little one cannot produce recognizable words just yet, he is beginning to experiment with uttering sounds of language. Clear and distinct words will help him approximate the right sounds. 7. Clapping (9 to 10 months)
Let’s practice! Take your baby’s hands and show him how to clap. Clapping with curled fingers and half-opened hands will progress into clapping with hands flat independently. Remember, repetition is key. Practice makes perfect! He will be your one-man (or one-baby) cheering squad in no time!
8. Waving bye-bye (At 12 months)
Congratulations are in order! Your baby has achieved not just a simple hand gesture but good eye-hand coordination, muscle strength from his shoulders down to his hand, and an understanding of the purpose of the movement, Mensenares says. What a giant step for your little one!
Let’s practice! Your baby is now a keen observer who likes modeling your every move. Couple your waving action with verbal cues (“mommy waves bye-bye!” or “bye-bye baby!”) and a hand-over-hand demonstration for starters.
“Making it a part of his routine will help your child learn the skill easily,” says Mensenares. ✱
Toys for tots
With an infinite selection of infant gadgets in the market, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. Keep it age-appropriate, stimulating, and safe. Here are a few suggestions:
• Rattling Teethers allow baby to experience different textures, and to hear distinct sounds.
• Soft Toys that baby can touch and shake.
• Activity Gyms give your baby a fun, sensory workout.
• Music Mobiles play soft music while turning. They enhance your baby’s auditory and visual tracking skills.
• Hand Bells stimulate your baby’s auditory skills. Plus, give his hands something fun to do.
• Foam Toys of different shapes stimulate the tactile sense. They also make for perfect bathtub companions.
Photography by Jun Pinzon
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