Developmental stages: growing and moving

This article has been divided into the different stages you may expect your child to experience: kicking, wriggling and rolling over, hand and arm movement, sitting and crawling, standing and cruising, walking, motor skills, milestones and development checks. See also further information.

Kicking, wriggling and rolling over

Many babies love to kick their legs and wriggle around in the womb and they continue to do so once they’re out of the womb. To encourage your baby, make sure he has enough space when he lies down and that he’s not constricted by clothing that’s too big or too small.

Rolling over is usually the next stage of movement and some babies reach it faster than others. Be wary about putting your baby on a bed or a high surface in case he surprises you by demonstrating his new-found rolling skills.

Many parents give their babies supervised tummy time to strengthen their backs, arms and necks; to encourage them to roll over; and to give them a different view of the world. Research shows that continually putting babies on their backs can delay the development of motor skills, which are the specific, purposeful actions essential for movement and co-ordination. Experts suggest up to 30 minutes of tummy time per day, in one or several periods.

Hand and arm movement

Your baby’s hands will be a source of endless fascination throughout much of his first year. At birth, your baby's hands are clenched. Even if you try to uncurl his fingers by pressing on his palm, they'll curl back into tight fists – this is a reflex he's born with.

At around three months, he will begin to open his hands on his own and slowly gain control over his movements. You should notice his increased hand-eye co-ordination as he discovers that his hands are part of his body.

Your baby’s attempts to bring his hands to his mouth will be persistent, but mostly in vain at first. Even if his fingers occasionally reach their destination, they’ll quickly fall away. By four months, however, he’ll probably have finally mastered this game (which is also an important developmental skill) and be able to get his thumb to his mouth and keep it there whenever he wishes.

Put a rattle or toy in his palm now and he’ll clench it tightly, shake it, put it in his mouth, and maybe even transfer it from hand to hand. Your baby will also be able to reach accurately and quickly - not only with both hands but with his entire body. For instance, hang a toy overhead and he’ll reach up eagerly with arms and legs to bat at it and grab for it. His face will tense in concentration, and he may even lift his head towards his target. Reaching for objects and for you will all become part of his general physical development.

Sitting and crawling

Babies learn to sit, first supported and then unsupported. Your baby will need to be placed somewhere safe so that if he topples over he won’t hurt himself. You can encourage sitting by holding on to your child’s hands and seeing if he attempts to pull up to a sit. As he masters this skill gradually he will be able to sit up for longer periods and correct himself if he leans too far one way. He might at times get stuck, so it’s good for someone to be close by.

When your baby does decide to crawl, his first efforts are likely to be towards something. You can encourage this by putting a favourite toy just out of reach or by calling to him from a few paces away. Some parents also like to get down on their hands and knees to talk to their babies while they are learning to crawl.

Try to place him on a soft blanket or carpet and be prepared for him to wobble a little as he may still be too young to support his own body weight on his arms. Your baby may crawl sideways, backwards, or even with one knee up. And some babies don't crawl in the traditional way but rather shuffle around on their bottoms, pushing with their hands, which is just as common. This is all part of your baby way finding the best way to move around.

Standing and cruising

Once your baby is crawling then it is likely he will soon be pulling himself to a standing position, although some babies crawl for months before actually walking. Gradually your child may learn to pull himself up into a standing position. You can encourage this by supporting his underarms with your hands and bouncing him up and down. You may notice he stiffens his legs and relaxes them again and sometimes even resists being put down again. He may get up and not know how to get back down, resulting in a call for help. You can teach him to lower himself onto his bottom by pushing him down gently. This way he will soon get the hang of standing up and sitting down.

Once baby has learned how to stand, he may embark on what is known as cruising, which is using the furniture for support to move a few steps. Consider safety and think about whether he could injure himself by banging, knocking or tumbling into furniture. Try to cover up wires, remove sharp or unstable items and put locks on cupboards. Think about stair gates too. But remember some slips and falls are inevitable and all part of learning.

Walking

While your toddler is learning to take his first steps, some parents use a push-along walker to help their baby’s confidence. Other parents like to sit apart on the floor and encourage their baby to walk between them – possibly moving further apart so the child covers a longer distance.

Practice makes perfect, so make sure your baby is free to have a wander when he feels like it.

Babies will choose the time at which they feel confident enough to roll over, sit, crawl, stand or walk. And, if your baby is learning a skill, it’s better to leave him to fully grasp that stage of development rather than push him onto the next stage.

It’s important to remember that ‘firsts’ such as crawling and walking are just markers rather than set in stone. Babies learn and develop at different rates depending on many factors.

Motor skills

It’s also worth remembering there is a difference between fine and gross motor skills. Fine motor skills are things like stacking blocks or colouring, while gross motor skills are activities such as crawling or walking. And you may notice your baby has a natural tendency towards one group or the other. Equally, they may seem to master social or cognitive skills such as talking more easily than physical movement.

Remember that there’s no rush and babies will do things under their own steam. But you can help – just by making sure your little one can move around and practise their new abilities freely, easily and safely. And, as parents, make time to enjoy watching your baby grow, develop and master these exciting new skills.

Milestones

Sometimes your baby may seem to lose a skill due to concentrating on gaining a new ability. However, once he has mastered the new skill, you will see that the old ones are still present.

Similarly, if your little one is ill, they may temporarily regress with their movement.  As soon as they’re feeling well again, they’ll have the energy to pick up where they left off.

Parents can’t help but compare their child to other babies, but this isn’t always helpful as your baby will go at his own pace. It’s worth noting that premature babies may have developmental delays, but equally they may not.

Development check

Babies will have various health and development checks usually at six to eight weeks (see article ‘Your six-week postnatal check-up'); at 12 months; and again between two and two and a half years. Your baby will be observed, with particular attention given to his vision, hearing and early speech sounds, mobility and balance, hand-eye co-ordination, and social interaction. Your baby will also be weighed naked, and both length and head circumference will be measured and plotted on her growth charts. Hips are re-checked by looking for full hip mobility, leg length, and equal skin creases. Boys will have their testes felt to ensure they have descended into the scrotum. Play and reactions to stimuli may be looked at too. Read more about your baby aged six-nine months.

Remember that there’s no rush and babies will do things under their own steam. But you can help, just by making sure your little one can more around and practise their new abilities freely, easily and safely.

Further information

NCT's helpline offers practical and emotional support in all areas of pregnancy, birth and early parenthood: 0300 330 0700.

You might find attending one of NCT's Early Days groups helpful as they give you the opportunity to explore different approaches to important parenting issues with a qualified group leader and other new parents in your area.

Make friends with other parents-to-be and new parents in your local area for support and friendship by seeing what NCT activities are happening nearby.

NHS Choices has information on what to expect during your child's developmental check-ups.

Start4Life posts some ideas on how you can incorporate active play into your baby's day.