Your baby’s development in the first year: what to expect

Your baby will learn new things all through their first year, in their own time. Here’s what NHS guidance says to expect, and how you can help.

Every baby is different

Babies do things in their own time. Healthier Together, an NHS guide for parents in West Yorkshire, says there is a range of normal ages at which children learn new skills, and that children learn at their own speed. The NHS also says children learn to talk at different ages.

So the ages below are a rough guide, not targets. If something doesn’t seem right to you, talk to your health visitor.

What you might notice

Around 1 month: your baby can hear you and knows your voice.
Around 6 to 8 weeks: first smiles often come now. Your baby may smile back when you smile at them.
From around 3 months: your baby may turn their head towards a sound and listen to a familiar voice.
Between 3 and 12 months: babies coo, laugh and play with sounds, like ma-ma-ma. From around 9 months, they make more sounds in a row.
Between 4 and 6 months: rolling often starts, usually from back to front first. Your baby may hold their head steady when sitting with support.
Around 6 months: first tastes of food. See starting solid foods.
Between 6 and 9 months: sitting without support often comes now.
Between 7 and 10 months: many babies start crawling. Some shuffle along on their bottoms instead.
Around 12 months: your baby may respond to their own name and understand “no”.
Between 12 and 18 months: walking often comes now. Healthier Together says that at around 15 months, children should be able to say a few words.

Your baby’s health and development reviews

The NHS says reviews are usually done by a health visitor or a member of their team. They may be at home, or at a GP surgery, baby clinic or children’s centre.

New baby review, 10 to 14 days after the birth: a health visitor gives advice on things like feeding, safe sleep, vaccinations, your baby’s development and how you’re adjusting to being a parent.
6 to 8 week check: usually with your GP. It’s a physical examination that checks your baby’s eyes, heart and hips (and testicles, for boys), and measures their weight, length and head size. See the 6 to 8 week check.
9 to 12 month review: usually with a member of your health visiting team. It looks at things like your baby’s language and learning, safety, diet and behaviour.
2 to 2½ year review: usually with a nursery nurse or health visitor. It looks at general development, including movement, speech, social skills, behaviour, hearing and vision.

Before the 9 to 12 month and 2 year reviews, your health visiting team will usually send you a questionnaire called the ASQ-3. The NHS says not to worry if you can’t fill in the whole questionnaire, because a health visitor will help you complete it.

Take your baby’s red book (personal child health record) to every review and clinic visit. It records your baby’s weight, height and vaccinations.

Tummy time

Tummy time and playtime help build your baby’s strength. The NHS says you can start tummy time from birth by lying your baby on your chest, but only when you’re wide awake and unlikely to fall asleep.

Only do tummy time when your baby is awake and alert, and you’re there to keep an eye on them.
Little and often is best to begin with. Gradually increase the time day by day.
When your baby is ready, try tummy time on the floor.
If your baby doesn’t enjoy it, keep trying every day for a short time.

The NHS says spending long periods strapped into a buggy, car seat or highchair isn’t good for young children. If you use a baby walker, bouncer or seat, it’s best to use it for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Laying your baby on their back on the floor lets them kick their legs.

Talking

The NHS says your baby loves hearing your voice and watching your face. To help them learn to talk, it suggests:

holding your baby close and looking at them as you talk
chatting about what you’re doing as you feed, change and bathe them
singing, which helps your baby tune in to the rhythm of language
repeating the sounds your baby makes back to them
from around 6 months, naming and pointing to things you can both see, like “Look, a cat”
matching your actions to your words, like waving when you say bye
looking at books together. You don’t have to read the words on the page.
switching off the TV and radio, because background noise makes it harder for your baby to listen to you
only offering a dummy at sleep time, as it’s hard to learn to talk with a dummy in your mouth

Play

From around 4 months, the NHS suggests talking and singing to your baby while you hold them, putting toys near them so they can reach for them, and looking at baby books together. It also suggests encouraging your baby to play with you by taking turns.

Keep play safe. The NHS says to:

check toys for sharp edges or small parts your baby could swallow
keep button batteries well away from children, as they can cause severe internal burns if swallowed
never leave your baby alone on a bed, sofa or changing table, even for a second, as they could roll off
never leave your baby alone in the bath, as babies can drown in as little as 5cm of water

When to talk to your health visitor

The NHS says that if you have any concerns between reviews, you can contact a health visitor or GP, or go to your local baby clinic. You don’t have to wait for the next review.

Healthier Together says to speak to your health visitor or GP if your baby:

doesn’t respond to sounds
doesn’t focus on faces by 8 weeks old
doesn’t smile back by 8 weeks old
doesn’t turn their head to soft sounds by 12 months, or try to communicate with you using sounds, gestures, eye contact or words
stops doing things they could do before, at any age

The NHS says to ask your health visitor for advice if your baby isn’t showing any signs of moving by 12 months. If you’re worried about your baby’s speech or language, talk to your GP or health visitor. You can also refer your child to a speech and language therapist yourself.

Questions people ask

My baby isn’t crawling yet. Should I worry?

Babies move in their own time. The NHS says many start crawling at around 7 to 10 months, and some shuffle on their bottoms instead. If your baby isn’t showing any signs of moving by 12 months, ask your health visitor for advice.

When will my baby smile?

First smiles often come at around 6 to 8 weeks. Healthier Together says to talk to your health visitor or GP if your baby doesn’t smile back by 8 weeks.

What if I can’t fill in the ASQ-3 questionnaire?

Don’t worry. The NHS says your health visitor will help you complete it.

Do I have to wait for a review to ask about my baby’s development?

No. You can contact your health visitor or GP, or go to your local baby clinic, whenever you have a concern.