The milestones associated with the physical developmental stages of a baby helps caregivers determine if he is developing properly. No two children develop their motor skills at the same rate; however, experts agree on normal signs of development. Gross, or large, motor skills refer to posture and initial body movements. Fine, or small, motor skills involve the coordination of hands and fingers. You should discuss delays in motor development with your health professional for diagnosis and treatment.
Newborn to 4 Months
Between birth and four months, a number of gross motor changes occur in your baby's physical development. In babies with normal development, you will see the Babinski reflex when she fans the toes as you stroke the sole of her foot, and the Moro reflex as he bends and extends his arms. The American Pregnancy Association says to anticipate clenched hands in the first month and a reduction in grasp reflexes in the second. As your baby reaches 6 to 8 weeks, he can support the weight of his own head most of the time, and turns his face toward familiar voices, according to the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension. About the same time, the baby will start to notice his hands and overshoot objects when he reaches for them. He may roll over by the time he reaches four months, and sit up with support.
Five to Six Months
In the fifth and sixth months, your baby will learn to sit up all by herself for 30 seconds or more, according to Medline Plus, a National Institutes of Health website. Still unable to control her thumbs, she grasps things by drawing them toward her body. Expect her to roll over from her back to her stomach and push her feet against your lap to extend her legs. She should be able to shake a rattle, play with her toes and move objects from one hand to the other. She is ready to sit in a highchair and help hold her bottle during feedings.
Six to 12 Months
At 6 to 12 months of age, your baby should crawl, point at objects and feed herself finger food, explains Joyce Powell and Charles A. Smith, Ph.D., from the Department of Human Development at the National Network for Child Care. Expect her to be able to knock two blocks together and take them in and out of a container at this stage of physical development.
References
- Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension: Ages and Stages, Infancy
- American Pregnancy Association: First Year Development, Infant Development
- Medline Plus: Infant--Newborn Development
- National Network for Child Care: Developmental Milestones, A Guide for Parents
- Drugs: Normal Growth and Development of Newborns
