Talk to your GP or public health nurse (PHN) if you are concerned about your child’s development. They may carry out more tests or refer your child to a specialist
By 1 month
By this age most babies will achieve these milestones:
gross motor - your baby will move their head up while lying down on their tummy
fine motor - your baby's tight fists will begin to loosen, their eyes may fix on objects and they will prefer to look at faces
communication and hearing - your baby will be alert to sounds and throaty noises
social and emotional - your baby will be getting to know you and begin to bond
problem-solving, learning and understanding - your baby will fix on a bright object and follow it with their eyes
You may notice that your baby:
likes to look at people’s faces more than objects
recognises their mother’s voice
likes hearing people’s voices and prefers high-pitched voices
can search for and suck from a breast or bottle
can grip small objects in their hands, like your finger
smiles
cries to communicate their needs
is crying or upset for 2 to 3 hours a day
By 2 months
You may start to notice that your baby:
becomes more alert
is awake for longer
is more interested in the world around them
responds to your voice
smiles, cries or coos
is often soothed by being picked up
puts their thumb in their mouth and quietens - not all babies do this
Most babies will reach the following milestones by 2 months:
Gross motor
Your baby will:
move their chest up while lying down on their tummy
bob their head in an upright position if they are being held
sit with their back supported on your lap
Fine motor
Your baby will:
move their eyes to track an object moved past the middle of their body
hold a rattle or toy for a brief period
have their hands loose and not in fists for about half of the time
Communication and hearing
Your baby will:
make cooing noises
look at people who are talking
Social and emotional
Your baby will smile back at you when you smile at them.
Problem-solving, learning and understanding
Your baby can follow something that is moving up or down with their eyes.
By 3 months
By this age most babies will achieve these milestones:
Gross motor
Your baby will:
have good control of their head when seated
rest on their forearms (the part between the elbow and the wrist) while lying down on their tummy
Fine motor
Your baby will:
use their hands to bat at objects
have their hands loose and not in fists most of the time
use their eyes to follow an object in a circular pattern
Communication and hearing
Your baby will chuckle. They’ll echo the sounds made by someone who is talking.
Social and emotional
Their cries will vary depending on what they are trying to communication. For example, hunger or pain.
Your baby may:
give warm smiles and laugh
cry when upset and look for comfort
show excitement by waving their arms and legs
continue to enjoy looking at your face and making eye contact with you
Problem-solving, learning and understanding
Your baby can look at a 1 inch object when it is held in front of them.
By 4 months
By this age most babies will achieve these milestones:
Gross motor
Your baby will roll their body from front to back. They’ll be able to hold their head steady in line with their body. This will stop their head lagging behind their shoulders when lifted.
Fine motor
Your baby will clutch at objects. They’ll reach out and move their hands while lying on their back.
Communication and hearing
Your baby will:
laugh out loud
move their body towards a voice
make sounds like “ah-goo”
listen to people who are talking
make a vocal sound when a person stops talking
Social and emotional
Your baby will recognise their mother.
Problem-solving, learning and understanding
Your baby will reach for objects and look at them while holding.
By 5 months
By this age most babies will achieve these milestones:
Gross motor
Your baby will roll their body from back to front. They’ll lift their head when sitting.
Fine motor
They’ll move objects from 1 hand to the other.
Communication and hearing
Your baby will:
smile and make vocal sounds when they see themselves in a mirror
mimic a person’s voice by making vocal sounds
make ‘raspberry’ (spitting) sounds
Social and emotional
Your baby will smile spontaneously.
Problem-solving, learning and understanding
Your baby can reach out and grasp a dangling object. They'll start to look at small objects with interest.
By 6 months
By this age most babies will achieve these milestones:
Gross motor
Your baby will be able to sit with support. They may prop themselves on their hands.
Fine motor
Your baby will be able to move things from 1 hand to the other.
Communication and hearing
Your baby will make babbling sounds such as “baba” and “gagaga”.
Social and emotional
Your baby will show a preference for a particular person.
Your baby may:
get upset when they cannot see their main caregiver
recognise familiar faces
smile more often - especially at their parents or main caregiver
try to hold their bottle while drinking
Problem-solving, learning and understanding
Your baby will look to the floor when they drop a toy.
This project has received funding from the Government of Ireland’s Sláintecare Integration Fund 2019 under Grant Agreement Number 8.
Page last reviewed: 1 December 2021
Next review due: 1 December 2024