Development
5 to 10 minutes to review the Child Health Record and write down questions
5 steps
Baby developmental milestones are skills that help track how a baby moves, learns, communicates, and interacts. They emerge at different rates and should not be treated as deadlines or diagnoses. Observe progress over time, write down questions in the Child Health Record, and talk to your pediatrician. If your baby loses a skill they previously had or something concerns you, seek guidance without waiting.
What are developmental milestones?
Developmental milestones are observable skills that help families and healthcare professionals track how a child grows and learns. They involve different areas, including body movements, communication, social interaction, learning, and solving simple problems. A baby may progress faster in one area and take more time in another.
These references are not tests for families to administer and do not, on their own, confirm a diagnosis. CDC milestone lists, for example, describe skills that most children demonstrate by certain ages and emphasize that they are not a substitute for standardized developmental screening tools. In Brazil, the Child Health Record is a resource used to monitor health, growth, and development together with healthcare professionals.
From birth to 2 months
During the first months, observe how your baby responds to the voice, face, and touch of caregivers. They may begin to follow a face briefly, respond to sounds, and make short movements to lift their head while awake and lying on their stomach. Crying is also an early form of communication, although it may not always be easy to immediately identify what the baby needs.
Talk to your baby, bring your face close, and show age-appropriate objects without expecting them to hold their head up for long periods. Tummy time should take place only while the baby is awake, with an attentive adult nearby and on a safe surface. For sleep, follow the safe sleep recommendations provided by the healthcare team.
From 2 to 6 months
As the months pass, many babies become more interactive: they may smile in response to people, make sounds, move their arms to reach for objects, and show greater head control. They may also begin rolling over or changing positions. These skills emerge gradually, and the age at which each one appears can vary.
Talking, singing, and offering safe objects for your baby to look at and touch are simple ways to interact. Give your baby time to respond with eye contact, sounds, or movements. There is no need to repeat exercises until the baby becomes tired or compare each skill with those of another child.
From 6 to 9 months
At this stage, some babies begin sitting more steadily, transferring objects from one hand to the other, babbling, or showing interest in moving around. Others may progress at different rates or explore their surroundings in different ways. Crawling is only one of several possible ways to move.
Playing on the floor can give your baby room to explore movements and objects, as long as the area is prepared safely and an adult remains nearby. Remove small pieces and dangerous objects from reach. Also observe how your baby responds to people and sounds without turning playtime into a test.
From 9 to 12 months
Around the first year, some children begin using gestures, participating in social games, understanding familiar words, or pulling themselves up with support. Some babies move around while holding onto furniture, while others are still developing balance and strength. Not every child crawls before standing or walking.
Songs with gestures, conversations, and picture books can create opportunities for interaction. Let your baby explore only in a protected and supervised environment. Avoid comparing when your baby starts walking with other children: the healthcare team can evaluate overall development and the child's individual history.
How to track milestones without turning them into pressure
Use the Child Health Record to follow entries and write down questions. Instead of creating a daily checklist of tasks, observe what happens naturally during feedings, playtime, and everyday care. If a skill has not yet appeared, this does not automatically mean there is a problem; record your concern and discuss it with the healthcare professional caring for your baby.
If your child was born prematurely, ask how corrected age should be considered when comparing skills. Birth history, health, and routine assessments help professionals interpret progress. A general milestone chart found online cannot provide this individualized assessment.
When to talk to the pediatrician
Talk to the pediatrician or healthcare team if you notice that your baby is not developing an expected skill, if you have an ongoing concern, or if you notice significant differences in how your baby moves, communicates, or responds to people and sounds. You know your child's everyday behavior, and your observations can help guide the conversation.
Seek guidance without waiting if your baby loses a skill they had previously acquired. Explain what your baby could do before, when the change began, and what you are observing now. A professional evaluation determines whether further investigation or support is needed; individual milestones alone do not establish a diagnosis.
How to track your baby's development
Use everyday observations and the Child Health Record to support conversations during healthcare appointments
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1
Check the Child Health Record
Check the Child Health Record and identify which skills are monitored for your baby's age group. Use the material as a reference for conversations with the healthcare team rather than treating each item as a requirement that must be met by an exact date.
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2
Observe different areas of development
During everyday moments such as talking, changing diapers, or playing, notice how your baby looks at things, responds to sounds and voices, moves their body, explores objects, and interacts. The goal is to notice patterns, not to test or examine the baby yourself.
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Record your observations
Write down a new skill, a change that caught your attention, or a situation that happens repeatedly. For example, note if your baby has started reaching for a toy or seems not to respond to familiar sounds. Describing what you observed is more useful than deciding on your own that there is a delay.
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Play and interact without pressure
Offer safe and enjoyable interaction: talk to your baby, respond to their sounds, sing, or show them an age-appropriate toy while they are awake and supervised. Do not force movements or place small objects within reach without supervision. If your baby loses interest or shows discomfort, take a break.
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Talk to the healthcare team
Bring your observations to routine appointments or your healthcare provider. Explain when you noticed the change, what your baby was doing before, and whether you have other concerns about hearing, vision, movement, or communication. If your baby has stopped doing something they previously did, seek guidance without waiting for the next milestone on the list.
Examples of skills to watch for by age
Important Tips
Use the Child Health Record to keep track of information and bring questions to appointments.
Observe how your baby plays, communicates, moves, and responds to people, rather than focusing only on individual skills.
Keep play sessions short and age-appropriate, and stop if your baby shows signs of tiredness or discomfort.
Avoid comparing siblings, cousins, or babies on social media: every child follows their own developmental path.
If your baby was born prematurely, ask the healthcare team to explain how corrected age should be considered.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to common questions.
Do all babies reach developmental milestones at the same age?
No. Milestones are references for tracking skills that typically emerge throughout development, but babies do not acquire all of them at the same time. The Child Health Record and routine checkups help interpret progress while considering each baby's history and circumstances.
Does a baby need to crawl before starting to walk?
Crawling is one way of getting around, but it is not the only one. Some children move in other ways or begin standing and walking without crawling. If you have questions about your baby's movements or development, talk to the pediatrician rather than evaluating a single skill in isolation.
Should I worry if my baby is not yet doing something another baby of the same age can do?
It is common for families to compare children, but every baby develops at their own pace. Use milestone lists as a tool to help you observe and talk with a healthcare professional, not as a diagnostic test. If a skill has not appeared or you are concerned, share your observation during the appointment.
What should I do if my baby stops doing something they used to do?
Write down what caught your attention and talk to the pediatrician or healthcare team. If your baby stops doing something they had already learned to do, report it without waiting until the next routine checkup.
How should I track the milestones of a premature baby?
Prematurity can affect how skills are compared by age. The healthcare team can explain how to use corrected age and monitor the baby according to their individual history. Do not use a general milestone chart to conclude that there is a developmental delay.
How can I support my baby's development at home?
Talking to your baby, responding to their sounds and gestures, singing, showing age-appropriate objects, and playing together during calm moments are all forms of interaction. Stimulation should be safe and enjoyable; there is no need to force positions or repeatedly train a particular skill.
Sources consulted
- Brazilian Ministry of Health — Child Development
- Brazilian Ministry of Health — Child Health Record
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Developmental Milestones
- American Academy of Pediatrics — Your Preemie's Growth & Developmental Milestones
- World Health Organization — Nurturing Care for Early Childhood Development