Babies develop at their own pace, so it's impossible to tell exactly when your child will learn a given skill. The developmental milestones listed below will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect, but don't be alarmed if your own baby's development takes a slightly different course.

Social and Emotional

* Shy or anxious with strangers
* Cries when mother or father leaves
* Enjoys imitating people in his play
* Shows specific preferences for certain people and toys
* Tests parental responses to his actions during feedings
* Tests parental responses to his behavior
* May be fearful in some situations
* Prefers mother and/or regular caregiver over all others
* Repeats sounds or gestures for attention
* Finger-feeds himself
* Extends arm or leg to help when being dressed

Cognitive

* Explores objects in many different ways (shaking, banging, throwing, dropping)
* Finds hidden objects easily
* Looks at correct picture when the image is named
* Imitates gestures
* Begins to use objects correctly (drinking from cup, brushing hair, dialing phone, listening to receiver)

Language

* Pays increasing attention to speech
* Responds to simple verbal requests
* Responds to "no"
* Uses simple gestures, such as shaking head for "no"
* Babbles with inflection (changes in tone)
* Says "dada" and "mama"
* Uses exclamations, such as "Oh-oh!"
* Tries to imitate words

Movement

* Reaches sitting position without assistance
* Crawls forward on belly
* Assumes hands-and-knees position
* Creeps on hands and knees
* Gets from sitting to crawling or prone (lying on stomach) position
* Pulls self up to stand
* Walks holding on to furniture
* Stands momentarily without support
* May walk two or three steps without support

Hand and Finger Skills

* Uses pincer grasp
* Bangs two objects together
* Puts objects into container
* Takes objects out of container
* Lets objects go voluntarily
* Pokes with index finger
* Tries to imitate scribbling

Developmental Health Watch
Alert your child's doctor or nurse if your child displays any of the following signs of possible developmental delay for this age range.

* Does not crawl
* Drags one side of body while crawling (for over one month)
* Cannot stand when supported
* Does not search for objects that are hidden while he or she watches
* Says no single words ("mama" or "dada")
* Does not learn to use gestures, such as waving or shaking head
* Does not point to objects or pictures
* Experiences a dramatic loss of skills he or she once had

From CARING FOR YOUR BABY AND YOUNG CHILD: BIRTH TO AGE 5 by Steven Shelov, Robert E. Hannermann, © 1991, 1993, 1998, 2004 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Used by permission of Bantam Books, a division of Random House, Inc.