Your Baby’s Growth Week By Week
BWS - 15
You may have seen a friend's baby laughing, rolling over, or playing with a squeaky toy, and wondered when your own little one will start doing the same. Rest assured, these moments will come in their own time, following your baby’s unique developmental path, which, like all children, follows a beautifully natural rhythm.
Just like all living things, whether plant, animal, or human, babies develop according to the innate patterns of their kind. The unfolding of your baby’s growth is a gentle reminder of this truth. Physical, emotional, and intellectual milestones will come in a sequence, moving from broad, general skills to more specific abilities. Your baby will first lift his head before he can raise both his head and chest. He’ll push up with his hands before learning to creep and crawl, and crawling will come before walking. While an unfavorable or restrictive environment can delay progress, a loving, nurturing home provides the perfect conditions for your baby to flourish, week by week, in every aspect of development.
The general summaries provided in this appendix reflect developmental averages for babies born through normal deliveries and without significant health concerns. Babies born after difficult labors might experience slight delays in early milestones, but these are usually temporary. Every baby is unique, so some may reach certain milestones up to two weeks ahead of the average, while others may take a bit longer, up to two weeks beyond the typical range. Both are entirely normal. The word ‘normal’ itself refers to a range of time, not a single moment, spanning one to three weeks for most milestones.
As you watch your little one grow and change, keep these developmental markers in mind, and celebrate every new achievement. This is a magical time, filled with small but significant transformations, so take plenty of photos, because these precious moments come and go quickly!
Week One: In the first week after birth, your baby’s primary activities will be sleeping and more sleeping. Just as you went through labor, so did your little one, and rest is essential for both of you. While you might catch glimpses of your baby’s eyes now and then, most of the time they will be closed in peaceful slumber. At this stage, don’t expect much beyond feeding, diaper changes, and sleep. Extended waketimes are rare in these early days. Within the first couple of days, your baby should pass their meconium stool, and if you’re breastfeeding, your transitional milk will soon start to replace the colostrum.
Week Two: By the end of the second week, your baby should regain, or come close to regaining, their birth weight. Around day ten, you might notice your baby going through their first growth spurt. This is also the time when your baby will begin to recognize your voice and start to focus on close objects, such as your face, when held about 10-14 inches away. Keep an eye on the umbilical cord, it typically heals and falls off sometime between weeks two and three.
Week Three: In week three, your baby will begin to recognize the comforting scent of both Mom and Dad, showing signs of wanting to snuggle in close. Waketimes will start to extend beyond just feeding, and you’ll notice a more predictable routine forming. While you’re not yet working on sleep training, this week often marks the first feed-wake-sleep merge, as those two middle-of-the-night feedings may begin to transition into just one.
Week Four: By the fourth week, your baby’s feeding and waketimes will stretch to about 50 or 60 minutes. This increased wakefulness reflects their growing awareness of the world around them. You’ll start to hear those sweet cooing sounds, perhaps even see the beginning of a smile. Your baby will focus on objects and faces within their range of vision, with black and white standing out more clearly than other colors. You might notice them gazing at your eyes with fascination. By now, your baby’s routine will likely settle into the feed-wake-sleep pattern, and nighttime sleep might stretch to four or five hours.
Week Five: At this point, your baby will begin to lift their head slightly while lying on their tummy, a wonderful new skill that lets them turn toward sounds, including your voice. With nighttime sleep becoming more consistent, stretching to four or five hours, waketimes will bring more smiles and even purposeful grasping of objects, like holding onto your finger. Waketimes will become their own distinct part of the day, separate from feeding, and they’ll continue to lengthen as your baby grows, giving you more time for activities together.
Week Six: By the sixth week, you’ll notice your baby starting to track your movements. Their neck muscles will grow strong enough to hold up their head for short moments and even lift their chest when placed on their tummy. Your little one is beginning to discover their hands, and you’ll see them holding and examining them with newfound wonder. Their movements are becoming more fluid and purposeful, and you may even experience the joy of five to six hours of nighttime sleep.
Week Seven: Your baby’s senses are blossoming, and they’re now smiling in response to your touch and voice. You’ll also notice your little one looking at you intently while listening, so talk and sing to them often, whether they’re in their infant seat, during blanket time, or even while taking a bath. Their vision is developing, and they’ll begin to prefer bright-colored objects over the black-and-white ones they previously enjoyed. Physically, your baby may show early signs of rolling, though not fully yet. Waketimes are now well-established as independent activities, lasting between thirty and fifty minutes.
Week Eight: By this week, your baby’s sweet cooing and little sounds will melt your heart, especially after a satisfying meal. Physically, they’re getting stronger, raising their head and chest during tummy time. At eight weeks, many babies following the PDF routine start to sleep for seven to eight hours through the night, giving everyone a bit more rest.
Week Nine: After the first-morning feeding, especially once your baby begins sleeping through the night, you’ll be greeted with the most heartwarming smile. Take notice of how they watch you closely, particularly focusing on your lips as you speak. Your baby is now even more responsive to your touch and playful voice, often smiling back at you. You’ll also start to hear intentional cooing, their way of telling you everything in their world is just right.
Week Ten: Keep an eye on your baby’s hands, they may start to bat at toys or grasp small objects like a baby rattle. Your baby is now more attuned to your voice, even in a room full of people. This heightened awareness makes them love being near you even more. Placing them in an infant seat while you prepare meals or do chores can be a delightful waketime activity. Continue to talk, sing, and explain everything you’re doing, your words are incredibly important now. Nighttime sleep may stretch to ten hours, and waketime activities may last around an hour.
Week Eleven: This week marks the first signs of early movement. When held upright, your baby might begin making small stepping motions, and with your gentle guidance, they may even start supporting their own weight with their legs. Their neck muscles are growing stronger, allowing them to keep their head upright and steady. Hands fascinate your little one, and you’ll often catch them gazing at or holding them with awe.
Week Twelve: You've come so far from those early days! Now, if your baby is on their back, they’ll begin lifting their arms and legs in the air. While on their tummy, they’ll use their arms to raise their chest and head. Tummy time becomes increasingly important, as your baby starts entertaining themselves during waketime. This is a beautiful sign of healthy development. You’ll also hear more cooing, gurgling, and squealing, and many babies are now sleeping nine to twelve hours at night. Waketimes continue to be about an hour, alongside feeding times.
Week Thirteen: By now, your baby is likely on a steady three to four-hour routine, with nighttime sleep stretching between ten and twelve hours. They’re still mesmerized by their hands, but you’ll notice a new discovery, those hands are finding their way to their mouth. Your baby will laugh and coo more frequently now without needing any prompting from you. Toys with multiple textures and bright colors will grab their attention, and their head control will improve significantly. They’ll be able to raise their head to about 45 degrees while lying on their stomach and hold that position for a few seconds.
Weeks Fourteen and Fifteen: Your baby’s social smile is now in full bloom, shared with you and others. During waketimes, you’ll notice their growing ability to concentrate, and their play is becoming more intentional. Improved hand-eye coordination allows your baby to reach for toys, like a rattle, and bring them to their mouth. Toys that fit into their hands help reinforce the grasping reflex. You’ll also see them getting close to rolling from side to back or back to side, though rolling from back to tummy is still a little ways off. This is a time of great growth; your baby is now starting to respond to small cause-and-effect moments.
Weeks Sixteen and Seventeen: Though your baby has been responding to your voice for some time, they are now beginning to recognize their name. With a little help, your baby can sit up and show even more interest in fun objects. You may see the first signs of their displeasure if you take something away. Their attention span during tummy time is becoming more focused, thanks to the excellent sleep they’ve been getting.
This period of optimal alertness is the result of good sleep. Your baby’s grasping ability is improving, and they’ll start picking up larger, chunkier toys like blocks, though their attention may not stay on them for long. Babbling has become a regular part of their waketime, and they’ll even entertain your friends and family with their cute sounds. At this point, many babies can hold their heads steady while sitting on your lap, another wonderful milestone in their growing strength and awareness.
Weeks Eighteen and Nineteen: Your baby is starting to sit up with less support than just a few weeks ago, though they may still wobble a bit. They are becoming more independent and enjoy playing alone in their crib or playpen. This is a great time to introduce some new toys, replacing the ones they’ve already gotten used to. You’ll also notice them intentionally reaching for objects and moving toys between their hands. To encourage this skill, try holding a toy out for them to reach rather than placing it directly in their hand, it will help strengthen their coordination.
Weeks Twenty and Twenty-One: At this stage, babies are naturally drawn to human faces, and a simple game of peek-a-boo is sure to bring out smiles and giggles. This game brings your faces close together and delights your baby with the warmth of your voice and the joy of seeing your smile. Your baby may also become fascinated with their reflection, so keep a mirror nearby. Now, they will start making intentional sounds, discovering they have control over these delightful noises. This newfound ability is a sign of growing awareness and decision-making as they begin to link sounds with movement, focusing their eyes on objects they want to explore.
Weeks Twenty-Two and Twenty-Three: The first signs of "creeping" are beginning to emerge, so be extra mindful during blanket time. Creeping, where your baby starts pushing themselves around on their tummy, is a big developmental step! It may seem like a small thing, but it’s a major milestone in their neurological growth, one that is connected to future cognitive abilities. (Crawling is still a few months away, about half of all babies start crawling around seven months, and the other half between eight and nine months.)
Your baby’s world is now all about investigation and discovery. They are eager to move toward objects of interest, though they may not yet have the dexterity to grasp them fully. However, their hands and arms are beginning to respond to their curiosity. You’ll also notice them figuring out how to transfer objects from one hand to the other, a skill that will continue to improve. As they approach the six-month mark, you may also see the first signs of teething, watch for that first tooth to pop through, along with a little extra drooling!
Weeks Twenty-Four to Twenty-Six: You’ve reached the halfway point of your baby’s first year, and what an incredible journey it has been! Think back to those early newborn days and marvel at how much your little one has learned and grown in just six months. (Make sure you get plenty of rest, the next six months will be filled with even more exciting growth and development!)
By this stage, your baby should be creeping across the floor, rolling over both ways, sitting up without support (or getting close to it), and holding their head steady and upright. They are starting to recognize each member of your family, along with familiar faces from extended family. The highchair has likely become a permanent fixture in your kitchen now as your baby moves from exclusive breast milk or formula to their first taste of solid foods like rice cereal and small servings of fruits and vegetables.
As you approach week twenty-six, your baby will start showing signs of being strong enough to sit up on their own without any props. It’s all part of the wonderful growth and development world that your baby is exploring. Every phase is a precious milestone, so enjoy each moment!