What to Expect: Baby Milestones 6-12 Months

Your little one has hit six months! This bitter-sweet milestone is bringing even more development and surprises. They have mastered motor, sensory, communication, and feeding skills in the first six months of their lives, from smiling and moving their hands to babbling and reaching out to you.

Let’s get into what you can expect from your baby months six through twelve. 

Cognitive and Physical Development 6-12 Months

The changes you’ll see in your baby during this time are immense. Perhaps two of the most recognizable and exciting are the cognitive and physical developments. Your baby will improve their motor skills and mental skills! Think of your little one as an explorer during this time, using their mind and their body more than ever.

Cognitive Developments

At six months, your baby will likely:

• Be hands-on with toys. They will notice the size, reach for smaller objects, and use one or two hands when needed.
• Know if objects are near or far.
• Have an understanding of how something is used (rattle shaken, bottle to drink).
• Look for an object they don’t have.
• Hold their bottle, feed themselves
• Look at photos in books.
• Pulls, pushes, turns, pokes.

Physical Developments 

Now that your baby understands more, they are taking action. Physical developments from six to twelve months move fast. Many babies go from sitting with assistance to cruising around the room with or without help!

Significant physical developments from six to twelve months include:

• Reaching for feet 
• Sitting unassisted
• Bouncing on their bottom
• Push up from tummy onto hands and knees
• Rocking back and forth
• Pulling self up to stand
• Using furniture to walk
• Keep from falling with hands
• Stacking blocks, using interactive or cause and effect toys (lights, sound button

Complete List of Baby Milestones 6-12 Months 

Below is a robust (though non-exhaustive) list of skills you will see your baby develop between months six and twelve. 

Milestones starting around six months include:

• Strong head control
• Sitting up assisted
• Rolling around on back and tummy
• Turning and reaching
• Army crawling
• Clapping hands
• Showing happiness and excitement
• Babbling ga-ga or ba-ba
• Interact with others
• Keep track of items in their view
• Put their weight on their feet 
• Crawling, slipping, scooting
• Standing with help
• Observe people and toys
• Trying to chew and feed themselves 
• Combining syllables like “mama” (they’re not sure what it means yet, though!)
• Understanding what “no” means
• Separation anxiety symptoms 
• Enjoying peekaboo and silly sounds

Milestones 9-12

At nine months, your little one is in the final stretch before the big one-year birthday! In these next months, your baby is getting more of a personality and a better understanding of the world. 

If not already done, below are significant milestones to look for at nine months through twelve include:

• Crawling 
• Long periods of sitting unsupported
• Pull themselves up to standing (and standing while holding furniture)
• Pointing to near and far
• Full-color eyesight
• Calling out to you
• Longer strings of syllables
• Copying sounds and gestures
• Clinging to parents
• Show favorite foods and toys
• Waving hello and goodbye
• Follow along with photos in books
• First words
• Unsupported walking
• Enjoying music

By 12 months, your baby has likely mastered all of these. While some things (like crawling, walking, speaking) show up in each little one differently, they have probably gotten the hang of it at twelve months.

As always, never hesitate to reach out to your pediatrician with concerns about your child. Some developments may take time, but concerns should be brought to a professional as soon as possible.

Your 1-Year-Old

Happy Birthday to your little one! Overall, your once “helpless” baby has rounded out to a little person with likes, dislikes, habits, silly sounds, their favorite ways to get around, and even some first words. Now it’s time to keep up with your little one! At one, you can expect a lot of changes from the motor, sensory, communication, and feeding.