Couple interacting with new baby at home.

Baby's First Year

Home Health and Wellness Babies and ToddlersBaby's First Year

Congratulations on your new baby! As a parent, you want the best for your baby. You interact with them every day and help them grow and develop. Do you know what is normal for your baby's first year?

Developmental milestones

Babies learn new things at different ages. Taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving "bye-bye" are examples of developmental milestones.

To check if your child is meeting milestones, you can use the Looksee Checklist®.

The Looksee Checklist® is free, online and easy to use. They look at stages from infancy to six years of age. For your baby's first year, you will find the checklists for one and two months, four months, six months, nine months and 12 months. They also give examples of activities you can do with your child.

The Looksee Checklist® is available in English, French, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. If you have any questions about your child's development, talk to your health care provider.

Examples of milestones

Here are some examples of what your child should be doing during their first year. For a full list, please refer to the Looksee Checklist® that follows your child from one month of age to six years.

Does your two-month-old:

Follow movement with their eyes?
Lift their head when on their tummy?
Move their arms and legs?

For activities you can do, refer to the Health Department's guide for two-month-old babies.

Does your four-month-old:

Laugh and smile in response to you?
Reach for an object when supported in a sitting position?
Follow a moving toy with their eyes?

For activities you can do, refer to the Health Department's guide for four-month-old babies.

Does your six-month-old:

Respond to their name?
Roll from their back to side?
Turn their head and look in the direction of a new sound?

For activities you can do, refer to the Health Department's guide for six-month-old babies.

Does your nine-month-old:

Sit without support for a few minutes?
Attempt to move by crawling, "bum" shuffling, or turning on tummy?
Move an object from one hand to the other?

For activities you can do, refer to the Health Department's guide for nine-month-old babies.

Does your 12-month-old:

Understand simple requests and questions?
Pull up to stand at furniture?
Pick up small items using tips of thumb and first finger?

For activities you can do, refer to the Health Department's guide for 12-month-old children.

Hearing

Your baby likely had a hearing test after birth.

If your baby did not receive a hearing screening at birth, please visit www.childdevelopmentprograms.ca/bookmybaby to book a hearing screening or call 1-888-703-5437 ext. 4.

Please note, your baby must be eight weeks or less to be eligible to receive a hearing screening.

If your baby is over the age of seven months and you would like their hearing tested, you can call Grandview Children's Centre at 905-728-1673 or 1-800-304-6180 ext. 2468 to request an appointment with an audiologist.

Support your baby's hearing by:

Watching how your baby responds to voice and sounds.
Talking to your baby through all daily activities.
Using your baby's name.
Responding to sounds your baby makes.
Playing games like pat-a-cake or peek-a-boo with your baby.
Making fun sounds that your baby can copy.
Singing songs and nursery rhymes.

Signs of a hearing problem

Your baby might:

Stop early babbling.
Have fluid draining from one or both ears.
Pull on their ears.
Have frequent colds and ear infections.
Not respond when called.
Speak loudly.
Not respond to someone unless they are facing them.

Each Looksee Checklist® has questions related to hearing. If you are concerned, speak with your health care provider.

Vision

Your baby's vision changes quickly during the first six months of life. Your health care provider should be assessing their eyes regularly starting at birth.

It’s also recommended that babies have their first eye exam with an optometrist (eye doctor) at six months old. Yearly eye exams by an optometrist are covered by OHIP for children under 19 years old.

Help your baby's vision development by:

Keeping toys within their focusing distance.
Alternating right and left sides with each feeding.
Changing the crib position and the baby's position in the crib.
Hanging a mobile above the crib or change table.
Avoiding use of screen time.

Each Looksee Checklist® has questions about vision to help you track your baby's development. If you have concerns about your baby's vision, speak with your health care provider.