The development of your baby's motor skills

During the first year of his life your baby will progress at extraordinary speed: lying, sitting, crawling on all fours and eventually standing up he will finally accomplish his greatest feat - his first steps!

In order to achieve this, from birth your child improves his muscle control, day after day, and the coordination of his movements through various experiences. In parallel to this cerebral maturation he will put on weight and grow bigger; his limbs will grow longer and gain in muscle strength.

At each stage of his development, you need to give him your support by giving him your attention, your encouragement and your praise and gradually offer him new activities as he progresses in order to stimulate his learning experience and his progress in the best possible way. Show confidence in his abilities: your child will feel it and draw on additional strength to move forward.

If your baby does not achieve all the stages within the times stated, do not worry! While there may be some average age points of reference, children develop their motor skills at their own pace and their progress can be influenced by many factors: how premature they are at birth (or gestational age), their weight, their temperament, the stimulation they receive, etc. Regular follow-up visits with your doctor will enable you to check that your baby is developing correctly.

DDA