The first few years of your child’s life will be chock full of new experiences and exciting firsts. You'll get to see them smile for the first time, take their first steps, and (thankfully) sleep straight through the night. As a new parent, you’ll want to witness and capture all of these crucial milestones. Be sure to keep your eye out, as these exciting moments can happen without warning. So, get your camera ready to capture these important firsts so you can relive them over and over again.

First Smile

Witnessing your baby’s first smile can be a truly astounding moment. Though you may have seen a glimpse of a smile before, you'll know when you see their first real smile. During the first few months of their life, they'll truly smile for the first time. You will see their face light up, their eyes will be open, and you'll know that they're smiling at nothing but you!

Holding Their Head Up

Within the first three months, your newborn will hold their head up for the first time. Their neck muscles are getting stronger and soon enough, they'll be able to look around and hold their head up all on their own. One way you can help your child reach this milestone is by doing something called belly time. This is when you place your baby on a hard, flat surface covered by a blanket and play with a colorful toy above them. This will encourage them to raise their head to see what is going on.

Sleeping Through the Night

This is one first that will be impossible to miss. After months of interrupted sleep, you'll (at last) be able to sleep straight through the night. Many experts consider sleeping five hours straight to be “sleeping through the night.” This usually occurs when your child is between three to six months old. However, when they reach six to nine months, most infants no longer need nighttime feedings, and most of their sleep will occur after dark. It is after these important sleep milestones for baby that you'll finally be able to get a good night’s sleep again.

Speaking their First Word

This is another huge milestone that you definitely won’t want to miss. Up until this point, you have likely only heard funny noises, babbling, and giggling. But now, they have said their very first word! Though you can expect this baby first to occur at around eight months, it can seemingly happen out of the blue, so keep that camera ready.

First Steps

When they are between nine and twelve months old, your child will take their first step. At this point, they will already be standing, using objects around the house to try to move themselves along. You and your spouse may have been helping them along, guiding them by holding their hands, but now it's time to let go and watch them roll. Some babies need a little more encouragement than others, but once they get going, you will hardly be able to keep them still again.

Visit us at the Baby Merlin Company to learn more about how our swaddle transition products can help your child to reach the most important milestones in their young lives.