A baby is a wonderful miracle of nature and God. No matter how many babies you will have, you will never cease to wonder at this miracle. The joys of parenthood are immense as are the anxiety and the stress that this involves. However, every time you look at the precious bundle of joy, you will feel the pain is worth it. Each milestone the baby crosses seems like a milestone crossed by the parents themselves.

The first year, as many new parents would agree, is the most challenging year as every step will bring along something new. Let us see what makes the first year of a baby so special. Some of the most important milestones are given below:

1. Age 0-1 month - The first month of a baby is the time of adjustment to the outside world. Sometimes the baby will develop neonatal jaundice, which can make him/her yellow from head to toes. This is a normal thing with babies, which passes away by itself within 3-4 days time. Though this is a common occurrence you would still need to seek a doctor?s advice, lest it would be something more serious. Most babies will sleep 12-18 hours a day; however, they get up at intervals of 2-3 hours to feed.

2. Age 1-3 months - You will find your baby smiling for the first time during this period. Physicians often say that what you think is a smile is actually a grimace due to gas formation. However, many parents would challenge science on this aspect, secure in their knowledge that the baby is indeed smiling at them. You will find that your baby is able to focus on things held close, will follow you around with his/her eyes and try to lift their heads.

3. Age 4-6 months - Come the fourth month and your baby will be able to reach out to touch things, control his/her head and will try to roll over. The baby will now be ready for semi-solid foods like mashed fruits, egg yolk, porridge-like cereals, etc. At about six months, the baby might start crawling around the house; hence, you should have the house child-proofed. Feeding will be at intervals of 4-6 hours. This is also the time when the baby?s first teeth, usually the incisors, will break through the gums. This means the baby will often put his/her hand in the mouth to scratch the irritated gums.

4. Age 7-10 months - The baby is now able to crawl and investigate his/her surroundings. Several teeth would have come out by now and the baby would begin to show his/her likes and dislikes about food. The baby is friendly with people he/she knows and is able to indicate what they want. The baby will also learn to sit unaided at this age and loves to play with things that make a lot of noise.

5. Age 11-12 months - The baby can make many sounds. They can sometimes say a work like "mama" or "dada". They also know how to demand things from you and often cry out loud when denied what they want. Most babies will stand by now and take their first steps. They also learn to stack up their toys and other games.

Generally speaking babies develop at different rates. The milestone noted in this article are only averages and your baby may develop differently. If you have any concerns regarding your babies development consult your pediatrician.