They Changed The Milestone Guidelines (Here’s Why That’s Wrong)

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Every movement your child makes starts with the tiniest muscles in their body. The ones right next to their spine. These muscles are the secret foundation for everything from rolling over to walking, and they start developing before your baby is even born.

Here’s what really matters: childhood milestones happen on a timeline that’s based on how humans actually develop. Recently, some organizations have pushed these timelines later, but that doesn’t change how children are wired to grow. Your baby’s body knows what it needs to do and when it needs to do it.

I’ve created two free tools to help you track your child’s development the right way. First, there’s my developmental milestones guide, that shows you the big picture of what to expect and when. Second, our Connect My Brain app has pictures and details about each stage of development.

These tiny muscles start forming around six weeks of pregnancy. When babies get plenty of tummy time and movement without interference, these muscles develop the way they should. And yes, even if your baby fusses during tummy time, they need it. That fussing is actually their nervous system learning and growing.

When we understand where development got off track, we can create a plan to get your child (or even you as an adult) back on course.