Baby Milestone Myths—What to Really Worry About During the First Year

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New parents are often bombarded with milestone charts, tracking apps, books, and unsolicited advice from family and friends about what their infant should be doing and when. It can often feel like your baby is constantly being measured against some unattainable gold standard. Meanwhile, parents have countless more things to stress about. The truth is that every baby develops at their own pace, and while some signs or late developments should inspire action, missing a milestone by a few weeks or even months is often no cause for concern.

“As a pediatrician, I always want parents to know that development isn’t a race. While we talk about milestones, it's crucial to understand that there's a wide range of 'normal,' and some babies will naturally meet these at different times,” says Amina Ahmed, MD, a pediatrician at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health. “Always talk to your pediatrician if you have concerns. Whether it's a minor delay or just needing ideas for how to best encourage your little one.”

Myth: If your baby’s not crawling by 6 months, something’s wrong

There’s a lot of pressure surrounding this classic milestone. Some of us might even be guilty of adding to the pressure by asking, “Are they crawling yet?” You might have heard the far-flung but somewhat inaccurate factoid that babies should be crawling by 6 months, but in fact, many don’t crawl until later, and some skip crawling altogether.

Rather than focusing on crawling, look for a range of motor skills: does your baby push up on their arms during tummy time? Are they showing interest in movement and exploring in other ways? The important thing is that babies show increasing strength and mobility over time.

When to check in:

If your baby isn’t showing any interest in movement by 9-10 months, such as rolling, scooting, pushing up with hands, discuss it with your pediatrician.

Myth: Your baby should be walking by their 1^st birthday

Twelve months is a satisfying and easy mark to aspire to, but nothing more. According to a study cited by Medical News Today, only 25 percent of children were walking by 12 months. In fact, the age range for walking is quite broad, with most children walking independently at 18 months, according to the BBC UK.

It may be more productive to focus on walking indicators. In other words, pay attention to everything that leads to walking: standing with support, shuffling along furniture (“cruising”), and pulling to stand—all promising signs that your baby is developing strength and balance.

“Pulling to stand is an important milestone,” says Dr. Ahmed.  “It's a great indicator of the baby's core strength. Even if they're not walking on their own yet, we look for babies to be pulling to stand by their first birthday.”

When to check in:

If your baby isn’t pulling to stand or showing interest in cruising by 15 months, bring it up with your pediatrician.

Myth: Babies should be sleeping through the night by 4 months

Sleeping through the night is perhaps the most anticipated and most misunderstood infant milestone. There’s a wide range of normal when it comes to sleep development. Many infants still wake for feedings at 4, 5, or 6 months. Others may start sleeping for longer stretches, only to regress during teething or developmental leaps.

According to Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, most babies don’t start sleeping through the night (6 to 8 hours) without waking until they are about 3 months old, or until they weigh 12 to 13 pounds, and about two-thirds of babies are able to sleep through the night on a regular basis by 6 months. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 70 to 80 percent of babies are sleeping through the night by 9 months old.

Until your child exhibits more serious signs of sleep problems, Stanford pediatricians encourage parents to focus on helping your baby fall asleep. They suggest creating a bedtime routine and avoiding letting your baby fall asleep in your arms as this may become a pattern. Avoid stimulation or activity close to bedtime. Cuddling and comforting your baby during the day can help them feel more secure so they don’t experience as much separation anxiety if they wake during the night. Look for signs of sleepiness and tuck them in before falling asleep.

When to check in:

If your baby’s sleep becomes unusually erratic, they’re extremely fussy and not getting restorative sleep by 6 to 8 months, or their sleep pattern is causing you disproportionate stress, talk to your pediatrician. They will help you explore sleep strategies and rule out medical concerns.

Myth: Babies who aren’t talking by 1 year are delayed

Language development can vary widely, especially in the first months. While some babies are saying a few words by their first birthday, others are still practicing their babbling or gestures.  What’s important is that your baby is engaged with you: responding to their name, making eye contact, and showing interest in their environment.

At 2 months, babies will start orienting to sound. “If there’s a loud sound, they turn around. They can acknowledge that this is where the sound is coming from, or they respond to it,” says Dr. Ahmed. Between 3 and 4 months, you’ll see them start giggling, smiling, cooing, and “talking” back with you. 

“It's so important to talk, sing, and play with your baby during these early months. Not only does it foster their development, but they'll absolutely love it! Beyond these wonderful activities, the single most powerful thing you can do for your child’s brain growth is to simply read to them every day,” Dr. Ahmed explains. “You might hear the highs and the lows in their laughs and in their squealing.”

When to check in:

It’s concerning if your baby doesn’t respond to sounds by 9-12 months or seems unresponsive to verbal interaction. If your child hasn’t said their first word by 15 months, speak to your pediatrician. Your child may be on their own timeline, but your doctor can determine if your child needs a hearing check or speech therapist referral.

Myth: Missing one milestone means long-term problems

One of the biggest fears new parents have is that a delay in one area signals major issues, but as pediatricians will note, development doesn’t always follow a linear path. Babies tend to concentrate on one skill area at a time. For example, they might focus all their energy on taking their first step in favor of other skills for a while. It’s also normal for progress to plateau for a bit, particularly during big physical or life transitions like teething or going to daycare.

When to check in:

If your child consistently shows delays across multiple areas or seems to be losing previously acquired skills, seek an evaluation with your pediatrician.

The bottom line: Enjoy every moment

It’s natural for parents to feel uncertain at times as they watch their babies grow and change. When that happens, Dr. Ahmed reminds parents that while their pediatrician is there to help guide them, parents should not let worry steal the joy of these early months.

“Most of what parents instinctively do already supports healthy development. Your baby is naturally wired to learn and grow; what they need most is a nurturing environment where they feel safe to explore,” she said.

“I encourage parents to focus on simply being present and playing with their baby. This dedicated time not only strengthens their bond, but it also boosts the child's developmental journey.”

To learn more about focusing on healthy early childhood development, visit Stanford Medicine Children’s Health or click here.