20 incredible milestones and changes during baby's first year

The first year of your baby's life will undoubtedly offer something new and awe-inspiring every day. While pregnancy offered its own long list of changes and surprises, the rapid development of your child over the course of his/her first year will astonish you!

There are so many developmental changes and milestones for baby's first year that it's difficult to quantify and note every single one of them during that crucial time period. However, these are 20 of the most incredible that you'll notice over the spectacular 12 months of your newborn's first year. Take look for yourself and let us know if you agree with the list:

1. Your love, care, and affection are the reasons for your baby's brain development!

2. Half of the baby's sleep in the first year is in so called REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.

3. After six weeks of birth, your baby will be able to achieve eye contact.

4. After six months after birth, your baby will begin to read lips.

5. Better prepare large stocks of diapers - newborns urinate approximately every 20 minutes, on average this is reduced to every hour until the sixth month.

Click next to see more incredible changes and milestones during your child's first year!

6. On average, babies grow 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters every month.

7. Between the sixth and twelfth month, the pigment (melanin) in the eyes of babies are activated, and their color becomes permanent.

8. The first real smile on the face of your baby will appear somewhere between the fourth and sixth week.

9. Babies are born without kneecaps (actually their kneecaps are much softer). Fully firm kneecaps won't be formed until the age of  12.

10. Babies can breathe and swallow in at the same time (until the seventh month, at least).

11. Baby's weight doubles in the first five months of birth.

12. Although many babies cry, they do not produce real tears. Real tears cannot be formed until around the first and third month.

13. Babies are born with about 10,000 taste buds. With time, half will fade away.

14. By the end of the first year, your baby will understand about 70 words.

15. It is easier for your baby to perceive music than spoken words during the first year.

16. In the first year, baby's heart rate will be 180 per minute. This will reduce to 115 per minute in time.

17. At nine months, your baby will be able to wave.

18. By his/her first birthday, baby’s brain will have grown by 60 percent.

19. Most babies lose their hair with which they were born by the month three or four.

20. "Baby talk" will perhaps irritate your friends, but in fact it is another way that you can stimulate and promote your baby's development.

This article was originally published by Baby, Kids, and Parents

Also Read: 10 amazing baby facts that you should know of

If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the article, please share them in our Comment box below. Like us on Facebook and follow us onGoogle+ and Twitter to stay up-to-date on the latest from theIndusparent.com