Everyone watches for the big ones - rolling, crawling, walking.

But there are 4 movement windows that fly under the radar in the first year. Miss them early, and small gaps can quietly compound.

1. Midline crossing (3-4 months) When your baby reaches across their body with one hand to the other side. If they always use the nearest hand instead, it's worth noticing. This is foundational for the coordination that crawling will demand later.

2. Active pushing in tummy time (2-3 months) Not just tolerating tummy time - actually pushing up and lifting their chest off the ground. The difference between passive lying and active pushing is significant for upper body strength and spinal development.

3. The raking → pincer transition (7-9 months) Most parents celebrate when the pincer grasp arrives. But the transition period matters more. If your baby is still raking at 9 months with no signs of finger isolation, that's a signal worth paying attention to.

4. Weight shifting before cruising (8-10 months) Before walking along furniture, babies need to shift weight side-to-side while standing. Pulling to stand without that weight shift means skipping a critical stability step - one that affects balance long after those first steps.

None of these alone mean something is wrong.

But understanding what to look for - and when - means you can support your baby's development before it becomes a concern. That's the difference between reacting and being informed.

Your baby is communicating through movement from day one. Our guides are built to help you read it.

First Year Foundations - stage-by-stage Feldenkrais movement guides for the first year, because understanding your baby's movement turns overwhelm into confidence.