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As children grow, their parents often wonder what developmental stage their child has entered or is going to enter. There are many variations on the child development chart, but the one that follows is pretty standard and outlines one that many doctors use.

The first stage in child development is the prenatal stage. This is when the baby is still within the mother's body. It is vital that the mother take all her prenatal vitamins, not drink any alcoholic drinks, get plenty of sleep, and eat healthy foods to ensure that her baby is getting all the nutrition and vitamins that it can get. The mother also needs to get as much rest as she can for the big day.

Stage 2 is when the baby is 2 weeks old. This stage is important because the baby should be getting into a routine of eating and sleeping, along with being a little more alert. They may respond to the parents' voices or they may just sleep in their arms, but they will be more regular with eating, sleeping, and popping.

Stage 3 is in 2 months. This is when the baby begins to show a lot of facial expressions. They should even start cooing at the parents, if they have not started already. The baby should be able to track movement with their eyes and turn their head to the sound of their parents' voices.

Stage 4 is at 4 months. This stage helps uncover the baby's personality. They laugh more, show signs of being ticklish and try to stand up on their own. This stage also allows them to be a "supported sitter" in which they can sit upright on a parent's lap or stand in a walker without help. Their neck is getting stronger and they can raise their head by themselves.

Stage 5 is at 6 months. Here, the baby is very sociable and often laughs at almost anything.

Stage 6 is at 9 months when they are crawling all over the house, if they are not crawling already. They will also begin trying to pull up on things, but be careful here because their legs are not as strong as they need to be in order to walk.

Stage 7 is 12 months on the baby's first birthday. The baby should be able to feed itself, while not particularly being clean about it, but it is still a mile stone that the parents will want to celebrate. The baby should be walking by now, even if it is still with aid from parents. They may need to continue to pull up on furniture, so be careful when selecting the house decor.

Stage 8 is at 15 months where the baby goes non-stop and is a ball of energy.

Stage 9 is at 18 months in which the baby learns the meaning of the word no. Unfortunately, he may try to use the word against them!

There are 11 more stages of development which occur at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18. Your child's doctor should be able to help you along the way in your child's growth. Teachers, family members, social services,can aid you in raising your child, if you need more help.