3-min read
A month-by-month guide to your child's development, rooted in science and flowing with love.
Development isn’t a race. It’s a flow...
Every baby—and parent—is figuring it out at their own pace. And we think the journey matters more than the destination. Between every milestone are countless opportunities to help baby grow a more connected and resilient brain.
Look for this icon throughout the site for official content from Grow with the Flow.
Baby’s brain is at the center of everything.
In these first three years, baby's making more than one million neural connections per second, developing 80% of their brain. Baby’s learning so much, and the simplest interactions can have profound benefits on their development. So let's flow...
WHAT TO EXPECT
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Developmental highlights
Discover the most remarkable way your child's brain is learning and growing each month. -
Brain-building activities
Practice little one's new skills with simple, stimulating, and "just right" activities built into everyday routines. -
Parenting support
Get judgment-free, research-backed advice and encouragement throughout the flow. You've got this! -
A look ahead
In every guide, we give you a glimpse into the next stage or transition, so you feel prepared (and excited).
Developmental
highlights
Discover the most remarkable way your child's brain is learning and growing each month.
Brain-building
activities
Practice little one's new skills with simple, stimulating, and "just right" activities built into everyday routines.
Parenting support
Get judgment-free, research-backed advice and encouragement throughout the flow. You've got this!
A look ahead
In every guide, we give you a glimpse into the next stage or transition, so you feel prepared (and excited).
- PREGNANCY T4 T4
- NEWBORN 1-3m 1-3m
- INFANT 4-12m 4-12m
- YEAR ONE 13-24m 13-24m
- TODDLER 25-36m 25-36m
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Month 1: The Neuro-Gastro-Immune System
5-min readRead moreNewbornMonth 1
The Neuro-Gastro-Immune System
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Month 15: Stranger Danger & Separation Anxiety
4-min readRead moreYear OneMonth 15
Separation Anxiety
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Month 27: Now & Then, Before & After
5-min readRead moreToddlerMonth 27
Now & Then, Before & After -
Month 35: Shared Adventures Through Play
5-min readRead moreToddlerMonth 35
Shared Adventures Through Play
Our 5 Foundational Concepts
The neurodevelopmental principles behind Grow with the Flow.
Epigenetics
Epigenetics
Environment + experiences shape baby’s brain.
The answer to the “nature vs. nurture” debate is actually… both. We can’t control the genes we inherit, but we do have some control over our environment and experiences. And that can change the expression of our DNA. By taking the steps to ensure a clean, safe, and enriching environment for baby, you can mitigate genetic vulnerabilities and shape outcomes.Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity
Our brains can change.
The brains of both babies and adults are malleable and continuously shaped by experiences. The more we use our brains, the stronger our brains become. The ways we use our brains determine how our brains are wired.Critical Windows
Critical Windows
Months 0-36 are the biggest windows of opportunity for brain development.
The brain is always neuro-flexible, but baby’s brain is supercharged! By the age of three, 80% of baby’s brain has developed. During this special window, there are countless opportunities to support and optimize baby’s cognitive and emotional growth. But don’t worry about getting everything right the first, second, or third time. Raising a baby is a forgiving process. You and baby are learning and growing together every day.Repetition
Repetition
Every thought, emotion, and action we repeat deepens neural pathways.
The brain is a network of pathways made up of neurons. With every thought, emotion, and action, the brain fires a neural pathway. As experiences are repeated, the brain makes that pathway deeper and stronger. You may have already noticed that baby loves to repeat things. This is because their brain wants to create long, efficient pathways. Research shows that babies—and really, all of us—learn more effectively when something is repeated.Routine
Routine
Our brains grow in the safety of routine.
Because the developing brain craves repetition and predictability, routine moments are when baby’s nervous system is most calm and open to novel experiences. This makes your day-to-day routine the best framework for engaging baby in playful activities that practice their new developmental skills. In baby's early days, creating a predictable routine means responding to their needs in a loving and timely manner. As baby grows, predictability and routine can be built with a unique understanding of their temperament and your parenting style.Epigenetics
Environment + experiences shape baby’s brain.
The answer to the “nature vs. nurture” debate is actually… both. We can’t control the genes we inherit, but we do have some control over our environment and experiences. And that can change the expression of our DNA. By taking the steps to ensure a clean, safe, and enriching environment for baby, you can mitigate genetic vulnerabilities and shape outcomes.
Neuroplasticity
Our brains can change.
The brains of both babies and adults are malleable and continuously shaped by experiences. The more we use our brains, the stronger our brains become. The ways we use our brains determine how our brains are wired.
Critical Windows
Months 0-36 are the biggest windows of opportunity for brain development.
The brain is always neuro-flexible, but baby’s brain is supercharged! By the age of three, 80% of baby’s brain has developed. During this special window, there are countless opportunities to support and optimize baby’s cognitive and emotional growth. But don’t worry about getting everything right the first, second, or third time. Raising a baby is a forgiving process. You and baby are learning and growing together every day.
Repetition
Every thought, emotion, and action we repeat deepens neural pathways.
The brain is a network of pathways made up of neurons. With every thought, emotion, and action, the brain fires a neural pathway. As experiences are repeated, the brain makes that pathway deeper and stronger. You may have already noticed that baby loves to repeat things. This is because their brain wants to create long, efficient pathways. Research shows that babies—and really, all of us—learn more effectively when something is repeated.
Routine
Our brains grow in the safety of routine.
Because the developing brain craves repetition and predictability, routine moments are when baby’s nervous system is most calm and open to novel experiences. This makes your day-to-day routine the best framework for engaging baby in playful activities that practice their new developmental skills. In baby's early days, creating a predictable routine means responding to their needs in a loving and timely manner. As baby grows, predictability and routine can be built with a unique understanding of their temperament and your parenting style.
Behind This Guide: A Renowned Pediatrician & A Mom Who Wanted Answers
Meet Dr. Cowan
Grow with the Flow was co-developed with Dr. Stephen Cowan, a Developmental Pediatrician with over 35 years of experience. A fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Cowan has worked with thousands of children, including Shazi Visram’s son Zane, and offers a unique holistic approach to evaluating and treating children with physical, emotional, and cognitive disorders.
Dr. Cowan is part of the BrainTrust, a group of experts who inform the production of clean baby essentials and developmental content at HealthyBaby.
Our Founder’s Story
After my first child, Zane, was diagnosed with a developmental disorder, I became obsessed with doing everything I could to help him.
I sought out the best therapies and doctors, including Dr. Cowan, and gained key insights for optimal health and development. This informed how I support Zane and my second child, Asha, and inspired the creation of this guide.
The choices we make from pregnancy to the early years make all the difference in our children’s development.
At HealthyBaby, we believe that every parent—and baby—deserves access to safe, clean essentials and developmental guidance from experts.