The first year of life is the most rapid period of development. During the first 6 weeks of life, the child gradually becomes aware of his or her surroundings. The child is very attached to the primary caregiver, usually the mother. Gentle care during feeding, changing and bathing are essential. The child begins to reach out to the world around him or her and also begins exploring objects with the hands and mouth. Quickly during the last of the first year, the child will sit up, crawl, begin to play with people and objects and wave bye-bye and look for his or her primary caregiver. All of these milestones let the parents and caregivers know that the child is developing normally.