6Th month old baby

Your baby's developmental milestones at 6 months

Explainer

Everything you need to know about your growing 6-month-old.

UNICEF

At 6 months, your baby will start using sounds to express emotion. She/he may mimic sounds she/he hears, like "ma,” “da,” “ah,” “oh" and even "no!" Your little one will begin to recognize familiar faces, reach and grasp for toys and will soon be crawling — start preparing your home (and yourself) for a mobile child!

Get ready by removing any sharp, breakable or electric objects from the child’s reach, locking closets with dangerous liquids or supplies (or putting them in a safe place far out of your child’s reach), and closing windows to ensure your child’s safety.

Social and emotional milestones at 6 months

Some of the ways you’ll see your little one learning to connect with the people around him at 6 months.

• Is usually happy and responds to the emotions of others.
• Starting to differentiate between familiar faces and strangers.
• Enjoys playing with you and others.
• Has fun looking at himself in a mirror.

Tips for parents

• Talk to your baby about what is going on around him in a sweet tone. 
• Include a child-friendly or plastic mirror with his toys so he can watch his movements.
• Start playing more body games like peek-a-boo.

Language and communication milestones at 6 months

How your baby is expressing her needs.

• Will recognize and respond to her name.
• Puts vowel sounds together and likes taking turns saying them with you. She is starting to make some consonant sounds, too.
• Will respond to noises by making sounds.
• Is making sounds to show positive and negative emotions.

Tips for parents

• Engage in playful conversations with your baby: Create a serve-and-return interaction by repeating back to her the sounds she makes.
• Familiarize your baby with her name by using it frequently. 

Brain development milestones at 6 months

Your child’s brain is growing!

• He is curious: He looks at objects nearby and tries to grab ones that are out of reach. 
• He passes things from one hand to the other and brings his hands to his mouth.

Tips for parents

• Provide your baby with toys that are easy to pick up with one hand.
• Have conversations with your baby about different objects he is putting into his mouth.

Movement and physical development milestones at 6 months

How she’ll move through her environment.

• Is starting to be able to sit without a support.
• Is rolling over in both directions.
• Will push down on her legs when her feet are on a hard surface.
• Rocks back and forth.

Tips for parents

• Leave her favourite toys nearby so she can reach them by rolling over.

Food and nutrition milestones at 6 months

What mealtimes look like at 6 months.

• Is showing an interest in food and opens his mouth when spoon fed.
• Is moving food from the front to the back of his mouth when he chews.
• Is starting to eat cereals and single-ingredient pureed foods like carrots, sweet potato and pears.

Tips for parents

• At 6 months, your baby needs more than breastmilk alone. Start giving him just 2 or 3 spoonfuls of soft food four times a day.

Things to look out for

While all babies develop differently, you should speak to your paediatrician immediately if your 6-month-old:

• Doesn’t show affection to parents or caregivers.
• Won’t respond to nearby sounds.
• Doesn’t laugh.
• Has a hard time getting things into her mouth.
• Doesn’t make vowel sounds.
• Seems too floppy or too stiff.
• Can’t roll over in either direction.
• Doesn’t attempt to grab objects nearby.

True or False?

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6-Month-Old Baby: Milestones, Growth, and Feeding

Congratulations! Your little one is half a year old. You and your baby can expect quite the adventure this month as they may learn to stay sitting up all by themselves and might even get their first taste of solid food. Read on to learn all about the development milestones your 6-month-old baby may reach this month, what exciting new foods they could try, what their sleeping and napping routine may look like, and the challenges you may face with older siblings!

Over the past few months, your baby has added new skills and abilities. For instance, they will now be able to spot objects that are several feet away and track moving objects well. You may notice they will perk up when they hear their name or will stop doing something when you say “no.” Around the time they’re 6 months old, pay extra attention so they don’t roll off a high surface—rolling over on both sides will be a new trick they will learn.

“They grow so fast!” You’ll probably hear this sentiment quite often. When your baby is 6 months old, they may have even doubled their birth weight. Not all babies will grow at the same rate, but don't be surprised if your baby gains around 1 to 1 1/4 pounds a month at this stage. Those little bones are growing rapidly, too.

Around this time, your baby may start to show signs of teething, including excess drooling and chewing on objects. You may spot a tooth or two—or not quite yet, as the age at which teeth first appear varies greatly from child to child.

Teeth and gum care are essential from the get-go. If you're wondering how you should go about cleaning those first tiny teeth, just brush them gently with a soft, child-size toothbrush and a tiny bit of toothpaste, approximately the size of a grain of rice.

As your baby reaches out to grab things and explore the world, make sure you’re careful about the things their little hands can touch. Babies love putting objects into their mouths, especially while they’re teething, so never give your 6-month-old any food or toys that might be a choking hazard, and don’t leave anything dangerous within their reach.

Around the six-month developmental milestone mark, your little one’s depth perception has improved. So, how far can a 6-month-old see?They will be able to see much farther now, perhaps even several feet or more. In fact, they can now focus on objects without getting cross-eyed, and can also tell the difference between colors.

Your little one is getting stronger and more mobile by the day. Around the time your baby turns 6 months old, they may be able to roll over in both directions. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t fall off the bed or couch. It’s better not to let them surprise you with this new skill when you’re least expecting it.

Each movement prepares your baby for the next step. As their trunk and neck get stronger, they may even be able to sit when placed in a seating position with support. Over the weeks they’ll get more confident, and soon they’ll also be able to remain sitting upright without any help.

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Your baby is turning into a little communicator after spending their first few months listening to your voice and noticing the sounds you make. They may start to imitate the sounds of speech around the time they’re 6 months old. They still may be far off from talking, but that doesn’t mean these moments aren’t valuable.

If you call your baby by their name, they may perk up and take notice. Also, when you say the word “no,” they may pause what they’re doing in response. Slowly, your little one will start to associate words with objects. It’s going to be a thrill to observe how their language skills develop over the coming months!

As your little one gets more mobile and curious, they may become a little feistier, too. At this age, discipline is about keeping your baby safe. Setting boundaries helps teach your little one what’s acceptable and unacceptable behavior. The best way to handle an overly assertive 6-month-old is not to punish them, but to reward desired behavior. If you notice your baby doing something that’s not allowed, stop them, let them know it’s wrong, and get them interested in a better activity instead.

Are you wondering how to play or interact with a 6-month-old? It's easy to join in the fun and take an active part in your baby’s cognitive journey. Things to do with a 6-month-old baby include reading, singing, talking, and playing every day. These activities not only bring the two of you closer but also help activate your baby’s intellectual development.

Think of the words your baby hears as little seeds: Each one gets planted in their mind and will help them grow their vocabulary. Reading aloud doesn’t just teach them new words, but also encourages them to listen, introduces them to new concepts and ideas, teaches them about the world, and gives them lessons in how to communicate.

Reading to your baby can also help your little one grow socially and emotionally, especially if you tap your inner actor to read with enthusiasm, funny voices, and sound effects.

Your baby will want to look, point, and touch the page as you read. Encourage their participation as much as possible. The more words they hear and see, the more they’ll try to copy sounds, remember words, and recognize pictures. Try to set aside some time to read each day, and soon you’ll find it’s an activity you both love.

This month you may be wondering what to feed a 6-month-old? Welcome to the new world of solid foods. Get ready for lots of fun and messes!

Here are five steps for introducing solid foods to your 6-month-old baby for the first time:

1. Find a time of day when your baby is not feeling tired and is a little hungry

2. Support them in your lap or an infant seat

3. Use a small spoon to feed them

4. Hold the spoon close to their lips and let them smell and taste the food

5. They may reject the food, but just try again a minute later. It’s perfectly normal for these first few spoonfuls of food to end up on the bib, the tray, your shirt, or your baby’s chin.

Wondering what can babies eat at 6 months old? Experts have traditionally recommended that babies start with iron-fortified, single-grain baby cereal mixed with some breast milk or formula, but you could also begin with pureed vegetables or fruits. If you’re unsure what to feed your baby, consult your baby’s healthcare provider for advice.

When introducing new baby foods, keep an eye out for reactions like rashes, diarrhea, or vomiting. If any of these reactions occur, check in with the healthcare provider to rule out food allergies or sensitivities, especially if either you or your partner has a food allergy.

Make sure your baby sits in an upright position, and give them only soft, easy-to-swallow food to prevent choking. Do not put baby cereal in a bottle, as this can be a choking hazard. In some cases, your baby’s healthcare provider may recommend bottle-feeding with a thickened formula if your baby has reflux or GERD.

At the six-month development mark, some parents may like to try a new feeding approach with their baby called baby-led weaning (BLW). This method involves introducing your 6-month-old baby to finger foods (instead of pureed foods) that are easy to eat even with no teeth.

A typical BLW meal plan may include steamed carrot sticks, roasted sweet potato wedges, and steamed broccoli florets, among other easy-to-chew vegetables or fruits. The key is to avoid offering food in shapes that might become a choking hazard, such as any vegetables or fruits in coin shapes (e. g., sliced carrots and cucumbers) and ball shapes (e.g., cherry tomatoes and grapes).

Even though your little one is varying their diet by eating solid foods, they will still need breast milk or formula including in their feeding schedule. At 6 months old, your baby may be taking up to eight ounces of breast milk or formula every four to five hours.

Make sure your baby doesn't fall asleep with a bottle in their mouth. This will help prevent cavities and also a condition known as “bottle mouth,” when the sugars from milk or juice eat away the enamel of the teeth.

What your baby eats may change, but one thing remains: dirty diapers. Fortunately, all those diapers can be quite rewarding! Download the Pampers Club app and turn diapers and wipes into rewards and discounts.

How much sleep does a 6-month-old need? When your baby is this age, they may sleep around 12 to 16 hours per day. They might snooze around nine hours at night, sometimes even longer, with a few brief awakenings. During the day, they will still need around two or three naps.

If your 6-month-old baby’s having trouble sleeping, check out the Smart Sleep Coach app by Pampers. Cocreated by pediatricians and sleep experts, this easy-to-use app can help you understand your baby’s sleep and includes a tracker to help you plan your little one’s sleep schedule.

So, what “should” a 6-month-old baby be doing? Although each baby is unique, here is an example of a daily schedule for a 6-month-old baby.You could choose to follow this as a guide when it comes to establishing your baby’s eating, sleeping, bathing, and playing routines:

As your baby gets more mobile and reaches for more objects, they will become more at risk of infection. Your best bet is to keep your baby away from anyone with the flu or any other infectious disease. Sometimes, though, it’s impossible to prevent your little one from getting ill. These are some common health problems for 6-month-olds:

• Diarrhea. This can be due to contact with viruses (like norovirus) or bacteria, from the introduction of new foods like fruit juice, or because your baby has a food allergy.

• Fever. Infants may have temperatures higher than those of older children. On its own, a fever is not an illness, but rather a symptom of something else. It can mean your baby’s body is fighting infection.

• Earache or ear infection. Middle ear infections are common for babies and children between 6 months and 3 years of age, and often occur after a child has had a cold. If your baby seems uncomfortable you can give acetaminophen or ibuprofen in a dose appropriate for their age or use a warm compress on their ear to help ease the pain. Your baby’s healthcare provider may also recommend pain-relieving ear drops. Some ear infections are caused by bacteria and may require antibiotics, so consult your baby’s healthcare provider about treatment options for your 6-month-old baby.

If you notice diarrhea, fever, or an ear infection, take your baby to their healthcare provider, who can recommend treatment and rule out any more serious problems.

Consider some of the following activity ideas and development tips for your 6-month-old baby this month:

• Provide consistent care, including physical touch. Any type of contact whether it’s hugging, skin-to-skin or body-to-body contact can help your baby build a sense of security and foster their sense of well-being.

• Tune into your baby’s rhythm. Get to know your baby’s likes and dislikes and follow their moods. Any attention you give them won’t spoil them.

• Chat with your baby. Talk to your baby throughout the day and have face-to-face “conversations.” If your family speaks another language, use it as often as you can.

• Encourage longer stretches of nighttime sleep. At 6 months old many babies’ sleep schedule changes. At this age, your baby may be able to sleep for extended periods at night, while still taking a few naps during daytime hours.

• Choose quality child care for your baby. If you depend on day care or use a babysitter, ensure that your baby receives positive, affectionate, and responsive caregiving.

These are some baby gear items that may come in handy this month:

• High chair. Now that your baby is ready for solid foods, it’s time to invest in a high chair to make feedings easier and safer.

• Baby food maker. When your baby is 6 months old and starting on solids, you might appreciate having a baby food maker. There are many baby food recipe ideas you can try for delicious homemade baby food.

• Baby toys. Some of the best choices for entertaining a 6-month-old baby and encouraging their curiosity and skill development are toys with textures and fingerholds, musical toys, and soft balls.

• Diapers, wipes, and diaper rash cream. It’s a good idea to keep plenty of diapers and wipes at home, along with some diaper rash cream.

• Humidifier. A cool mist humidifier can help keep your baby comfortable when the air in our home is dry.

• Baby thermometer. You'll be glad to have one of these when your baby spikes a fever. Keep one in your medicine cabinet or first-aid kit.

If you have any older children, especially if they are under 2 years old, you may notice a spark of sibling rivalry. As your little one is getting bigger and starts demanding more attention, your older child may become upset about sharing the spotlight.

Try to help soothe your older child’s feelings by involving them in more activities with your baby—maybe read a story or sing a song together. This can be fun for all of you and will make the older sibling feel more included in the baby’s life.

□ Babyproof your home. You can find lots of resources on baby proofing here.

□ Schedule and go to your baby's 6-month checkup. Ask the provider about any upcoming immunizations your baby needs. Learn more about the immunization schedule.

□ Each month brings more exciting news for your little one. Find out what could be waiting for you when they turn 7 months old.

□ Download and print these baby milestone cards so you can celebrate and share this special date with family and friends.

□ For even more information, sign up to get our emails:

Child development at 6 (sixth) months of life: what a child should be able to do

The first weaning is another important event at six months. The baby first tries something other than milk or an adapted formula.

What a baby should be able to do at 6 months

At this age, the infant's visual system is actively developing, he focuses his eyes on the toy for a long time, and can follow its movement. Actively studies objects around him, shifts toys, looks at them, listens to the sound.

A baby at 6 months holds objects well in his hand, while he can roll over on his side, on his stomach with them. The child uses all of his "sense organs" to explore the world around him. Always surround him with lots of interesting things to touch, put in his mouth and play with.

What a baby can do at 6 months:

• Unassisted baby rolls over from back to tummy and vice versa. The muscular system is strengthened, the baby is becoming more mobile. Strong muscles in the neck, arms and back allow for effortless turning.
• The hypertonicity in the legs and arms completely disappears, the ability to control one's limbs appears.
• Many babies begin to sit up on their own during this period, or at least try to do so.
• If the child is held under the arms, he confidently pushes off with his legs from a hard surface.
• Eye-hand coordination is so developed that the child consciously and purposefully reaches for objects with both hands, can pass them from hand to hand.
• The sucking reflex practically disappears and the baby can be fed with a spoon.
• The sixth month is characterized by a growth spurt, the child begins to show more emotions. First of all, it is joy and anger, which can be expressed through gestures, facial expressions or various sounds
• A six-month-old baby can play with one toy for a long time and not be distracted for 15-20 minutes. Therefore, it is recommended to actively develop fine motor skills with the help of developing rings and pyramids.

At the age of six months, the process of teething begins, swelling of the gums and increased salivation can be observed. It is important to visit a pediatric dentist to determine the condition of the frenulum and jaw structure.

At 6 months, night sleep lengthens, the child can continuously sleep for 6-7 hours. The amount of daytime sleep decreases - 2-3 times for 30-40 minutes.

Baby skills at 6 months

So, the baby has reached the age of six months, as he looks: lying on his stomach, leans on the pelvis and arms, while his palms are fully open, he knows how to lift his chest from the surface well, and can bend a little in the back.

At 6 months, the child's skills develop, the following changes are observed:

• The kid is active, independent, becomes extremely inquisitive. There are skills of finding the object that he is told about, he will easily point to his favorite toy.
• The cognitive function of the brain continues to develop: at 6 months, the baby begins to understand the relationship of cause and effect (if you push the toy, it will fall).
• The baby can play enthusiastically for some time without requiring attention from the mother.
• He can crawl like a plastuna, although he sways from side to side.
• Can drink from a mug by itself if held.
• At this age, as a rule, the first tooth appears - usually in the lower jaw.

Child's height at 6 months

Child's height at 6 months according to the average data of pediatricians:

• The lower limit of normal in boys ranges from 63.3 cm to 63.5 cm, the upper limit is from 69.8 cm to 71.9 cm
• Girls can be 61.2 cm to 63.5 cm tall at the bottom and 68.0 cm to 70.3 cm at the top

Height of a six-month-old baby according to WHO:

• The lower limit for boys ranges from 63.2 cm to 65.5 cm, the upper limit from 71.7 cm to 71.9 cm
• Girls can be between 61.4 cm and 69.9 cm

How much should a baby weigh at 6 months

According to the statistics of domestic pediatrics, the weight of a child at 6 months should approach the following standards:

• Boys: 6. 5 kg to 9.1 kg
• Girls: 6.2 kg to 8.4 kg

The World Health Organization suggests the following standards:

• Boys: 7.1 kg to 8.9 kg
• Girls: 6.5 kg to 8.3 kg

Mental development of a child at 6 months

At six months, parents notice a change in the psycho-emotional background of the child. If earlier crying was the main tool of communication, now it is mainly negative emotions expressed in this way - pain or discomfort. The "vocabulary" of the baby is increasing, in his arsenal there are already about 40 sounds.

The mental development of a child of six months of life is progressing, now a completely conscious conversation takes place between an adult and a baby. He can show or find the subject in question.

The kid recognizes the voices of his parents at a distance, reacts with a joyful squeal or peculiar exclamations, showing the need for attention. At the age of six months, children show tenderness to their parents as much as possible, tend to snuggle and hug.

There is an awareness of causal relationships. The baby begins to understand that the mother will come to the cry, and if a bottle or plate appears in the field of view, it is lunch time.

The child has an innate instinct for self-preservation, but due to the lack of proper experience, it is not well developed. And given the fact that the baby’s mobility is increasing, you should carefully monitor his movements and secure the space around the child as much as possible so that he has more opportunities to explore the “world”.

[1] The first weaning is an important event

At six months, they begin to introduce complementary foods, which allows you to diversify the diet of the child. You should start with soft foods, choosing vegetable purees or cereals, maintaining interest in new foods, and also giving a little taste of what mom or dad eats. Learn more about first feeding.

Six-month-olds develop an understanding of "object permanence": they will look for an object that has been dropped or that has disappeared from view.

At 6 months, the child's coordination improves, movements become purposeful. Now the state of the baby is easy to determine by his emotions, he openly expresses joy and discontent. At this stage of development, the child checks what materials the toys are made of and what sounds they make. He feels them, shakes them, and even tastes them.

Child care at 6 months

For the most part, parents already know how to care for an infant. The rules of care remain unchanged - daily washing, timely change of diapers, full bathing twice a week.

Since the child is intensively learning to crawl, it is necessary to monitor the cleanliness of the house and the baby's hands. At six months, the process of eruption of the first teeth begins, a decrease in local immunity of the oral cavity is possible. Parents should make sure that all toys that a child puts in their mouth are as clean as possible. Such precautions will help to avoid the development of infectious processes.

The sixth month is great for weaning from the pacifier and bottle, the baby should be given to drink from a cup or spoon as often as possible. If the baby stubbornly refuses to give up the pacifier, pediatricians recommend replacing it with a special orthodontic nipple.

An important step in the care is daily massage and gymnastics, swimming in a special pool. Gymnastic exercises are aimed at stabilizing the child in space. Be sure to check with your pediatrician before doing any exercise.

[2] Six months is the right age to assess your baby's development. In this period, the child achieves a very important skill - he masters the skills of turning from back to stomach, and does it equally deftly, both to the left and to the right. In addition, the child continues to stubbornly try to sit up. Six months is exactly the time by which the child should learn to perform such actions. However, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of each child and not rush things.

[1] - https://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/ru/

[2] - Edited by S. Sapozhnikova: Development of a child's personality from birth to a year

L. Anikeeva: Pediatrics. Complete guide for parents

what boys and girls “should” know

03/11/2021

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3-6 months 6-9 months

Author of article

BabySleep team

BabySleep team

Sleep consultants, doctors, psychologists, breastfeeding consultants

Six months is the first round date for your baby. By this time, he was strong and about twice as heavy since birth. Together you have already gone through several developmental leaps, grown the first teeth (but this is not certain), and mastered new motor skills. Further more! And where further and what more - now we will tell.

Baby's crisis calendar

Contents

In this article:

Height and weight of the baby at 6 months
Handy hands: developing hand skills at 6 months
Physical development of the baby at 6 months
Mental development of the baby at 90 Massage / gymnastics at 6 months
Speech development
How to play with a baby at 6 months
How sleep and development mutually influence each other

All children are different. Even twins often have different rates of development. Any tables and norms can only serve as a guide. Hardly anyone can feel a child better than a mother and know what and when he needs.

Height and weight at 6 months

In 2005, the World Health Organization (WHO) released the Child Development Standards. They are based on a large-scale study of the height and weight of almost 9,000 full-term boys and girls from around the world who were breastfed for at least 6 months and their mothers did not smoke. Unlike the old standards, the new norms allow parents to track the development of the child, taking into account his individual characteristics.

Child height at 6 months

Babies grow an average of 1.7 cm in their sixth month. Perhaps this month you will decide to move your baby from the cradle, if you have used it, to a larger crib.

Natalia Trofimova

Senior sleep consultant, pediatrician

Children's height and weight norms are very wide, depending on the term of delivery and birth weight, type of feeding. It is optimal when the height and weight indicators are in the same column-corridor (“medium”, “low”, “above average”, etc.) or in neighboring ones. The attention of the pediatrician is required when both indicators are in the extreme columns, or the difference between the corridors of values ​​is 3 or more (for example, weight and height in the first percentile corridor is “very low” or weight in the first is “very low”, and height in the fifth is “higher than medium").

Babies gain an average of 450 grams in six months. But the increase can be either more or less than the average value. It is worth showing the baby to the doctor if he adds less than 100 grams per week.

Shulamith Volfson

Pediatrician with more than 18 years of experience

It is worth remembering the difference in the gains of breastfed and artificially fed children. Babies who eat formula milk add gradually, in the first six months, 600–700 g each. But breastfed babies up to 4–6 months old can sometimes even gain up to 1. 5–2.5 kg per month, and this is absolutely normal , in the second half of the year such "dumplings" will definitely "slim".

You may notice that at this age the baby begins to move his fingers more clearly when grasping. If a toy gets into his hand, he not only can hold it, but swings it and shifts it from hand to hand. In the bathroom, the child can wave his hands at the sight of water, and while bathing, slap them on the surface. With “empty” hands, the baby also sometimes waves rhythmically.

Physical development of a child at 6 months

The baby becomes much more mobile. Many six-month-old children begin to crawl and sit up on their own. But don't worry if this hasn't happened to your child yet. Normally, independent sitting can develop even up to 9months, and crawling - up to 13!

You can encourage crawling by placing toys in front of your baby so that he has to move forward a little to catch them. Let the child crawl all over the floor in the room, ideally if the whole house becomes his play space. Before you let your baby crawl, make sure sockets are covered with plugs, wires and small objects are removed, hanging edges of the tablecloth are tucked up, and access to dangerous substances is closed.

Moms are most worried this month:

Is it possible to sit down a baby if he is not yet sitting by himself?

If the baby does not sit down by himself, do not rush to sit him down. Better pay attention to preparing the muscles of the arms and back for mastering this skill. Encourage your child to get on all fours and crawl, do some light exercise, such as giving your baby your fingers to grab and allowing him to pull himself up on his hands and sit down. Having strengthened his arms and back, having mastered the position on all fours, the baby will quickly sit down without your help.

Tell your pediatrician if by the end of the seventh month the child has not learned to roll over from his stomach to his back.

If your baby has already shown food interest (looks enthusiastically at your plate, pulls his hands to your food), then at this age it is already possible to introduce complementary foods. It is usually recommended to start with one boiled vegetable, without salt or any other additives, with a serving of a quarter teaspoon, preferably in the morning. In any case, before introducing the first complementary foods, be sure to consult a pediatrician.

After six months, the innate immunity that the child received from the mother during pregnancy weakens. Perhaps the baby will catch a runny nose for the first time or start coughing. Read the article on sleep during illness to know how your baby will behave when unwell.

Many six-month-old babies are in the midst of teething. This can affect both sleep and behavior during the day.

Mental development of a child 6 months old

Literally, the baby has just come out of the fifth leap of development, as a result of which he learned about the relationship of things and the presence of a distance between them. As a consequence of this new knowledge, a separation fear appears: the child understands that his mother can leave, and he will not catch up with her! Therefore, he becomes more restless and can “hang” in his arms for a long time.

In addition, the baby begins to fear strangers. Now he is unlikely to go to the hands of a doctor or even to his grandmother, whom he has not seen for a long time, and maybe even be afraid of her one look!

Pay attention to the pediatrician if by the end of the seventh month the child does not chant syllables like “ma-ma”, “ba-ba”, “ga-ga”, etc. (does not babble).

Baby massage at 6 months

From the age of six months, one more massage technique can be added to stroking and rubbing - kneading. With the fingertips of one hand, except for the big one, lightly press on the skin and make short circular movements. Thus, we pass along the handles from the hand to the shoulder, along the legs from the foot to the hip, along the tummy clockwise, along the back from the buttocks to the neck along the spine.

Remember that for a healthy baby, massage is first of all a pleasant communication with the mother, and not an obligatory procedure. Five minutes a day will be enough. And if he (or you) doesn’t like it at all, it’s better to refuse such a pastime.

To make the massage more interesting, you can accompany it with play rhymes, for example:

Rain waters the grass,
( lightly tap on the back with the tips of relaxed fingers )

The wind shakes the tree.
( putting hands on shoulders, slightly rocking )

Leaves hanging, hanging
( softly touch your shoulders with your fingertips )

And they fly down quietly.
( slowly stroke along the spine with your fingertips )

Children run out to the kindergarten
( "run" the index and middle fingers of both hands along the back )

And the leaves are collected.
( lightly pinch )

Carry them home
( “pass” with the index and middle fingers of both hands along the back )

And they put it in a box.
( put paper sheets or fingertips on the baby's palm and close his fingers into a fist )

Development of speech

The baby continues to babble, but in parallel, changes are ripening in his mind that prepare the transition of babble into real speech. He continues to develop speech hearing, and he pronounces babbling syllables more and more clearly. This is due to the imitation of the speech that he hears from adults. Therefore, often talk to the child, even if he does not understand the meaning of the words.

He will begin to understand in just a couple of months, but already now you can prepare fertile ground. Just clearly name the items that the baby is interested in himself or that you are currently using.

How to play with a 6 month old baby?

Games with children after six months become much more interesting and varied.

Ball gymnastics . Stimulates the vestibular apparatus, develops coordination, prepares for walking.

Place the baby on the fitball with his tummy, hold him by the side and knee. Swing the ball back and forth, left and right and in a circle. You can accompany this with jokes, songs and gentle words.

Then rock up and down: first the baby stands on its feet for a second (you continue to support it), then “dives” upside down (not very low). Repeat 5-6 times. At the end, jump with the child on the ball: up to 10 times lying on the tummy and up to 10 times sitting. And then standing.

Phone Game . Develops onomatopoeia and active speech.

Sit next to your baby, hold a toy phone to your ear and say the simplest syllables, changing intonation and voice. For example:

Bababa. Bababa?

Mom. Mommy?

Dadada! Yes Yes Yes?

Give the phone to the baby. Perhaps he, too, will repeat these syllables after you.

Game “What is there?” . Develops fine motor skills of hands and thinking of the child.

Put an interesting toy in a pretty box. Draw the attention of the baby first to the box itself. Examine it, show the baby how it opens. Invite him to open the box himself.

Then ask, "What's in there?" Switch your baby's attention to the toy. Take the toy out of the box and play with it. At the same time, constantly pay the attention of the baby to the name of the toy. For example: “This is a dog. What a doggy! Let's hide the dog in the box." Continue playing with other toys.

Many options for playing with a six-month-old baby using the PEKIP system are described in a separate article on our website.

Toys for a 6-month-old baby

A six-month-old baby is interested in almost everything, which means that toys become even more diverse. The child continues to learn colors, shapes, sizes, textures, actions that can be performed with a toy. The only requirement for it is safety: the absence of small parts that can be taken into the mouth, sharp edges, long ribbons, etc.

How sleep and child development mutually influence each other

A 6-month-old baby normally sleeps 13.5–16 hours a day. Night sleep of them - 10-12 hours. Some children have three more daytime sleeps, while others are already switching to 2. Read more about the night and daytime sleep of a six-month-old baby in our service: "A child's sleep month by month. "

At this age, the child can already be offered a toy for sleeping, as well as begin to teach him to fall asleep on his own.

FAQ for BabySleep this month

Mom:

“The child is 6 months and a week old, all this time there were no problems with sleep, somewhere from 5 months he sleeps at night for 8-9 hours without waking up. Now the picture: three daytime sleeps, the first two are about 1.5 hours each, the last 45 minutes. My daughter always went to sleep and leaves with my breasts, then I put her in the crib.

The question is that I began to go to sleep at night (for the last couple of weeks) late, much later than usual - at 22-23 hours (before that, I normally left with breasts at about 20:00). During the day and in the last hours of the evening, the daughter is cheerful and cheerful, communicates, explores the world, explores rattles. Why can this be so? What to do?"

Counselor's answer

Tatyana Popova

Senior sleep consultant, psychologist

Your daughter is growing, and the time she is comfortable with is increasing. Because of this, dreams “slip” and the rhythm of the day as a whole “floats”. After six months, some children are already ready to switch to two daytime naps, if they can withstand at least 3 hours of wakefulness without overindulgence.

What should you do? There are two options: 1 - try to slightly lengthen the daughter's wakefulness at the beginning of the day and between sleeps, and instead of the third sleep, put her to bed early at night; 2 - if two dreams are still clearly not enough for the baby, then one of the first long dreams should be reduced (to about 1 hour) and due to this, bedtime in the evening should be shifted to an earlier time.

Be prepared for the fact that the child is unlikely to be able to adjust to a new regimen with two sleeps in one day: often children alternate the number of dreams for some time, then sleep 2 times (then the wake time is a little longer, and going to bed earlier) , then 3 times (the dreams themselves are shorter, and at night the child leaves later).

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