Your baby is now six months old and entering the seventh month.
In this series of articles, we are focusing on physical, mental and behavioural characteristics that are typically exhibited at each stage. However, remember that every child is unique and that is what we love about them. Some will exhibit certain behaviours early and some later. Just learn to enjoy parenthood and your children and go on the journey with them.
Also, when you read this series of articles, don't leave after reading one entry. Look at the entries for earlier and later periods also. This series of articles is written as a continuum and not as distinct entries for each period. For example, if your baby is six months old, read all entries from four to eight months.
Do bring it to your doctor's attention if there is an abnormal delay in reaching a developmental milestone. Regular visits to the paediatrician are required to ensure that your baby is progressing normally.
From the mouths of babes
- I can reach for things and pick them up with both hands
- I also shake the things I pick up
- When I pick something up, I look at it from various points of view
- I am starting to know more people as they spend more time around me
- I also like making noise. Give me some plastic cups that I can clap and make sounds
- Your baby may start teething (anywhere from six to ten months). It will make her fussy. Give her something soft to chew on
- Your baby will be sitting a lot more and will use his own hands for support a lot
- Your baby will be more mobile and will start to move around by rolling over or pushing herself along on her tummy, little by little
- Your baby's memory is increasing and he can repeat actions or sounds even hours after he first saw or heard them
- Your baby maybe ready for some alternative foods at this time, but breast milk should remain the primary source of nutrition for the first year as long as you can produce it. Foods like baby cereal, strained or mashed fruits and vegetables, mashed dal and rice, maybe good choices.
- When trying new foods, stick to one at a time till you have identified what your baby likes
- As new foods are introduced into your baby's diet, his bowel movements may change. He may go less often due to the solid foods.
- Stick to a routine every night - like a bath or a set of rhymes - and then put your baby to sleep. This will help your baby understand when he needs to go to sleep
- Your baby learns by repetition. With her increased strength and movement, she will try new things. If you disapprove of things she is doing, do not be harsh. Move her or stop her gently from what she is doing and speak to her in a distinct and clear tone of voice (don't be harsh or discipline her in any way). In fact, she will try the same thing a few more times. Whenever she does it, repeat your gentle actions in a distinct and clear tone. She will come to recognise that tone and know that she is doing something that you disapprove.
- Be patient through this learning process. Your baby is not ready to recognise what is right and wrong and will not remember everything you tell him. But with your help and gentle, firm feedback, he will learn
- Babies learn a lot from your feedback. If you praise them only for certain actions and not for others, they will focus more on the former. But be careful that you do not praise only the actions you care about. You want your baby to explore broadly, so be generous in your praise of all her actions
- Toys that let your baby bang, poke, twist, squeeze, open/shut and push/pull
- Push toys like cars and animals-on-wheels
- Toys or balls that make soft/pleasant sounds when shaken
- Large blocks - cloth or wood
- Bounce back toys
- Balls which are slightly heavy so they cannot be rolled too far. Baby will push and chase them.
- Teething rings
- More colourful toys
- Plastic cups that can be stacked inside each other
- Stacking rings
- Simple bath toys
- Soft baby dolls, small plush animal toys
- Mid-sized to large soft toys for hugging - like a teddy bear
- Cloth books, board books
1. Healthy Start, Grow Smart, Your Six Month Old, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C., 2002
2. Indian Academy of Pediatrics, IAP Policy on Infant Feeding
3. Toy Safety Publications of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission