Baby Development Month Six
July 15th, 2009 | 
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If you haven’t noticed just yet, month six is a big month for baby development and learning about baby’s personality. You probably already have a good idea of your baby’s personality, and it will be shining through this month in all things that baby does and how baby reacts to everything in life. The six month is a time of laughter and exploration, and perhaps one of the last breathers you get for a long time as baby begins to move around on his or her own. Your days of chasing baby are just beginning so get ready for some leaps and bounds in motion this month and beyond.
Motor skills development may just be full of surprises for you this month.
Some babies are crawling at this time, though don’t fret if not. Some babies will not crawl until seven, eight, or even nine months – each of which is quite normal. Babies at six months can achieve some interesting baby milestones like sitting up from tummy position, pulling up to standing position, even if momentarily, and bearing their own weight on their leg while you hold them up. Babies may also move towards anything that catches his or her eye, so keep things safe and watch what they are trying to put into their mouth. Or you could also look at some of these exercise activity center, it helps them stand and keeps them learning. It is also useful for older children, so it it will stay with you for a while.
Your baby may have some teeth coming in. If you are breastfeeding and feel the bite, it’s time to pull away. Babies with proper latch can not bite the nipple. If those teeth are peeking through, make sure you start introducing brushing with infant safe toothpaste. It may also be time to get baby into the big tub, if you wish, as long as they are very good at sitting up on their own. Just remember that you can not leave them alone for a moment as everything is fascinating and they are bound to do just about anything if you look away for even a moment.
Baby’s speech is improving each and every day.
Parents should make time to talk directly to their children and to respond when they are trying to mimic noises, vowel and consonant combinations, and other sounds. Baby should be making quite an interesting string of noises by six months of age. This is yet another of the baby milestones that can vary, however, so don’t panic as long as some progress is being made. This is a great time for story telling and giving pause when talking so that baby can respond, even if you can not understand what they are saying. You may also want to put names with commonly used objects so baby can get use to the names going with the objects.
While some babies are already working on some solid foods, many parents wait until six months to be sure the digestive system is strong enough to handle foods other than breast milk or formula.
This is a great time to introduce baby cereal and some other solid foods. Always ask your pediatrician for advice when choosing these foods. There are some allergy considerations to think about, and some foods are not the best choices right off the bat as they can upset the system or will have the potential to make baby choke.
“With the exception of very large babies, or infants suffering from esophageal reflux, the baby equivalent of heartburn, I agree,” says Baby Whisperer author Tracy Hogg when talking about waiting until six months to start solid foods. She goes on to say, “By the sixth month, your baby needs the extra iron found in solid foods as her store of iron has been depleted by this point.”
Heidi Murkoff, author of the What To Expect books relays the information that may pediatricians would: “Looking forward to serving your little one his first PB&J? Chocolate milk shake? Eggs and a side of toast with honey? You’ll have to wait. As exciting as it is to introduce new foods to your little one, there are a few items that should stay off the menu — at least for the first 12 months. That’s because they contain allergens or other irritants that can disrupt your baby’s sensitive (and still developing) digestive system.”
Though picky eating habits may not appear at the age of six months old, some babies may not want to try anything new and prefer the breast or bottle. This can be distressing, as you know baby should start at least one type of solid, there are some things to keep in mind. The staff at the Mayo Clinic suggest that you be patient, stick with a routine, keep distractions at a minimum, start small, and remember they may simply not be hungry when you are offering the new food so try again later. If you are still worried, you can talk with you pediatrician about your concerns.
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Posted in Month four to six | 
Tags: baby's speech, introduce baby cereal, Month one to three, solid food 
