What should a baby be able to do at 6 months?

What should a 6 month old baby be able to do? During the first few months of life, your baby gained weight at a rate of about 70-90 grams per month. A baby at six months should have gained at least twice his birth weight. At six months, your baby's growth will slow to 50 grams per month. Your baby's height will also increase more slowly, by 1-2 cm each month. But mental and emotional development is gaining momentum.

Motor skills

To prepare for this, children try to support themselves with their hands, but over time they may begin to let go of their hands and sit without support.

Your 6-month-old baby may roll from his back to his tummy and vice versa. Some babies may move along the floor using this method. Or they may crawl forward or backward - sliding on their tummy along the floor. You may even notice that your baby will get up on all fours and try to crawl back and forth.

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Baby sleep at 6 months

Most babies sleep six to eight hours straight at 6 months. When babies this age have trouble falling asleep on their own, some parents use a method developed by pediatrician Richard Ferber. The Ferber method involves putting your baby in his crib while he's still awake. This method works well for many families, but you may want to experiment with different sleep methods before you find one that works best for you.

Now that your baby can roll over on his own, don't be alarmed if you put him to sleep on his back and he wakes up on his tummy. The risk of sleep apnea is much lower at six months than it was in the first few months of life.

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Vision

When your baby is 6 months old, you may notice that your baby's eye color has changed since birth. Eye color changes can go through several stages before settling on a final color around six months. If your baby still has blue eyes, they will likely stay that way forever.

A child at 6 months already distinguishes well between his own and strangers and recognizes close relatives. When he sees his mom and dad, he can smile happily and even laugh.

Nutrition

If you haven’t started your baby on solids yet, your pediatrician will likely recommend starting at six months. Start with iron-fortified cereals. Mix them with milk or formula. As your baby adjusts to solids, fruits and vegetables with their complex formulas should be introduced gradually. Wait a few days each time you try something new to make sure your baby isn’t allergic to it.

If your baby doesn't like a new food, wait a few days and then try again. Babies are fickle creatures and their tastes can change from day to day.

Add foods one at a time to your baby's diet so you can monitor for any reactions, such as rashes, diarrhea, or vomiting. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there is no evidence that introducing foods like eggs and fish after 4 to 6 months of age increases the risk of developing food allergies.

Wait to give your baby honey until at least 12 months of age because it can cause allergies. Cow's milk should also not be given until your baby is at least 1 year old. This also applies to cow's milk products, such as yogurt or soft cheese.

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Bonding of a 6 month old baby with parents

At 6 months, a child often has an emotional reaction to your actions or just your appearance: a smile, laughter and babble like ("ma-ma", "ba-ba"). To help your child learn the language, read him stories and fairy tales every night before bed.

Children at this age are already beginning to recognize the people and things around them. Your child has already begun to feel comfortable with familiar people - mom, dad, grandma and grandpa, as well as their favorite toys. You may see the first signs of fear when your child sees new people or finds himself in new situations.

What a child should be able to do at 6 months depends on his individual characteristics. Don't worry if your baby can't do something. At this age, development is very fast, and very soon he will surprise you with his new skills.