Babies 6th month

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Jennifer Ann Steinort studied health economics and is a state-approved nanny. She mainly writes on real-life topics, and experiences from working in health facilities and her own family life with three children flow into her work.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

There are many changes for you and your child in babies' sixth month. Now, at the latest, small meals should enrich your child's menu. Your baby will be able to turn around by six months. With the newly gained mobility, even diaper changing can be a challenge. Read here how you can encourage your six-month-old baby to enjoy movement and what is important for your offspring during this time.

The 6th month

At the age of six months, your baby will break away from you a little and observe his surroundings with interest. Through diligent training, it gains more and more independence. Above all, he practices changing his position. So now you can watch your sixth month baby rolling happily through the living room. Early starters even begin to crawl.

6th month - physical development

On average, your baby grows one and a half centimeters in the 6th month and puts on around 400 grams. However, these are mean values: children develop and grow at different speeds.

For many babies in the 6th month of life, the following also applies: The first tooth appears! The first signs that something is going on can appear months in advance. As with every step in a child's development, there are also individual differences in teething. Some children teething earlier, others not until much later.

When the first tooth pushes through the gums, it can be itchy, tight and painful. Your child will then be restless, whine more than usual and gnaw more and more objects. Sleepless nights are also part of the teething process for many children.

You can read more about this in the article Teething.

In addition, your child will become more and more mobile at six months. Therefore, from now on, you need to take some safety precautions. You can read more about this below in the section "Tips for the 6th month".

Motor skills and reflexes

Your baby's development continues into the sixth month. Until now, a change of position was only possible with your help. Up to now, your child has only been able to move around on their own in a rather uncoordinated manner by pedaling hard. That is now changing all the time.

A baby in the sixth month can now usually turn on its side for the first time. In the prone position, your baby may be able to reach for objects to bring them up for a closer look. The gripping is now quite targeted. This is how your baby can hold a drinking cup when she is six months old. It also makes its first attempts to drink independently.

The development of the senses

At six months, your baby has already processed many impressions from his environment. The use of his sensory organs is important for the development of gross and fine motor skills.

The ability to see your child at six months of age improves their body awareness. Your offspring can only move safely and purposefully if they can perceive the space and their own body well. It is therefore important to identify any possible impairment of vision early on as part of preventive medical check-ups.

When is which preventive medical check-up for your child? You can find out about this in the article "U examinations".

Your six-month-old baby is constantly developing his body-related senses. The organ of equilibrium in the inner ear plays a crucial role in this. It is ready for use from birth, but continues to develop over many years. Changes in position - such as when it is rocked in your arm - will make your six-month-old baby happy and help to train his sense of balance.

Your child will enjoy their new skills and the opportunities they open up. It now automatically picks up rattles and generates sounds or tries to move a toy behind it with the help of the cord.

Taste and smell are closely related. With the introduction of complementary foods, your baby will experience completely new sensory impressions. However, the unfamiliar diet can be accompanied by slight digestive problems. Give your child time to get used to the new food. If your child does not like something at six months, it will show it clearly. It also turns away from unpleasant smells.

6th month - mental development

New experiences, skills and little sense of achievement strengthen your baby's self-confidence. It is therefore important that you support and encourage it in this process.

Emotional development

In the past few months, as a caregiver, you have enjoyed your baby's full attention. Now, at the age of six months, your baby will also open up to other people and objects in the environment.

It looks where you are looking and also lets its gaze wander into the distance. You will instinctively carry your child with your back to you more often to meet this curiosity.

It is important that you accompany your child through these important developmental steps, because your offspring needs security in order to develop. Thanks to the reliable support that you give him, your baby already dares to do a lot at six months.

The newly acquired skills strengthen your child's self-confidence and thus the feeling of being able to make a difference. Help your six-month-old baby do this. This doesn't just refer to basic needs like food, care and sleep. It is just as important that they can satisfy their curiosity and live out their urge to move.

Social development and communication

What can a six-month-old baby learn from you? Quite a lot, because you are the linchpin of its development. Your offspring will learn through imitation, among other things. This also applies to social development and communication.

Take your six-month-old baby for regular walks. The fresh air and the many stimuli from the environment stimulate it physically and mentally. Your child can strengthen their communication skills on a short excursion. The mutual exchange of what has been seen improves communication with you.

For the next few weeks, your six-month-old baby will be pointing his finger at things that he has discovered about you in the area.

At six months old, your child likes to babble and mimic what you say by babbling. Your child may already understand the meaning of some of the sentences. For example, it turns its head in the right direction when you ask where the bowel is.

6th month - this is how you support your child in a playful way

Enjoy it: In the sixth month of life, your baby becomes more and more active. It takes pleasure in many games. Here are a few suggestions:

Hoppe, Hoppe, Reiter: This song has been popular with children for decades. Hopping on your lap to the rhythm of the singing promotes language development and, at the same time, a sense of balance. The most beautiful thing for your child is of course the gentle sinking back at the end!

Where is the cow? Combine your six month old baby's curiosity with his or her desire to learn. Do you know a meadow with animals, for example with cows? Great! Have your child look for the cows from different directions. In a playful way, your baby will get to know the term "cow" and train his attention and mobility by turning his head in the right direction. Perhaps your offspring will babble happily when they spot a cow.

Clapping hands: promote baby hand coordination! Sit in front of your child and clap both hands to a catchy song. Help your baby clap too.

Visit to the pediatrician in the 6th month

When your baby is six months old, the next check-up is due. The U5 examination is again measured and weighed. The doctor will also focus on your child's sensory organs and muscle building.

You can read what exactly happens during the U5 in the article U5 examination.

Does your child seem cross-eyed? Often this is due to the crease of the eyelid and a relatively wide eye relief. With increasing age, the look and thus also the eye area of ​​your six-month-old baby will change. If you are unsure, ask your pediatrician during U5.

You can find out more about this in the article strabismus.

Tips for the 6th month

Be prepared: your baby will be significantly more mobile at six months! Therefore, you should secure the environment appropriately. Do not leave your child alone on the changing table, the risk of moving and falling is too great. A playpen within sight is a good idea if you have to do household chores.

Beware of so-called baby walkers! Contrary to popular belief, these devices will not help your baby learn to walk. On the contrary: the child's motor skills are only promoted on one side. In addition, the legs are in an unfavorable equinus foot position. Baby bounces that are attached to the door frame overwhelm a six-month-old child.

Baby swings are more suitable. But the same applies here: less is more! Used a few minutes a day, they are unproblematic. To protect your back, however, your baby should not lie in it for a long time at six months.

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