Baby at 6 months: what is his progress?

More and more awake, more and more active, baby at 6 months never ceases to amaze you… and to show you that he wants to participate. You are not done to admire his progress.

In the 6th month of baby, the serious and really visible things start on the motor side. Baby is more active and above all shows that he wants to participate more in his environment, that he has this desire. 6 month old child now sitsat least with 2 hands forward for support, but sometimes also for a few seconds alone, without any support, sign that it is toned. “Iyou don’t have to force thembut it’s something they’re often capable of”intervenes the pediatrician, while reassuring the parents “these are progress given as an indication, it does not appear on the day of the 6 months!”

Moreover, baby sets off… while driving. “At 6 months that’s it, they roll over, from back to belly, from belly to back. They can sometimes do it before, but finally at this age, they all succeed” confirms the pediatrician. And they don’t hesitate.

Now that he has better and better control of rolling, baby also uses it to fetch a toy out of reach, for example, associating the movement of the body with that of the hand. It is even a full-fledged game for infants.

His fine motor skills also allow him to handle better and better and to objects more and more easily from one hand to the other.

Once on the back, baby also knows how to grab his feet ! He regularly plays with them, and even puts them in his mouth. Feet are a new passion.

If at 5 months, baby cried and tested his voice, this month, he tries to modulate the sounds it produces ‘“It’s not yet the syllabic babbling, the famous ba-ba-ba, but he tries, he experiments and above all, he tries to reproduce what he hears, it is the beginning of language” having fun the pediatrician.

This is not the only possible interaction. “You have to be careful with babies, often you don’t notice it right away, but there are a real game of mimicry, sounds with which we can really exchange. Those are mirror neurons that come into play. Baby will imitate you and also stick your tongue out in return“ lists the pediatrician.

As we have seen, babies love to manipulate objects and interact with sounds. Do not hesitate to take the time to play with him, to hand him toys, a rattle, cubes. It’s also the time to place in front of a mirrorin which he loves to see his reflection, or to make him listen to music or a story.

On the motor side, the pediatrician reminds us: it is important to leave baby in free motor skills. That is to say, we don’t lay on the floor on our carpet, belly or back sideto play with him but we don’t associate him, we don’t force him to stand in a position.

Finally, we avoid anything that is screen… for the baby of course, but also for the parent in attendance of the child. “The screen, the smartphone or the TV, is terrible because it cuts off all interaction with the baby. A mum ironing or doing something in her living room will automatically talk to your child installed near her when she has no screen. On the contrary, when a screen interferes, the mom or the dad are no longer in this interaction” she regrets.

At 6 months, sleep is finally in place, at least in general. “An infant now understands what time-givers are, that is, day-night alternation who regulates his days and his sleep” recalls the pediatrician. But it is also a time when parents must help him understand this time… for the good of all. “Now is the time to make babies understand from the moment they go to bed that we no longer get up at night, that it is a time of rest for everyone. At night, we are calm, we are whisperingwe explain that mom needs to sleep, that she is not necessarily available…” she specifies. From 6 months, sleep is regulated all the more as parents help her to understand that it’s night. Don’t worry, at 6 months, baby is now able to wait a little bit and even fall asleep.

During the day, however, baby is much more awake. He still takes naps, 3 or 4, but these generally last an hour at still variable times.

It’s time for food diversification, if this is not yet the case for your child. “At 6 months, we put everything in the foodvegetable purées, compotes, a little bit of protein, all step by step, with only one food at a time at the start” reminds the pediatrician.

The day now includes 4 meals a day;

• A 240 ml bottle or a feeding in the morning
• A varied meal at noon, with a vegetable purée, 10 g of fish or meat (one teaspoon), and a cooked or raw fruit for dessert
• A feeding or a bottle 150 ml of milk for snacking, accompanied a biscuit or a piece of bread and a fruit.
• A feeding or a bottle of 240 ml in the eveningfollowed by 130 g vegetables with cereals, and a homemade fruit compote for example.

If he has started food diversification, he can also be allowed to test texture. “We can give him a piece of bread, to teach him the habit of pieces and texture. But also melting pieces of fruit and vegetables, bits of soft cheese… not at every meal, but we try” advise the pediatrician.

In terms of size, a 6-month-old infant now measures between 62 and 72 cm for a weight being between 6 and 9 kg (baby doubles its weight in 6 months!). Baby’s head circumference is also changing and now fluctuates between 41 and 46 cm. At this age, babies are still entitled to his monthly appointment with the pediatrician to check all its functions and good growth. Well, if he hasn’t already, it might be his first teething time… which can make him a little grumpy. Think to the teething ring to relieve him of the arrival of his first teeth.