Baby development at 6 months

The first significant date in a child's life is six months. From this age, the baby gradually turns into a person. Every day your baby will surprise you with the appearance of new communication skills, the manifestation of his personality and character. The development of a child at 6 months brings huge changes in the mental and physiological spheres of the baby, especially with regard to changes in nutrition and regimen.

Physiological development

In order to assess the physical development of the child, pediatricians use centile tables, which indicate the norms for months. They are different for boys and girls. In addition to body weight and length, the tables contain indicators of head and chest circumference, which are also important to consider when assessing the physical development of a baby. A child at 6 months should have the following indicators: weight 6.8 - 8.4 kg (± 1 kg), height 64 - 67 cm (± 3 cm).

What can a baby at 6 months

1. The child is already
2. By this age, in all children, the physiological disappears both in the arms and legs.
3. Lying on his stomach, the child can lean on one arm and grab the toy with the other.
4. Holds your hand firmly with your fingers when pulling up from a prone position. Self-pulls so that you almost do not have to make an effort. Some babies are already able to sit on their own (?).
5. Tries to crawl in a plastunsky or on all fours, creeps up to the toy (?).
6. When supported by the armpits, rests and pushes off with the legs, “dances”.
7. Some babies try to get up by holding on to the edge of the crib.
8. Grabs objects with one hand, takes from one handle to another. Holds a toy in each hand. Feels the thing with the whole palm. Picks up a fallen toy and throws it again.
9. If you hide a toy, he starts looking for it. He himself finds an object covered with something.
10. Independently plays up to 10 - 15 minutes. He repeats many times what he does: he opens and closes the box, wraps and unfolds the handkerchief.
11. In six months, the first tooth can hatch, as a rule, this is the lower central incisor (about that). At 6 months, the child visits the dentist for the first time, who will evaluate the correct structure of the jaw and frenulum under the upper and lower lips.

Psycho-emotional development

1. The child's babbling is improving more and more. Crying and crying fade into the background and appear with physiological discomfort. In the baby's speech, consonants and vowels merge in various combinations. Because of this, it may seem that the baby is already pronouncing the words and talking, but this is not the case yet. It’s just that the child already skillfully imitates the sounds he hears, but “speech” does not yet carry a semantic load. By the end of the 6th month, the baby makes up to 40 different sounds.
2. Now the baby is not just maintaining a “dialogue” with you or repeating, he is trying to understand the meaning of what you said. The child is able to look for the thing that is being said.
3. The baby can recognize the parents by voice without seeing them. If the child hears the voice of the mother in another room, then by screaming he makes it clear that he knows about her presence. Asks for hands.
4. Many children are already capable of showing affection and tenderness. They can snuggle up to their mother when they sit on her lap. Outsiders are no longer afraid as before, but in communication with them they keep a distance and do not show activity.
5. In the thinking of the child, the simplest cause-and-effect relationships are formed. For example, the baby understands that if you press the button in the toy with your finger, the music will play, the toy will fall, there will be a knock, if he screams, the mother will come up. But real progress in intellectual development can only be thought of when the baby develops fear - a sign that the child not only catches the connection between events, but can also anticipate them.
6. The child begins to be interested in the practical application of the surrounding objects. Because of this, communication with him is now not only emotional in nature, but acquires the features of cooperation: the baby attracts your attention with babble in order to get the subject of interest to him and to learn with your help its functions and qualities.

Test for the development of the baby at six months

• Keep the toy at a distance of 20-30 cm from the child. He must be able to shift his gaze from the environment to the toy, highlighting it from everything else.
• Offer your child a bottle of milk first, and then a toy. The reaction of the baby should be different: when he sees the food, the baby opens his mouth and can make sucking movements, at the sight of the toy there will be a reaction of revival.
• When the baby is lying, ring the bell in front of him, and then slowly move him away. With your help, the child will begin to rise and move to a sitting position.
• Talk to your child by changing facial expressions. The baby will begin to repeat after you: wrinkle his forehead, smile.
• Try to take away the toy that he holds in his hand. At 6 months, the baby will hold the object tightly and resist, expressing displeasure.
• If you often call the baby by name, then at this age the baby should already respond to him with a revitalization complex.

What should alert

• The child cannot and does not try to sit, even with support.
• When you support the crumbs by the armpits, he does not "dance."
• Does not transfer an item from one pen to another.
• Does not respond to sounds, rustles that are out of sight.
• Doesn't ask for pens.
• He doesn't babble, doesn't smile, doesn't recognize his parents.

Additional Information:

Baby development at 6 months video 1

Introduction complementary foods

The most favorable age to start introducing complementary foods is six months. Until that time, breast milk provides the child's body with all the necessary substances. When feeding with a mixture, the first complementary foods are introduced a little earlier - from 4 to 5 months. When it comes to the timing of the introduction of complementary foods, it means the end of the month in which it is started.

Complementary feeding table from 6 months (Clickable)

After 6 months, neither breast milk nor formula can compensate for the energy costs that are spent on intensive growth and physical development. The baby's body begins to need a large amount of minerals, trace elements and vegetable proteins.

If you start complementary foods later than the deadline (6-7 months), then it will be difficult for the child to adapt to the new food and its consistency. Late introduction of complementary foods is fraught with the occurrence of deficient conditions (malnutrition, anemia, rickets), poor development of chewing skills and taste perception, as well as the need for the simultaneous introduction of several products, which can cause an allergic reaction or a digestive disorder.

It is important that the child is ready for complementary foods. Be sure to check with your pediatrician before introducing new foods. If the baby is choking or spitting out food, then wait a little with the innovation.

So, it is more convenient to start complementary foods in the morning, before feeding. For children prone to constipation or overweight, it is better to start with vegetable purees from zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli. Thin people can start with gluten-free cereals: buckwheat, rice or corn, boiled in water without salt and sugar. The first purees and cereals should be monocomponent, that is, contain only one vegetable or cereal.

In summer and autumn it is usually possible to find quality vegetables. Before use, they must be processed and cooked, preferably steamed (this way more nutrients remain). The puree should be homogeneous, i.e. free of lumps and not very thick. To do this, use a blender and, if necessary, add water or a decoction on which vegetables were boiled. Or use ready-made baby purees in jars. Teach your baby to eat from a spoon right away. Use bottles with a pacifier only when necessary (on the road). Do not give hot food or from the refrigerator, the optimum temperature is 37 0 C.

Begin to introduce with 1/2 - 1 teaspoon, and then supplement with milk or formula. For 5 - 10 days, bring to 150 - 180 g and completely replace one breastfeeding. The rest of the time, continue to feed on demand. New products are introduced only after getting used to the previous one. You cannot introduce more than one new product. Multi-component purees and cereals can only be given from about 7 months.

Monitor your child's stool and allergic reactions. If there is an allergy to something, then cancel this product and try to introduce later.

Reading:

Weaning from the pacifier

Weaning from the pacifier: if the crumbs have already had their first tooth, be sure to try to wean it from the pacifier. The pressure exerted by the nipple on the gums can lead to crooked teeth. It is better to buy a teether ring for your baby. During the introduction of complementary foods, it is easier to wean from the nipple, as the baby begins to learn to drink from a cup, and nighttime bottle feeding is already becoming rare or completely disappears.

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Baby sleep at 6 months (mode)

After 6 months, the baby sleeps about 14 hours a day: two sleeps of 1.5 - 2 hours - day and night - up to 6 - 7 hours in a row. But still the mode remains individual. Many babies continue to breastfeed several times a night - this is normal and may last until you stop breastfeeding. Be patient. To help your child sleep longer at night:

• The interval between the last daytime sleep and bedtime should be at least 4 hours.
• Bathe your baby before bed. Warm water relaxes and soothes.
• Feed your baby after bathing.

How to help your baby develop - games

Continue to stimulate your baby's language development as you did in previous months. Buy your child some small colorful books with cardboard pages that he can turn himself. It is better if the books are not just with pictures, but with short rhymes or nursery rhymes in which words and phrases are repeated. Children who have read poems from 6 months begin to speak earlier.

The centers that are responsible for fine motor skills and speech are very close and interconnected in the brain, so it is important to conduct activities with the child aimed at the activity of the fingers:

• Kids at this age love games with boxes or molds of different sizes, nesting dolls.
• Make several bags with different fillings: dried peas, beans, coarse salt, millet, pebbles, buttons.
• Take a ball 5 - 6 cm in diameter, put it in the baby's palms. With your hands, squeeze the outside of his handles with the ball inside and roll him there. You can roll a walnut. Do 3-4 minutes daily.
• Massage your fingers: gently massage them in turn and gently sip. Do 2-3 minutes every day.
• "Combing": in turn, lift the child's arms and smoothly move them back and forth along the head.
• Squeezing and unclenching a squeaker toy.
• Spiral toys for moving figures.

The games in "Magpie-crow", "Ladushki", "Ku-ku", "Got a horned goat" remain relevant.

If your child succeeds in doing something new, be sure to praise him. The child already feels that you are pleased with him.

Increasing the number of toys exponentially is a problem that all parents face. In order not to litter the house with ten regular tumblers and cubes that bother the baby already on the 3rd day, divide all the toys into two parts. Give one part to the baby for games, and hide the rest. Change toys every 4-5 days. Keep in mind that at 6 months, a child can play with a maximum of two toys at the same time.

Reading reviews:

The baby will soon begin to crawl, so it becomes crowded in the crib or playpen. Provide the baby with a carpet on the floor and lay out a few toys on it, let the baby try to crawl towards them.

Continue to do gymnastics and massage with hardening procedures daily.

Try to keep all activities and games with the child simple and at the same time useful. Do not overload the baby, his psyche is not yet ready for long sessions. Now the child needs your love and attention even more. If you want to make his life joyful, follow your every word and action, which is now imprinted in the subconscious of a small person.

Baby development at six months video 2

sixth month of life. Child development calendar. Video 3

Another important milestone in the development of an infant is the 6th month of life. By the end of the first half of the year, the baby masters skills that are radically new for him - he begins to sit down, tries to get up and move around by crawling. He actively participates in the process of communication with adults, his emotions become brighter and his character traits become more noticeable. Read more about what a child should be able to do at 6 months - read further in our article.

Physical development

Height and weight

On average, the weight of a baby at 6 months is from 7.5 to 9 kg, and the height is 66–68 cm. But you should still focus on the monthly increase in weight and height: in a month, body weight should increase by 400–600 g, and height - 2 cm.

Head and chest circumferences

At 6 months, the circumference of the head is 43.5–45 cm, and the chest is from 45 to 46 cm.

psychomotor development

At 6 months, babies develop new skills:

Movement. By the end of the first six months of life, most children begin to sit down or actively strive to sit down, although their attempts are still not completely successful: when sitting down, the baby does not hold his back well or quickly “falls over” on his side. But if the child still does not know how to sit, this is considered a variant of the norm, and it is impossible to specifically seat him without support under the back.

By the age of 6 months, the baby should be able to get on all fours and make attempts to crawl - mainly on the stomach, “in a plastunsky way”, but some babies may already have movement on all fours with a cross rearrangement of arms and legs. Some children actively master such methods of movement as crawling backwards, or moving with rocking, falling forward on their hands and then “pulling up” the legs. At six months, many babies begin to stand up with support or support.

Hand movements are becoming clearer. The child purposefully reaches out and grabs a toy or an object of interest with his fingers and holds it firmly, brings it to his mouth, to his eyes, shifts from one hand to another, performs other conscious actions with toys (presses buttons, pulls on springs, twists and moves rings and figures game centers). Quite confidently, he owns his fingers, and can grab small objects, such as buttons.

A six-month-old baby holds a bottle of water or formula well, can try to eat cookies or pieces of fruit on his own, but he still cannot hold a spoon or a mug of water and bring it to his mouth.

Emotions brightly colored and active. The child reacts to the change in the events taking place around him with a change in mood and emotions: he cries, laughs, smiles, whimpers, screams demandingly, etc. At the same time, the baby expresses his desires not only with emotions, but also with actions - he stretches out his arms when he wants to be in his mother’s arms, claps his hands and jumps for joy, falls on his back and “knocks” his legs when he is angry.

Thinking- the baby knows his name and responds to it, knows the names of some objects, understands what they are talking about (even if this object is not in front of his eyes now). When pronouncing the name of an object, he looks around, trying to find it around.

Speech. A six-month-old baby babbles, quickly repeating a variety of syllables. When repeating the syllables "ma", "pa" or "ba", one may get the impression that he is pronouncing the word "mama" ("dad" or "baba"). However, these are not words yet, but unconscious babble, attempts to reproduce the speech of adults.

Daily regime

The daily routine of a 6-month-old baby does not change significantly: he is awake in a row from 2 to 4 hours, and sleeps up to 14 hours a day, and still 3 times a day. Due to increased activity, children may not sleep well at night, act up or demand to be played with. In such cases, it is necessary to normalize the daily routine, excluding active and fun games in the evening and replacing them with bathing, looking at pictures or singing lullabies to mom.

Night sleep disturbances in a 6-month-old baby may also be due to other reasons: teething, an infectious disease, and increased nervous excitability. If the baby is very restless at night, and at the same time sleeps no more than usual during the day, it is necessary to talk about this at an appointment with a pediatrician and a pediatric neurologist.

Other questions

Nutrition- At 6 months, all children should receive complementary foods (with the exception of those who suffer from severe allergies or diseases of the gastrointestinal tract). The introduction of new dishes with normal tolerance of the product is carried out quite quickly - 1 new product in 1-2 weeks. It should be remembered that the introduction of new complementary foods is not started during teething, before vaccination or against the background of an infectious disease.

By six months, gluten-free cereals, fruit and vegetable purees, egg yolk, cookies, vegetable oil are introduced into the baby's diet. By the end of 6 months, the introduction of meat puree begins.

The menu of a breastfed baby at 6 months looks something like this:

6.00 - breast milk;

10.00 - dairy-free buckwheat porridge with ¼ yolk;

14.00 - vegetable puree with vegetable oil, breast milk;

18.00 - fruit puree, cookies, breast milk;

22.00 - breast milk.

As soon as the baby begins to sit, it is necessary to feed him in a specially designated place - the best option would be a high chair. While he is sitting uncertainly, he needs to put a pillow under his back, transferring the baby to a reclining position. Be sure to accustom to cutlery - plates, spoons, cups and drinking bowls instead of the previously familiar bottles.

Toys. At 6 months, when choosing toys for a child, great attention should be paid to their safety: the baby is quite capable of removing a small detail and swallowing or sticking it into his nose. For a baby at this age, various developmental centers will be interesting, on which you can press buttons and keys, twist and move parts. By 6 months, you need to introduce the child to the pyramid, teaching him to string the rings, while pronouncing their size and color.

For the development of a child of 6 months, you should talk and communicate with him as often as possible. Be sure to read simple rhymes to your baby, show pictures in books, name all unfamiliar objects on a walk. Developing activities (reading, playing with a pyramid, cubes) should not be long - 3-5 minutes are enough, otherwise the child will get tired, his attention will become distracted and he will not get any pleasure from the lesson.

Do not forget about the physical development and hardening of the baby: you need to walk with him 1-2 times a day, if the weather permits (temperatures ranging from 10 degrees of frost to 30 degrees of heat are considered acceptable), for at least 2 hours. It is advisable to carry out walks with the child in his arms (you can put him in a sling), and in a stroller while awake, he should be transported in a half-sitting position so that he can see the surrounding objects and the events taking place around him.

At home with a child, at least once a day, you need to do gymnastics with elements of massage and active games (exercises on the ball, etc.) and support his desire to crawl, for which you should give the baby the opportunity to move around the floor. The constant stay of the baby in the arena, in the crib or on the couch inhibits the development of his motor skills - he must learn to crawl and stand on a hard surface. If the floors are very cold, you can cover them with a blanket for 1-2 hours during classes with a child.

Your baby is 5 months old. Another 4 weeks filled with events will pass, and he will cross the cherished mark of six months. Watching the development, training of your little one, you have already noticed that he has changed dramatically. This is no longer the clumsy silly baby you brought from the hospital, but an active, smart, sometimes even cunning little person. Yes, he still does not speak, does not crawl and does not even sit, but his skills and mental development have stepped far forward.

What does a 5 month old baby look like

The movements of the baby are conscious and clear, the voice is loud and emotional, the desires are understandable, the daily routine is set. A little more, the baby will crawl and sit down, consciously pronounce “mother” for the first time, rise to his feet and walk. Each child does this at their own time and at their own pace. Your task is to support him in mastering the necessary skills.

Every day you will observe how quickly the child learns new things, daily reaches small, but peaks of perfection. A baby in the sixth month of life performs the same exercises several times in a row, training the muscles and realizing how this or that movement is performed. Due to the improvement of the nervous system, the child can already be aware of his actions and strive for new skills.

A pleasant feature of this period is the filling of the house with babble and children's laughter. The kid needs communication and actively participates in dialogue with adults. A little more time will pass and instead of babble, the first words will begin to appear.

Physiological changes

The body of the baby becomes strong and strong. The baby can already do a lot, tends to move and change position, rolls over from his stomach to his back and back. The child grabs toys, shakes them, brings them to his eyes and mouth, knocks. The muscles of the abdomen and back become developed, soon the baby will sit down and laugh joyfully.

Depending on the features laid down by nature, temperament, character, children learn to sit down at different times. Some cope with the task in 5.5 months, others have already exceeded the mark of 6 months. No matter how much you want to help the little one, you should not force things. You can offer muscle-building exercises, massage, and take him to the next level with toys, but don't force him to do something he can't do yet.

With insufficient development of the back muscles, the load to hold the body falls on the spine, which is fragile and easily bendable. This is especially true for girls. It's all about the formation of the reproductive system. The uterus and ovaries of the girl are located directly at the bend of the body and are protected from external factors by the abdominal muscles that hold the internal organs. The influence of early planting babies on the formation of infertility has not been proven, but such suspicions exist. Of course, if the daughter sits on her own before 6 months, having developed enough muscles, you should not stop her, but you should not force her either.

At the sixth month, the desire to move after the object is manifested. The stronger this desire, the faster the little one will crawl. The basis for the future ability to crawl is constant flips from the stomach to the back and back, lifting the body up, lying on the stomach. Every day the muscles of the arms and legs become stronger, allowing the baby to crawl without raising his stomach, spin, crawl away. To help master this skill, offer to reach for toys more often, stimulate the desire to change location.

By six months, the baby may well stand for several minutes, holding on to a support. The development of the muscles of the legs and arms allows him to keep himself in an upright position. But do not offer him such entertainment too often. Everything has its time. First, the baby needs to master the ability to sit or crawl, only after that he can move on to lifting to a standing position.

The ability to stand upright when parents hold the armpits appears as a result of the complete attenuation of innate reflexes. Now the baby, being in this position, does not sort out the legs and does not strive to bend them, but straightens them completely at the knees and hips.

Physical development

The rate of weight gain is still quite high. For the next 4 weeks, the goal is 600 grams. Height increases by an average of 1-3 cm. The head grows by 1 cm, and the chest by 1.5 cm. The baby has grown to the age when the chest girth should gradually become larger than the girth of the head.

The most active children, who learned to crawl and sit early, by the end of the 6th month of life, may gain a little less than the established norm. This is due to the increased waste of energy, physical activity. If the baby is slowly gaining weight, but at the same time actively moving, playing, eating with pleasure, cheerful and cheerful, then there is no reason for concern. At your monthly pediatrician appointment, tell your doctor about your progress.

Boundary indicators of the physical development of a child at 5-6 months, depending on gender

Psycho-emotional development

Along with the emergence of new motor skills and increased daily activity, progress in improving the nervous system is noticeable. The peanut already responds to the name, reacts to the presence of strangers, tries to imitate speech. If you are engaged in the development of speech, then already during this period the baby can repeat some syllables quite well and pronounce sounds accurately.

To stimulate the development of speech during this period of life, it is necessary to talk with the child as much as possible, read books to him, sing songs. Between 5 and 6 months, active speech perception is formed. The more the baby hears, the better he will understand you.

When talking with a baby, you should try to use his name as often as possible. Do not constantly call him a bunny or a cat. The perception of one's own name is an important stage in the formation of personality. The use of affectionate nicknames is possible, but several times less than the child's own name.

The kid is happy to communicate with familiar adults, attracts attention with a variety of sounds, babbles. New emotional manifestations of joy appear. The baby may scream at the sight of his mother or his favorite toy. The child really likes the expansion of sound possibilities and during the period of wakefulness he constantly improves this skill.

With strangers, the baby behaves wary. The basic instincts of self-preservation begin to work. He understands the intonation, distinguishes the sound, associates the voice with the person. If just 2 months ago, any person could pick up a baby, then at the moment it can end with crying and trying to return to the mother’s arms. The baby's memory for faces is still short-lived. The person whom the baby saw 2 weeks ago becomes a stranger and unfamiliar. If grandparents want to play and communicate with the baby, then they need to take care of frequent visits.

Normal development is impossible without a calm atmosphere. The baby needs a daily routine, the absence of an overabundance of emotions, constancy. Until six months, you should refrain from a large number of guests, do not take the crumbs with you to noisy events. With excessive nervous stress, babies become capricious, sleep poorly and eat.

motor skills

The period between 5 and 6 months of life is filled with many different changes in the motor skills of the baby. Some children master them a little earlier, others - closer to six months, others - having exceeded the mark of 6 months. Among the most striking motor skills of a 5-6 month old baby are:

• Confident lifting of the torso from a supine position to a sitting position with the help of parents. Some children by 5.5 months master the ability to independently perform this exercise. Keep the body in a sitting position for a while. Lifting the torso from a position on all fours is considered correct, but in most cases, babies first learn to sit down by raising the torso from a lying position, leaning on their arm.
• Attempts to crawl or mastering this skill. Depending on the development of the muscles, the baby may begin to crawl or only attempt to move his body. Quite often, this skill begins with a backward movement. The baby moves backwards, because the mechanism for moving the body back is easier to understand for the baby. You can help the little one master this skill by showing the position on all fours. Holding the stomach at some distance from the surface, move the baby's arms and legs, imitating movements. In order to properly move the limbs of the little one, it is worth remembering that crawling is obtained if the hand moves along with the opposite leg. If you move your right hand forward, then you need to move your left foot along with it.
• Strong arching of the body, lying on the stomach. The kid confidently raises his shoulders, resting on his hands. Can tear one hand off the stop to get a toy. During this exercise, the spine bends, giving the baby the opportunity to rise higher and see more. Being in such a stance, the child turns his head around in search of interesting objects. Carrying out such exercises involves placing bright objects and toys on all sides.
• Rolls quickly and confidently from back to stomach and back. Can perform this action while holding a toy. The maturation of the psycho-emotional sphere gives the baby an understanding of the comfortable position of the body. Depending on the desired manipulations with the toy, the baby can choose the position of lying on his back or stomach. During this period, small rattles should be given to him for independent study, so that the coups are easy.
• Lying on his back, raises his legs high, pulls them into his mouth. The flexibility and plasticity of the spine, the development of the muscles of the back make such a pastime accessible to the baby. It is necessary to monitor the length of the toenails and the cleanliness of the crumbs' feet so that germs do not get into the mouth and it does not scratch the delicate heifer.
• Makes confident grasping movements. He holds the toy, shifts it from hand to hand, pulls it into his mouth and examines it. Copying the behavior of adults, it can knock, shake, pat. Can find a rattle hidden under the diaper. The development of basic fine motor skills is very beneficial for the brain. It is good when the baby has several small light toys that fit comfortably in his hand. On them, he will hone the skill of manipulating his hands.
• When raised to a vertical position, the baby fully extends the legs at the knees, seeks to find support.

Hearing, sight, reaction to sounds

The possibilities of the sense organs increase. They play a crucial role in the formation of the knowledge base, so they continue to improve. The eyes can distinguish primary colors and several shades. The kid with pleasure carefully examines the faces of adults who take him in his arms, touches his cheeks and nose, hair. During the dialogue, he tries to touch his lips.

The child actively reacts to the changes taking place around, babbles joyfully when replacing toys. A complete change of rattles once a week is recommended. Do not rush to buy new ones, it is enough to hide already studied items from the little one for a week and they will become interesting again. This happens for several reasons. Firstly, the predominant use of short-term memory, and secondly, the formation of a knowledge base. Every day the amount of information received about the world increases, the baby masters new movements. If today he used the entire arsenal of research skills on a rattle, then in a week he will realize that he did not perform new exercises with this object.

Hearing becomes more perfect. The little one constantly listens to the sounds around him and reacts to them. The usual measured sound calms him, new sharp sounds frighten him. The need to see the object that makes the sound is growing. Now the baby wants to see what he hears. The reason is the development of the brain. It requires more and more sound-visual information to expand the knowledge base.

The formation of connections between visual and sound information in the first year of life is the basis for future mental success. Do not try to create complete silence in the room, to exclude natural sounds. The more their baby hears and relates to certain objects, the better. Still undesirable is white noise from TV and radio. It is desirable to reduce the time spent by these items to a minimum.

Being in the same room with the TV, the baby will look at the screen, trying to understand what makes the sound, will try to understand the changing picture. A fragile nervous system, vision and hearing will be subject to information attack, which can affect the calmness of the baby, his comfort.

Hair and nails

Already in the previous month, hair and nails began to grow faster, making adjustments to hygiene procedures. In place of the bald patches on the back of the head and the sides of the scalp, new smooth hairs appear, and the fluff with which the baby was born gradually disappears.

If you have not bought a brush for combing, then you should take care of it. It is recommended to use a special comb-brush for babies. It differs from the objects used by adults in soft, thick villi. It is better not to use an adult comb. The scallop can scratch the head, the massage is too voluminous, it is inconvenient for her to put the child's head in order. It is recommended to carry out the combing procedure twice a day as part of the morning and evening hygiene procedures.

The use of hair shampoo is not required yet. The baby is still in minimal contact with the outside world, and excessive use of soap solution on the scalp can lead to excessive drying of the hair, reducing their growth.

Baby's nails require weekly inspection. It is necessary to carefully monitor their length, timely cut off the protruding parts. This must be done with special scissors with rounded ends. It is not recommended to use tweezers or items from an adult manicure set. The child should have their own scissors, designed only for cutting the nail plates. It is not recommended to perform other actions with them or use them for another person.

Nails should be cut in a straight line, without rounding the shape of the nail. Thus, you will keep the shape of the nail plate, you can avoid improper growth, the formation of burrs. The ideal time for this procedure is the hygiene block after an evening swim.

First tooth

Children who have not acquired their first teeth before, at the age of 5-6 months, will definitely do this. They will have increased salivation and swelling of the gums will be noticeable. Babies react to this process in different ways. Some pass it quite calmly, almost imperceptibly. Others become moody, sleep poorly and eat. Still others experience the appearance of teeth very hard. Among the most common difficulties that accompany the appearance of teeth are:

• Violation of night and day sleep. Breastfed babies often ask for breasts and cry while eating. Formula-fed babies fall asleep hard and sleep anxiously.
• Diarrhea. Often, on the eve of the appearance of the top of the teeth, the babies begin to empty themselves, the structure of the feces becomes more liquid.
• Temperature. On days of active teething, the baby's temperature may rise to 38.5 degrees, which does not require the use of antipyretics. With a combination of tooth development and infection, the temperature can be higher, so you should have a suitable antipyretic and pain medication on hand.
• Runny nose and increased salivation. Some children feel nasal congestion, itching in the gums.

Usually the most difficult is the process of the appearance of the first teeth, and then the manifestations will be less intense.

To reduce the intensity of the manifestation of negative symptoms contribute to:

• Frequent breastfeeding. Mother's milk has an analgesic effect. If the baby changes the frequency of eating during teething , let him do it.
• Use of cutters. Pharmacies and children's departments sell special toys made from materials that allow you to scratch itchy gums. Often, they contain a gel inside that allows you to cool the inflamed skin, to some extent, relieving pain. When using teethers with cooling gel, you should carefully read the instructions and use them correctly. Most require pre-chilling in the refrigerator. The duration of preparation for use is indicated by the manufacturer on the package and can be from 10 to 40 minutes.
• Pediatrically prescribed pain relief gels. Usually, specially designed teething gels containing an analgesic are prescribed. Their use is possible after consultation with a pediatrician and strictly in the indicated dosage and frequency.
• Doctor-prescribed suppositories to reduce fever and pain. Most often they contain ibuprofen and are used when the temperature rises. Their use is possible only after consulting a doctor, in the absence of an allergic reaction to the components.
• Manual mode. Many children in the period of teething begin to intensively ask for hands to mom or dad. The increased need for being on the hands is due to the discomfort experienced by the little one. If you clearly know that the baby is bad, then do not deprive him of the feeling of comfort and tranquility. Teeth will soon appear, and your baby will again go on an independent study of the world.

The appearance of teeth is the most difficult period for mom and baby. It is unlikely that it will be possible to completely get rid of unpleasant manifestations. This time just needs to be lived through.

Digestive system

By five months, the digestive system of the little one is already fully formed. Behind were intestinal colic, accompanying the settlement of the gastrointestinal tract with beneficial microflora. The baby no longer spit up or does it very rarely. The body is ready to receive a new, more varied food.

Usually, at the sixth month of life, healthy babies who are breastfeeding begin to receive complementary foods. Children who eat the mixture begin to get acquainted with porridge. The volume of non-dairy food gradually increases and by 6 months it is advisable to replace the second feeding with it.

social contact

The child needs more interaction. Talking and reading books become an important way to form the sound base of the little one, contribute to the development of speech perception, establishing contact between the child and parents.

During this period, it is worth filling the life of the crumbs with various types of communication: dialogue, bodily contact, joint dancing and singing. The more you communicate with the baby, the faster and better he will speak.

Care rules

Child care at the 6th month of life remains the same. As before, in the morning it is necessary to carry out a gymnastic complex, wash, clean the auricle and nose. During the day, do not forget to keep the groin area clean, clean the hands, feet, and body as it gets dirty. In the evening, every day you need to bathe the baby in the bath or offer to swim in the bath with a special circle.

It is good to gradually wean the baby from the constant wearing of a diaper. You can wear it for a night's sleep and a walk on the street. At home, it is advisable to keep him in shorts. Early weaning from diapers will make it easier for you to potty train your little one. The kid will not get used to the constant absorption of urine and feces, he will understand the difference between dry and wet panties. All this will quickly show the benefit of using the potty and the need to communicate to you when you want to pee.

Bathing and hygiene

Bathing a baby in the 6th month of life remains a daily procedure. Soap is still not required. If desired or prescribed by a doctor, you can use decoctions of herbs, but do not be zealous. Any herbs, if used improperly, have side effects, they should be treated wisely.

Bathing a child in duration is 15-20 minutes and consists in a complete ablution and wiping of the entire body. To wash your face, it is good to use cotton swabs. Soak a cotton pad in free-standing water. Wipe the face of the little one in the direction from the nose to the ears.

Be careful when cleaning your fingers. It is necessary not only to rinse the palm, but also to wipe the skin between the fingers.

The groin area requires special attention. Be sure to wash all the wrinkles. When washing a girl, do not part the labia and rub the vaginal area. This area is very delicate and can self-cleanse. Simply rinsing with water is sufficient.

When bathing in a bath, the water should be about 37 degrees, while swimming in the bath - about 27. The difference in temperature for different types of bathing is determined by the goal. In the bath, you relax the baby, wash, while bathing in the bath, stimulate the movement of muscles.

After any kind of bathing, you should additionally rinse the baby with clean water not from a bath or bath. It should be prepared before bathing, so that it is a little cooler than the water in which the little one bathed.

Nutrition

Between 5 and 6 months of age, all children begin to introduce complementary foods. Formula-fed babies continue to increase the amount of fruit puree and juice they receive, and breastfeeding babies begin to receive additional foods on the second morning feeding.

On the second feeding in the first week of the 6th month of life, the baby receives juice for acquaintance. Usually parents prefer apple juice. If no reaction is observed, then during the first week the amount of juice offered is increased to a teaspoon. A week later, you can offer a different type of juice. By 5.5 months, you can invite the baby to get acquainted with fruit puree.

Table of age for the introduction of new products, depending on the type of feeding

Lure	Artificial feeding	GV
Juice	3-4 months	5 months
fruit puree	4 months	5.5 months
vegetable puree	4.5 months	5.5 months
Porridge	4.5 -5 months	5.5-6 months
Meat puree	6 months	6 months
Cottage cheese	6 months	6 months

Table of allowed products for children under 6 months

When introducing complementary foods to the baby, you can cook food yourself or buy ready-made foods. When using canned and boxed food, you should carefully examine the packaging for age assessment. For different ages, food goes through different degrees of processing, so you should not choose porridge for a 5-month-old baby, on which there is a mark from 7 months.

Sleep and daily routine

A child's nighttime sleep reaches 10-11 hours and most children do not wake up for a snack. During the day, the baby sleeps 2 times. Daytime sleep usually lasts 2-3 hours and coincides with a walk.

During the period of active teething, night and daytime sleep can become intermittent. It is worth consulting with a pediatrician about the use of painkillers to maintain the usual regimen.

hardening

The hardening of a child at the 6th month of life remains the same. Air and sun baths should be carried out several times a day. Rubbing with water at room temperature can be done in the morning and evening after waking up.

How to develop a baby

Separately, in the sixth month of life, attention should be paid to the variety of developmental activities. Strengthening the cognitive function of the brain allows you to introduce the first games and training sessions into the life of the crumbs. Adults can offer the child:

• Learn to throw toys, knock them on different surfaces.
• Exploration games. Offer the baby a bright toy and object. Let him examine it, feel it, taste it. Name a thing. Show what you can do with it, what sounds it makes.
• Mirror games. First, let the baby look at his reflection. After you can wave to the baby, show the articulation exercise. It is good to sing in front of a mirror, recite poems.
• Capture game. Try to train your child's fine motor skills by inviting him to take objects of different sizes and shapes from your hands.
• Music games. While listening to a musical composition, turn the sound on and off, tap and clap to the beat of the melody.
• Dance with the baby in your arms.
• Let's have a chance to feel the surrounding objects. This helps the child a lot in building a knowledge base.
• Smell different scents. Offer to smell a flower, perfume, fruit, etc. Name the subject to be studied.
• sensory development. It is good to give the baby to study objects of different textures. Special soft rugs from different types of fabric perfectly develop the baby.

The development of a child in the 6th month of life involves a versatile study of the world around him with the help of the senses. Logical and analytical operations are not yet available to the baby, but in order for them to arise, strong connections must be formed between the object, its name, sound, appearance, taste, and sensory qualities.

Development toys

In the sixth month of life, in addition to rattles and garlands, new types of toys can be offered to the little one. Increased motor skills allow you to play:

• Pyramid. Please note that the plastic from which the pyramid is made must be safe. Its structure should be even and uniform, the color scheme of the elements should be close to the primary colors of the spectrum. As the first pyramid, it is enough to take a small one, up to 6 elements.
• Tumblers. This type of toys is very popular with children of 5 months. They are happy to push them, touch them, make them sound.
• Soft liners. For babies, special sets of large insert mosaics are sold, on which, at the age of 5 months, the baby can develop fine motor skills, and when older, study the depicted objects.
• Books for babies. There are many books for children up to a year on sale. They can be made of fabric, hardboard or even plastic. The main requirements for such products are safety, durability, brightness and availability of images.
• Development mats. There is a huge variety of baby rugs. To enhance the developing and massaging effect, it is good to use options stuffed not only with soft materials, but also with small details. But when using them, you should carefully monitor the integrity of the thing in order to prevent the ingestion of small fillers. Babies don't understand danger, they just play with what they see, put into their mouths.
• Sensory pads and cubes. For the development of motor skills of the hands, you can offer the baby to feel special sensory toys filled with various small objects of different sizes. After each game, carefully review such toys for integrity. If holes, puffs or breaks appear, it is worth removing the item from permanent use or repairing it.

Do I need to go to the clinic every month

Many parents, by the age of 5 months, have a question about the need for a monthly visit to the pediatrician. In the absence of developmental and behavioral problems, some adults consider this optional. This is not a correct judgment. In the first year of life, the baby's body goes through a difficult stage of development, requiring constant monitoring by specialists. It is imperative to control the harmonious development, the establishment of the normal operation of all systems, the emergence and formation of basic skills. It is not always possible for parents to notice some deviations from the norm in time and choose the correct sequence of actions.

Modern medicine allows you to notice and eliminate a large number of unwanted manifestations in a timely manner, so you should not neglect the need for a monthly visit to the pediatrician and be sure to go through narrow specialists. Mandatory is the control of a neuropathologist, otolaryngologist, ophthalmologist and orthopedist.

What should alert

At the sixth month of a child's life, it is necessary to carefully monitor the timeliness of the appearance of skills. You should contact your pediatrician immediately if your baby has:

• congenital reflexes have not disappeared;
• the skills of turning from back to side did not appear;
• there is difficulty in lifting your torso from a prone position;
• reduced activity. During wakefulness, he does not want to move and play, the reaction to the offer to work out becomes sharply negative;
• no reaction to his own name, he does not turn his head towards the sound;
• a marked decrease in the rate of weight gain and growth. Its indicators are very different from the lower limit of the age norm;
• if outwardly everything is fine, but you feel unreasonable anxiety.

Weaning from the pacifier

Many babies use a pacifier as a sedative from birth. If untimely weaning from the use of this subject, undesirable consequences may appear. Using a pacifier does not give the baby sufficient jaw freedom and reduces the activity of the muscles responsible for speech. In addition, the nipple can negatively affect the health of the teeth and the formation of the jaw.

To avoid consequences, it is worth reducing the frequency of use of the pacifier by the child. It is optimal to completely get rid of this item by 6 months. If requested by the baby, it is worth offering him an occupation, talking with him. Distract him and entertain him. Gradually, the child will get used to the new circumstances and stop asking for a pacifier.

The sixth month of life is a wonderful period. The child has changed dramatically and is improving every day. The emergence of new skills, a gradual transition to a new plane, active socialization allow you to introduce new options for spending time, coloring life with new activities. During this period, mom should think about herself, remember the need for rest and proper nutrition. The older the baby gets, the more strength you will need.

Beloved baby has passed the first stage of his development and celebrated the first "anniversary". During this time, he grew stronger, grew up, acquired a lot of skills and knowledge. The development of a child at 6 months will bring new achievements.

The baby's muscles are getting stronger, which will allow him to sit on his own and prepare for crawling. The intelligence of the crumbs is rapidly developing. He learns speech and overcomes new logical tasks.

Table

By the age of six months, the baby doubles its body weight in comparison with the weight at birth and grows by an average of 15 cm. The width of the shoulders should ideally be ¼ of the length of the body itself. Indicators of height, weight, head volume depend on many factors, but heredity plays the main role.

However, there is a norm that pediatricians and parents are guided by. Below is a table with data developed by WHO. It shows that the physical development of a girl at 6 months is slightly different from the development of a boy. Indicators for both sexes correspond to the norm if the data for height, weight, head volume are in the range from “below average” to “above average”, inclusive.

Height, weight, head circumference of a six-month-old baby

Indicators	boys
			Head circumference, cm			Head circumference, cm
Very low
Below the average
Above average
Very tall

How to assess the correctness of development?

For every mother, it is important that the baby grows up healthy. You can evaluate the physical development of a child of 6 months on your own by conducting several tests. You should know that observations should be carried out when the baby is full and rested. Tests to check:

1. If you put the baby on the tummy, then he, firmly leaning on his outstretched arms, raises his body and head at an angle of 45-90 ° to the plane.
2. In the supine position, you need to give the crumbs a tight grip on your thumbs and pull them a little towards you. The development of the child at 6 months, in contrast to the younger age, will allow him to happily make an attempt to rise. At the same time, the baby controls the head well, and can also touch the chest with the chin.
3. Putting the baby on its feet and supporting it under the armpits at the same time, you can see the new skill that the baby learned at 6 months. Development will allow him to keep his body weight on his legs for a couple of seconds, while straightening his feet.
4. If you offer a child a beautiful toy, then a six-month-old baby will be able not only to hold it, but also to shift it from hand to hand.
5. It is necessary to interest the baby in a bright new object on the table, then, as soon as the child reaches out to him, begin to mix it and drop it on the floor. Interaction with the outside world is a skill that a 6-month-old baby has already mastered. Development at the age of six months is characterized by the fact that the baby will follow the object of interest to him until he disappears from sight.

Changes in behavior

A six-month-old baby begins to realize what emotions are. He manifests them in accordance with the situation and subtly feels the mood of loved ones. If the parents talk and joke merrily, then the baby also smiles and brightens up with joy. But an angry tone in communication spoils his mood. The baby frowns, is alert and may even cry.

Laughter, joy, revival, tears, gestures, changes in facial expressions are a normal reaction to the world around us, which a 6-month-old baby can show. The development of a six-month-old child, in contrast to an earlier age, has another striking feature - he can clearly distinguish strangers and close people in his environment and reacts to them differently. If children at 3-4 months go into the hands of everyone indiscriminately, then at the age of six months they perceive strangers with caution. At the sight of a stranger, the baby freezes, carefully studies the new person, and then reacts with a smile, animation or crying. The appearance of close people, and especially mothers, he always meets with delight and babble.

Intelligence

The baby begins to understand the meaning of human emotions and look at the world consciously. The development of a child at 6 months is characterized by the fact that the baby knows the name of him, his brother (sister) and everyone else from his inner circle. Along with this comes an understanding of simple words (“on”, “give”, “no”, “bye”) and expressions (“let's go eat”, “let's go for a walk”, “it's time to swim”). It recognizes items that are used daily or found in the same place, such as a pacifier, a bottle, a clock on the wall. At this age, a passive vocabulary is formed. Over time, after repeated study, hearing the repeated pronunciation of the name of the subject, the baby will look at it. Receptive speech skills come before the ability to pronounce words, so communication and activities with the baby are extremely important.

Speech

Starting from the age of six months, the child starts a new period in the development of speech. At this time, he is already trying to take part in communication with loved ones. The baby does not just babble, but begins to train intonation. He raises or lowers his voice in response to the reaction of the interlocutor. The development of speech at 6 months allows the baby to consciously pronounce the first sound formations. He gets different syllables, consisting of vowels and consonants. The combinations “me-me”, “da-de”, “pe-pa”, “ge-he” and other similar formations make up the sound “repertoire” that the baby pronounces at 6 months.

The development of correct speech at the age of six months is not the presence of all the vowels and consonants listed above, but the changing height of intonation and tone, as well as stress in sound formations.

Problems in development

All parents want their baby to develop properly. But, unfortunately, there are some deviations that require correction and attention of a specialist. For example, if a baby at six months old cannot pronounce any vowel sounds, this is a reason for consulting a pediatrician. Parents should be alert to the following results of monitoring the baby:

• his cooing and babbling stopped;
• the baby absolutely does not react to the facial expressions of others, does not look in the face when communicating with him;
• a constant negative reaction to physical contact: the baby not only repels loved ones with displeasure when he is dissatisfied, but always does it;
• the child does not show emotions: there is no smile, gestures, animation;
• lack of reaction to different intonations of the mother's voice or their inadequate perception.

Features in the development of girls

In an upright position, the baby opens the world in new colors. Sitting is one of the main skills that accompanies the development of a 6 month old baby. A girl differs in her physiology from boys, so the parents of daughters ask specialists a completely natural and timely question: "When can I sit down a baby with support?"

According to pediatricians, healthy, normally developing six-month-old girls can sit with the support or support of a parent, and by seven months they are already able to do it on their own. In no case should you artificially plant a baby up to 6 months. If at the age of five months her muscles have strengthened, and she will take a semi-sitting position on her own, it makes no sense to lay the baby back in a horizontal position. The baby will still take the position in which she is interested. Leaving the daughter half-sitting for a short time, then you can distract her with something interesting, put her on her tummy or pick her up. It is necessary to observe that a girl at this age sits no more than an hour a day.

Baby 6 months: development, nutrition and first complementary foods

At the age of six months, the first teeth may appear in the crumbs. Most often, the lower incisors grow first. Sometimes, of course, the teeth are late, but a striking feature in the development of the baby is his interest in the food that the whole family eats.

Here comes the moment of the first feeding. According to research, today pediatricians recommend first introducing one-component puree of white or green vegetables into the child's menu. Zucchini, broccoli or cauliflower are perfect for dating. You can choose a special ready-made product or make your own puree. A new dish can only be offered to a healthy baby in a good mood. It is better to do this in the morning. You need to start with one teaspoon, gradually bringing the portion to 180 g and replacing one milk feeding. When getting acquainted with any new product, it is necessary to control the reaction of the body (the nature of the stool and the condition of the skin).

Problems with the introduction of complementary foods

The baby is not always happy with new food. He may get upset and spit out the puree.

What should mom do? There are many tips, but each baby is individual. You can offer another vegetable the next day, for example, instead of not liking broccoli, give zucchini for testing. Some mothers add a little breast milk to the puree so that the taste of the dish seems familiar to the baby. If this does not help, then it is better to postpone the introduction of complementary foods for a few days, and then try again. The most important thing is not to scold or force-feed the baby. The main food product for a six-month-old baby is breast milk or formula, so it is wiser to postpone acquaintance with new food for a while than to rush and cause negative emotions in the baby. 3-4 weeks after the successful introduction of vegetables, you can try cereals.

Entertainment and activities

The proper development of a child at 6 months is influenced not only by a balanced diet, quality care and sleep, but also by playing activities aimed at improving movements and developing intelligence. It is very important during this period and constant communication with loved ones. You can sing songs to your baby, read funny children's poems, look at picture books and just talk about everything, highlighting key words. For example, a bus passed, you need to indicate: “Look, a bus. Where is the bus? When communicating, a passive vocabulary develops.

At the age of six months, the baby will be interested in floating figures for bathing, lockable boxes with contents, thick picture books, balls, a spinning top, a pyramid, soft animals with a sound effect, a plastic mirror, chewing toys. Small objects should not be given to the baby. Any toy purchased for him must be safe and must be certified.

Results

The first half of the year in the life of the crumbs is a turbulent and difficult period. By the end of it, the six-month-old baby has achieved a lot:

• freely controls the head and torso;
• can turn in any direction;
• takes the toy he likes with precise and coordinated movement of the handle;
• easily rolls over from stomach to back, and vice versa;
• knows his own name;
• sits confidently with support or support;
• he has teeth;
• for the first time he pronounces conscious sound formations, including consonants;
• receives the first food for adults;
• demonstrates his mood and emotions;
• matches objects and their names.

All of these skills are inherent in a healthy baby of 6 months. Development, nutrition, care and love of parents played a major role in all the achievements of the crumbs. The care and support of mom and dad will help the baby overcome all difficulties and grow up as a healthy and smart child.

your child

Nutrition and baby care

Sleep and safety

Educational games

We develop ingenuity

Game 1. "The secret becomes clear"

By six months, the baby is already perfectly able to follow the movement of objects, turn his head, considering what is happening. It's time to teach him to look for objects that suddenly disappeared from sight. This game develops not only visual perception, but also ingenuity, as well as the ability to take soft objects with a “pinch”

You will need

A piece of bright and light fabric measuring 40x40 cm, an interesting small toy, a play mat or carpet.

Game plan

1. Place your baby on his stomach on a play mat or sit him down if he can already maintain a sitting position on his own. 2. Show your child a toy and express your admiration for its beauty. When the baby is interested in it and begins to reach out, put the toy on the mat and cover with a cloth. 2. If bewilderment appears on the baby’s face, ask in surprise: “Where is the toy?” If the baby guesses where she disappeared and looks at her outline under the fabric, wait until he wants to remove the fabric. 3. If the baby cannot find a toy and remove a piece of cloth, help him. It's more fun to search together!

Note to parents

1. Cover the toy so that the fabric has folds that are comfortable to grab - so it will be easier for the baby to grab the fabric and pull it off the toy. 2. To keep the child's interest in the game, change toys. You can also occasionally quietly hide the toy behind your back so that the child does not find it every time under a piece of cloth and there is intrigue in the game. The game was prepared by Maria Baulina, a neuropsychologist, candidate of psychological sciences, a specialist in child neuropsychology and the development of the child's psychological functions.

Development: watching the baby

Six-month-old boys usually weigh from 7.1 to 8.8 kg with a height of 65.5-69.8 cm, the corresponding figures for girls: 6.5-8.3 kg with a height of 63.5-68.0 cm *.

Your baby already knows how to sit up, stretching his arms forward for balance. Many children begin to actively crawl: some lie on their stomachs and push off with their arms and legs, others lean on their knees and hands.

At this age, children learn to manipulate multiple objects. The child can reach for the toy, grab it, transfer it to the other hand and reach for the next one. But, if you offer the baby a third toy, he still won't be able to figure out what to do. It will take quite a bit of time, and your baby will understand that the “extra” toy needs to be put somewhere before reaching for a new one.

By the age of six months, babies can manipulate their fingers with sufficient precision and confidence and can pick up very small objects. Make sure that small parts from toys or any other "little things" that are in the reach of the child do not get into his mouth, nose or ear.

The baby's vision continues to improve: now he distinguishes more colors and sees the outlines of objects more clearly. All senses help children explore the world around them. The baby not only studies each object by sight and touch, but also tries to find out what it tastes like, what sounds can be extracted from it if you shake it well.

The baby recognizes familiar objects, even if they are partially covered with a blanket or diaper. He is already able to understand that the toy exists, even if it is not visible in its entirety.

Six-month-old babies love to imitate the behavior of adults, and they are very good at it. The baby imitates the voice, facial expressions, movements and gestures of the people around him. The baby's babble becomes more and more distinct and rich in intonations. A small Parisian will imitate French pronunciation, and a six-month-old Muscovite will imitate Russian. By the end of the month, some children already clearly pronounce "dad" and "mum" when they want something or just see their parents.

Each child develops according to their own characteristics and abilities. Some develop faster physically, while others show the ability to communicate and understand the connections between surrounding objects earlier. Help your baby develop harmoniously, do not rush things.

*Based on data provided by experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) based on the results of the Multi-Focus Growth Standards Study (MGRS).

It included children who were cared for in accordance with WHO health guidelines, such as breastfeeding and the mother not smoking. To date, the results of the MGRS are recognized world standards against which the development of children can and should be compared, regardless of their place of residence, type of feeding, and belonging to different ethnic groups and cultures.

Behavior: understand the baby

Until recently, an affectionate and friendly child suddenly began to frown at the sight of strangers and does not even go to the hands of grandparents? Do not worry, timidity and distrust will pass. Be patient and talk to your child gently. Having got used to new circumstances, the baby will again begin to behave sociably and naturally. For a six-month-old baby, the only people he trusts unconditionally are his parents. Mom and dad are the source of all life's pleasures, comfort and security. From a toddler's point of view, a stranger can pose a threat to the established order of things.

Despite some mistrust of the baby to strangers, he needs to communicate with someone other than mom and dad. You can arrange "game" dates with peers. Be prepared for the fact that when two six-month-old babies are nearby, they will begin to repeat each other's actions. If one laughs, the second will immediately begin to laugh, the first baby will cry - the second will follow his example. Some children really like to study their reflection in the mirror.

The child begins to realize his influence on the people around him, and he likes to be in the center of attention. The kid can clap his hands, make hilarious faces, laugh, babble and make loud noises. If his actions cause the approval of adults, the child will repeat his "concert" program again and again.

Your toddler's games are getting harder. He begins to laugh in advance, anticipating the tickling when the "horned goat" comes and "gores" him. He is aware of the difference between people and inanimate objects. If you get tired of rocking the baby on your knees and stop to rest, he will continue to bounce and demand to continue the game. When a child “talks” to his toys, he does not expect a response from them.

Nutrition

A six-month-old baby can already sit at a common table with other family members and learn the first rules of etiquette. The basis of his nutrition is still mother's milk or an adapted milk formula, but now "adult" products are also appearing in the children's menu.

When compiling a menu for your child, pay attention to the daily intake of products for children of this age: breast milk (or adapted milk formula if breastfeeding is not possible) - 600 g; vegetables - 100-150 g; cereals - 100-150 g; fruits - 30-60 g; fruit juice - 5-30 g; meat - 5-30 g; dairy products - 10-40 g. Be sure to consult your pediatrician before introducing complementary foods while continuing to breastfeed.

For breakfast, offer your baby a delicious porridge with fruit puree (for example, oatmeal with a pear or banana) and a small amount of fruit juice. An ideal lunch for a child is mashed meat with a side dish of vegetables. At this age, you can give him a taste of pumpkin, zucchini, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and broccoli. Instead of vegetables, you can use mashed spaghetti and other pasta as a side dish for lunch. Lean veal and pork or turkey and chicken meat are complete sources of protein and minerals, while rabbit meat is suitable for children prone to food allergies. For dinner, cook tender cottage cheese with the addition of berries or fruits.

Many mothers feel that baby food is not tasty enough or too bland. Taste buds in babies are better developed than in adults, so you should not enhance the taste of mashed potatoes by adding salt or sugar to it.

The most important feedings for a 6-month-old baby are at bedtime and early in the morning: at this time, the baby receives the most delicious and healthy treat in the world - mother's milk. It is also necessary to supplement the baby with mother's milk during the day - for example, after breakfast and dinner. Breast milk can be used to make cereals and mashed potatoes.

2. Be sure to check with your pediatrician about when to introduce complementary foods.

Baby care

Now that the child has begun to actively move, pay special attention to children's clothing: it should not hinder movement; it should be comfortable to sleep and play in it; The fabric must be breathable. Bow ties, bows around the neck, long ties and hoods look great in photos, but in real life they can make life very difficult for a baby.

Bathing is one of the favorite activities of every child, especially now that he can sit. Although soap bubbles would surely please the baby, save them for the future: now they can irritate the delicate skin of the baby. But he will certainly appreciate the mirror in the bathroom and your ability to make funny hairstyles out of wet hair and foam.

During this period, many babies cut their first teeth. Some children begin to act up, sleep poorly, their temperature rises. Talk to your pediatrician about how you can make this process easier.

During feeding, a six-month-old baby can be put on a special chair or child seat. He should not be bored while you are busy with dinner, otherwise he will be reluctant to sit at the table in the future. Attach a fun suction cup toy to the table top, or turn a chair and table into a drum kit for a young drummer.

Education and communication: we are engaged with the baby

Let your baby spend as much time as possible on the floor, this will help him learn to crawl and roll over faster. Children's toys are best stored in several small boxes so that the child can get them out on his own.

Constant communication is the key to developing language and communication skills. Read poems to your baby, sing songs and talk to him while bathing or changing clothes. Listen carefully to your child's responses. Whenever possible, say the words “dad” and “mom” so that the baby learns to mentally correlate the sound of the word with the appearance of the parents: “Mom brought you a blanket. Now dad will play with you, ”etc.

At six months, the child enjoys playing a variety of games: from simple “coo-coo” or “cookies” to more active ones involving toys. During the game, clearly pronounce the names of the main colors and concepts: “big - small”, “top - bottom”, “blue - green”. For such logical exercises, a pyramid of rings worn on a rod, or molds that can be stacked on top of each other, is perfect. Such games also help develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

Playing hide-and-seek will help the child to begin to realize cause-and-effect relationships. Cover his favorite bear with a blanket so that the head of the toy is not visible. Draw the attention of the baby to his pet. At first, the baby will pull the bear by the paw, but soon he will realize that you can just pull the blanket off him.

You can show the baby how the cube falls from the table: gradually move the cube to the edge of the table and let it fall, repeat the game several times. Soon the child will learn to wait for the moment when the cube falls, and will look at the floor in advance.

To develop coordination, you can play with the baby in different versions of the game “the birds flew”. For example, tell him a little story about birds, and when you get to the phrase “the birds have flown,” raise your child’s hands up and clap your hands. Soon the baby will remember this moment and will raise his hands in advance and laugh.

Swing the child on your leg, holding him by the arms, singing a song at a different pace. Change the swing speed depending on the tempo of the song. Train your baby's legs and arms using the so-called "walking reflex": put the baby on his tummy, sit behind him so that his feet rest on your arms or legs and draw your child's attention to a bright toy that you put in advance at a short distance from his head . It will be easier for the baby to crawl towards the toy, starting from the support. Move the toy further and further, stimulating the child to crawl more actively.

It often happens that a baby who is able to sit for a long time and confidently does not like to move. A great way to inspire your baby to crawl is to get them interested in the movements of a balloon or a brightly colored ball. For example, start spinning the ball at some distance from the crumbs, tell him: “Come here and play with this fun ball!”

Dream

The daily regimen of six-month-old children usually includes a night sleep lasting 10-11 hours and 2 breaks for sleep during the day. On average, babies sleep about 16 hours a day*.

Compliance with the sleep schedule makes life easier for both mother and child, but there are no universal recipes for laying down and lulling. Mom and baby usually develop their own bedtime rituals, and 6 months is a great age to start forming such a ritual.

A warm bath in the evening will help the child relax, besides, most children love to swim and associate positive emotions with water. Instead of bathing, wash your baby's hands and face before daytime naps. When laying down the child, discuss the daily events with him: of course, at this age he will not be able to answer you yet, but he will listen to your story with pleasure. Read a short story in verse or sing a lullaby. The baby will soon remember the rhythm and melody and will fall asleep faster to its sounds.

Gentle touches and hugs are necessary for every child to feel safe, especially if the baby is tired. Sometimes, in order to comply with the regime, children have to be woken up in the morning. Gentle tone and strokes will also help your baby wake up easier and start an adventurous day.

Note:

(*) The above norms are averages, the duration and time of sleep depends on the temperament of the baby. The main criterion of the "norm" is always the well-being of the baby, smiles and cheerfulness. If you still have any doubts, consult your pediatrician.

Safety

Do not leave small objects within reach of the baby. Make sure that all toys are suitable for the age of the child: they should not contain any small parts or parts that can be broken off or bitten off.

Children will use the objects at hand to pull themselves up with their hands and change their posture. Make sure the mobile in the crib is high enough to be out of reach. Tablecloths and bedspreads that can be pulled should not hang from furniture. No low-hanging wires and interior decorations - the baby will definitely try to hold on to them.

Check if the room your child spends time in is ready for him to start crawling. The carpet should not slip, and the baby should have enough space to learn how to change direction while moving.