| Monthly Development of The Baby (4 - 6 months) | | With every new dawn, the stage sets up newer and amazing challenges for the baby to explore and the parent to dwell in delight. As the baby grows older, she becomes more responsive towards her surrounding and to what all is happening around.
A wide array of developmental changes can be observed in her physical, social, emotional and intellectual growth. Variations exist in their normal patterns of development. Albeit, some babies acquire the skills much earlier as compared to others but most of them escalate at a normal rate achieving the milestones meant for their age.
As a parent, all you need to do is observe, interpret, guard and embrace as you see your baby stepping in every month trying to ape newer changes that becomes part of her overall growth.
| | Physical and Motor Development | | - As your baby’s arms and legs become stronger, you would observe that she has started wiggling and kicking, can lift her head with much ease when placed on stomach, quite often also trying to move ahead by pushing her body upwards. This would at times be also marked with your baby imitating a swimming action by using her arms and legs. By around six months of age, your baby would be able to sit firmly. Propping arms forward for support can be instantly observed, when your infant is drooped down.
- While trying to hold your baby upright, your baby will be able to bear her body weight on her legs trying for a better balance.
- Ain’t surprised to see her rolling over from stomach or back position one way, rocking back and forth trying to reach for objects. Clapping, as she is now able to bring both her hands together. As she takes up crawling and creeping gradually, the sight would be even more interesting to see her catching hold of any object that comes under her reach and putting it in to her mouth. She can also easily pass on object from one hand to another with a better grasp over it.
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| - Blinking reflex of the baby also gets well established in the period of four to six months of the baby’s age.
| Socially Emotional and Intellectual Development
| - You would soon find your baby babble, gurgle, squeal and laugh out aloud. You would find her turn in the direction of your voice, the moment you call out her name which she soon begins to identify with. You find her having good time playing with that soft musical rattle which she has tightly gripped in with her tiny fingers. If you suddenly move it away, she responds by showing her displeasure.
- As her cognitive skills develop much better, your baby begins to comprehend the sounds which she hears around, trying to absorb small words from your conversation as well. You would find her trying to relate to new people, new faces; some with whom she might develop an amiable bond.
- At times, you would also find her gaze fixed at something that is very vibrant and expressive. For e.g. it could be a placard holding a weird facial expression with a bright background that is drawing her attention. You place a small mirror in front of her eyes and she stares at her image with an innocent smile reflecting back.
- Our baby is also now well versed with similar vowel consonant combinations like (ahh, gee, baa, daa, maa) and often makes that wet razzing sound. The way you let your baby participate in a talk, the way you respond to her coos and babbles would also make her respond in an entirely new way.
| Nurturing Your Baby’s Skills
| | - Play with your baby:- Put your baby on her abdomen and place a toy at a small distance helping her to reach for it. With a baby lying on his back, try making some interesting noises that diverts her attentions and she responds to it. This would give her a practice of rolling over. Playing peek-a-boo games would also make her think that the object does exist but disappears for a moment thus adding up to her curiosity and making it a playful mother- baby bonding time.
- Disciplining your baby at such a tender age would not be a just thing to do as they cannot control their actions. They respond because they want their needs to be met. So attend to them immediately to avoid more hassles to your baby.
- Read to your baby to promote her speech and thought development. They won’t understand but simple words would retain in their mind. Take time out to let your baby discover the outer world. Music can be equally soothing and can make them learn at the same time. So let them have that musical ear for children songs or lullabies, when just looking at the strange pictures of an animal book becomes a mundane activity.
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