Infant Development: 4-6 Months
Before this stage of infant development, it is recommended that safety issues be addressed. It is a good time to begin the baby proofing process. see Childproofing.
At four months of age, a baby will start putting things in their mouths. Surprisingly, they can find a piece of lint on the carpet and always find the one thing that you didn't want in their mouths. You'll soon become an expert at finding them first.
Your little one may be teething although, for most babies, four months is too early. Some don't get their first teeth until they are seven months old. Your baby will start reaching for toys, and begin to roll over and position themselves.
Moving into the fifth month, babies can sit for a short while without
outside support. They will respond to their names and begin to
cry when their parents leave the room.
By 6 months, some infants will be able to get into crawling
position or up on all fours and begin to rock back and forth. Babies who are 6 months old
will begin to play with their feet. You won't be able to keep their socks on!
They'll be able to pick up
objects such as toys although they'll be more interested in clearing a table.
I think they enjoy watching mom and dad pick everything back up, just so they can drop their toys once more.
A baby at four or five months of age will start to babble. They will be able to understand cause and effect, and begin to reach up to mom and dad when they want to be picked up.
The consensus is that at 6 months, it is acceptable to introduce solid food such as infant rice cereal or strained fruits and vegetables.
Many parents purchase a food grinder to puree' food so that their baby can become accustomed to foods in their own home. Be sure not to introduce foods that are spicy or not recommended by experts. If you don't see the food in baby food jars at the grocery store, don't puree' it.
Some foods will give babies tummy aches and cause them to be colicky because they aren't ready for them, such as broccoli. There are also some foods that an infant simply should not have as they can not digest them properly. Honey is such a food and can cause food poisoning due to infant botulism when given to a baby under the age of one year.
more Baby Development
1 to 3 Months
4 to 6 Months
7 to 9 Months
10 Months to 1 Year
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