Baby Development in Months 4 to 6

Before this stage of infant development, it is recommended that safety issues be addressed. It is a good time to begin the childproofing process.

At four months of age, a baby will start putting things in their mouths. Surprisingly, they can always find the one thing that you didn't want in their mouths. You'll soon become an expert at finding those things first.

Your little one may be teething, although four months is too early for most babies. 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 name and begin to cry when their parents leave the room.

By six months, some infants will be able to get into a crawling position or up on all fours and begin to rock back and forth. Babies who are six months old will begin to play with their feet. You won't be able to keep their socks on!

Babies will now be able to pick up objects such as toys, although they'll be more interested in clearing a table. They may enjoy having 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 six 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 made 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 make it for your baby at home.

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 cannot digest them properly. Honey is one such food and can cause food poisoning due to infant botulism when given to a baby under the age of one year.

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