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Baby Development at 6 Months

Between six and nine months, your baby will be figuring out how tcremain steady. First she will need support from pillows or the nearest a ashe will begin to prop herself up using her outstretched hands in a "::-.-ture. Eventually she will sit up for minutes at a time without topp:::-_,months, half of all babies are able to maneuver themselves into a _from any other posture. This will give her considerable satisfaction,hands will be free to examine interesting objects while she remains :_:: - Once your baby discovers the wonders of her world that are few inches off the floor, she will develop a keen interest in moving ht-- .to whatever she spies across the room. Whether she eventually tr-slither, scoot, or crawl toward them and when she first makes the atte7.-impossible to predict. If she takes to crawling, her skill will peak bet-.-and ten months, at which point you will be amazed at the speed with -can cross the floor. She may use the traditional hands-and-knees_tie sideways like a crab, or inch forward military-style. Some babies rarely or never crawl, and crawling doesn't actually a:7standard charts as a developmental milestone. Babies don't need to lear7. •before they walk, and there is no correlation between this skill and fut.-:-_or intellectual ability. Learning to crawl is not necessary for visual de\-L • -hand-eye coordination, or learning to read later in life. If other skills -ahead and your baby's doctor confirms that all else is going well, don 7 7 -she decides to skip crawling and move on to bigger and better things. At around nine months of age, she will make another discovery:upright is really, really fun. Usually someone in the family will pull hering position next to the sofa or a soft chair, and she will gleefully rer.:_. - using her hands to hold her position. Eventually she will figure out -herself to her feet, using any available object that appears tall comes the ultimate prewalking thrill of "cruising" from one place :. -while holding on to whatever will keep her upright. There will be three potential problem areas during this phase of ex::First, expect a minor commotion if she pulls herself to a stand but ca:out how to let herself down. You can teach her to bend her knees and :: -self to the ground without a fall, a skill that will save her a few bruises a--you several trips to wherever she has become hung up, including her c• : Second, your baby will have no ability to judge the stability of wha:sees around her. If she decides to pull herself up using a wastebasket, a pez_:seplant, or a floor lamp, both she and her unsteady support may end_ =Toon The results can be unpleasant if she pulls down a loose tableclothsts your favorite china, or dangerous and disastrous if she applies heran object that is both unstable and heavy such as a wobbly bookcase.:1-.:rd problem arises from a variation on cruising—climbing. Some ba-_ lure of heights irresistible and will startle you with their ability to vel furniture, stairs, or even combinations of pillows and stuffed an- the upper atmosphere of the room. A few climbers will carry out acts of problem solving in their efforts to gain increased elevation. their interest in heights will not be matched by an appreciation of -.forts caused by a fall. 7 budding cruiser is going to be turned loose in a room, take a quick_:-.-ey or a brief tour at her level to make certain that she won't find out- :Orce of gravity the hard way. Particularly important is keeping her off which she will find irresistible once she discovers them. After her first e can begin to learn, with your direct supervision, how to get herselfr- backwards. But until she is clearly "stair safe" many months from_ will need to consider getting one or more barricades if her activity ar-± potential access to a flight of stairs. These barricades should be the::-:zontal gates with narrow slats (two and three-eighths inches or less the old-fashioned accordion-style, wood-slat barriers, which are less- are potential traps for inquisitive heads. her suffer some bruising consequences to "teach her a lesson" is a bad7:5 age. Not only will this risk unnecessary injury, but she is in fact notof understanding and judging the risks involved in her explorations.start on this learning curve until she is about fifteen months of age.)

Baby Standing and walking baby continues his relentless efforts to stay upright, he will at some pointhis favorite support and stand on his own for a few seconds. At the sameshortly thereafter, he will take a few shaky steps, perhaps with one or bothcheering him on. Within a week he likely will be purposefully walking end of the room to the other, with or without a few unscheduled dropsor along the way. His legs will be bent and toes pointed outward, giving_zhly precarious appearance to his efforts. But all the lurching and plop-==ch you may find nerve-wracking to watch, won't slow him down at all.- 7 rget to grab the camera so you—and he—can enjoy seeing it later.)

When will all this ambulating begin? Depending upon his size.gravity, genetic code, and temperament, anywhere between eight anamonths of age. If he is on the hefty side, he may have more difficulty :-.weight and maintaining his balance. The timing of his first steps has 7.do with his future batting average or his chances of getting into college:arrives at his first birthday and cannot stand even while being suppo:7health-care provider—who will be doing a routine checkup at this age a:-should be consulted. What about shoes? Shoes serve little purpose prior to the onsetother than to decorate the feet for a family portrait. Once your baby star-.routinely, however, you may want to get shoes to protect his feet ifwalking somewhere—such as the backyard or a park—where terra::likely to contain objects that are unfriendly to little soles. Shoes should be big enough to allow a half inch of space betweenand the tip of the shoe, and since his feet will be growing rather rapidli.no sense in blowing the family budget on designer footwear. A simple pai:nis shoes with a sole that grips will suffice. Unless prescribed by a health-care professional to remedy a specific problem, he shouldn't need - _heel lifts, or other hardware in his shoes. He won't need arch support-=4/.his arch is covered by a fat pad that will gradually recede over two to thr:,, Furthermore, you may notice that while his toes point outwardf72 2walks (because of looseness of the hip ligaments), his feet will tend to 7 - -ward (pigeon toes) when he lies down. Both of these situations should out by the time he is about eighteen months old. If any positioning of fee : . -seems extreme or not symmetrical, have your baby's doctor (or, if nece.orthopedist who deals with young children) take a look. If you see yc _- limp, whether now or in the future, a medical evaluation should be_ as soon as possible. Limping is never normal, and it may indicate that- ber of significant medical problems is occurring.

Eyes and hands By seven or eight months of age, your baby's visual capabilities will have to the point that she can focus on people and objects across the room. -.-not quite with the clarity with which she sees things directly in front ofmay find a mirror entertaining, as she watches the interesting little pers: - responds exactly to her own movements. She will be more attentive to a - 17trof colors and shapes and will be rapidly absorbing visual information a::world around her. You will at times notice her staring intently at son.

room. More often she will become fixated on, and apparently fasci-some tiny object directly in front of her—a wad of lint, a stray Cheerio,bug. -:__creased visual skills will be matched by new abilities with hands andnine months she will have progressed from the mitten or rakelike -Mg four fingers as a unit against the thumb) to the more precise "pin- - between thumb and one finger. She will also begin cooperative efforts-two hands such as picking up toys, passing an object from hand tosmacking two items together to enjoy the sound they produce. . 7 :he next three months, these investigations with hands will become isticatecl. She will discover the joy of releasing something from her7 actually throwing it, and watching what happens. She will turn it look at it from a variety of angles, rub it, and shake it. If it has a hole, a finger into it. If it has parts she can move, she'll push, pull, twist, or Toward the end of the first year she will enjoy dumping small objects:.‘.ntainer and then putting them back in, one at a time. She will knock over and then set it upright, over and over. And, of course, she will.erything directly to her mouth for examination by lips, gums, and tongue.