By six months of age, your baby is now a more alert, social, and active infant. They are likely smiling and starting to interact with their environment. At this age, babies may ‘discover’ their own hands and attempt to keep busy trying to use them.

Below are typical milestones for development in babies from three to six months:

• Improved head control at four months
• Pushes up on arms when lying on stomach
• Progresses to rolling from lying on stomach to back and from her back to lying on her stomach
• Reaches hands to feet, lifting legs up when lying on the back
• Stretches legs and kicks while lying on the stomach or back
• Pushes down through the legs when the feet are placed on a firm surface
• Sits with support at six months
• Prefers more intense movements such as swinging and rocking
• Begins to accept loud noises

• Begins to reach voluntarily with one hand for a toy
• Brings hands together at midline
• Transfers objects from one hand to the other
• Rakes and scoops small objects
• Brings objects to mouth
• Begins to visually track moving objects by five months
• Recognizes bottle
• Begins to look at self in the mirror and smiles by five months

• Reaches and attempts to get objects out of reach
• Retrieves an object that is partially hidden under a cover
• Pulls a cloth from a caregiver’s face and from own face
• Plays alone with toys, progressing with shaking, rattling, and banging objects

• Responds to own name
• Begins to imitate sounds
• Produces vowel sounds of “eh,” “ah,” and “uh”
• Produces consonant sounds of “g,” “k,” and “h”
• Protests when desired objects are removed

• Demonstrates emotions of sadness, contentment, surprise, joy, anger
• Enjoys social play with others and may cry when play stops
• Attempts to attract attention by making sounds, smiling, or making eye contact

• Finishes feeding within 45 minutes by four months
• Can be spoon fed at four months, although it is important to consult a physician before starting on solid foods
• Places two hands on bottle by six months
• Has improved closure of lips
• Begins munching (vertical jaw movement with beginning chewing)
• May sleep about 14 hours (4 hours/day, 10 hours/night)