Baby - Sixth Month

'Development - Sixth Month'

What your baby does at this age:	What your baby can do at this age: Turns and twists in all directions and turns head freely. Enjoys rolling from stomach to back, and back again. May start creeping, with her tummy still on the flooe. May sit alone, though she still can't get into a sitting position by herself. Transfers an object from hand to hand easily but doesn't know how to let go deliberately. Shakes things to see if they make noise. Interested in the sounds she can make and compares them. Drop things from her highchair, playpen or crib and wants them retrieved right away. Studies your face intently, touches it, pulls your hair.
Important Changes:	Eating takes a new appeal as your baby starts feeding herself by hand. She may be more interested in playing with food than eating it. Your baby's intelligence is increasing rapidly. She can now plan actions to get what she wants. For example, she may try harder to creep because she wants to visit the fish tank in the living room. Speech skills are developing. Even though your baby can't talk yet, she recognizes important words such as "Mommie", "bottle", "car", and so on. Your baby has a broader range of feelings and can express them with noises, facial expressions, and body language. She shows pleasure, excitement, love, impatience, rifear, distrust, and many other feelings.
Caring for your baby:	Baby-proof your house. Puts caps on unused electrical outlets, and gets cords out of reach. Keep small objects off the floors. Be sure no leaded paints have been used or furniture or interior surfaces that are within the baby;s reach. If your house has stairs, install stairway gates. Put medicine and cleaning agents in high cabinets and lock them. If it has hot radiators, put up guards. Check the width between stairs bannisters, and be careful of balconies to be certain the baby cannot fall through. Get a baby carrier of the backpack type, and take your baby to the park, shopping mall and other interesting places. Take your baby to the doctor for her next immunizations and checkup.