North Star Pediatrics

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Six Months to Nine Months

Please remember that every child grows and develops at his or her own rate and that no two children are exactly alike at a given age.

Motor Development

When on his stomach, baby is able to lift his head high as he turns and twists in all directions to visually explore his environment.
Within these next three months you may observe baby pushing up on his hands and knees and rocking back and forth, and maybe even beginning to creep or army crawl.
Baby may be able to roll back to front by himself.
At six months, baby will begin to sit alone momentarily. In the next three months you will observe your baby mastering this task and enjoying it. His balance will improve as he sits steadily for several minutes and soon he will be able to sit with his hands free to explore toys placed in front of him. By nine months, he will be able to get himself to a sitting position from his stomach or side.
Baby anticipates being picked up and reaches out for you with his hands.
Baby now stands with support under his arms. He bears his own weight and bounces when held in this position. Closer to nine months of age you may observe baby pulling to a standing position using furniture for help.

Fine Motor Development

When reaching for objects, baby does so with his fingers overextended and he must pay full attention to achieve success.
When holding objects in his hand, baby is able to use his thumb and four fingers to grasp it. You may observe baby rotating his wrist as he manipulates an object. He may even hold an object in each hand and bang them together.

Mental Development

Baby can now realize the relationship between his hands and the objects he manipulates.
He is beginning to discover that his actions can initiate pleasurable sensations (he swipes at a mobile or crib toy because he knows he causes the motion).
May be able to transfer an object from one hand to another.
Baby’s attention is more concentrated and he is interested in details. You will observe baby grasping, mouthing and shaking objects in his reach.
At six months, baby still has no concept of object permanence. If an object is hidden from him, he will not search for it. Over the next three months he will be able to search for an object he has seen being hidden.
Baby responds playfully to a mirror image.

Language Development

Baby may start making several well-defined imitations, such as a cough, which he may use to gain attention.
At six months, baby begins to babble and becomes active during exciting sounds. Baby babbles most to female voices. He is also able to voice pleasure and displeasure. He coos, gurgles, squeals, giggles and even belly laughs! Soon baby will have his own special, well-defined syllables (“ma,” “mu,” “da,” “di,” “ba”). He enjoys listening to his own vocalizations as well as to others.
Nearing his nine month birthday, baby’s babbling may take on adult intonations.

Social Development

You may notice that baby is beginning to draw back from people with whom he is not familiar. Over the next few months you may observe baby crying and clinging to you when being left with a sitter. This "separation anxiety” is normal and shows that your baby is able to differentiate between those who regularly care for him and strangers.
Baby is able to distinguish between adults and children. He may smile and reach out to pat other children or even his mirror image!
Baby will begin to show a desire to be included in social interactions by cooing, babbling or coughing to get attention.
Baby is able to distinguish friendly and angry talking.
Baby is beginning to show interest in feeding self with fingers or by grabbing at his spoon as it nears his mouth. He may hold and manipulate his bottle, spoon or cup in play.

Feeding

Six months is the age to introduce baby to meats (assuming he is already on a wide variety of cereals, fruits, and vegetables). Meats, whether from a jar or ground yourself, have a thick grainy texture that cause may baby to choke and gag during his first experiences in eating it. To help alleviate this problem, stir formula, breast milk or strained vegetables into the meat to thin it down. This will help to minimize baby’s gagging. As with fruits and vegetables, introduce each meat and give it for 3-4 days before trying a new kind.
Six months is a good time to introduce a sippee cup. Let baby play with one with a little water in it until he figures out how it works.

Age Appropriate Toys

Because baby may be beginning to teethe, he enjoys a teething ring to chew on
Blocks, rattles, plastic keys -- small enough for baby to hold and carry
Balls, bath toys
Provide baby with toys of different textures to experience -- fur, velvet, fuzzy, smooth, rough, etc.
Peek-A-Boo is becoming more popular as object permanence develops
Talk and coo to your baby to stimulate “conversation”

Safety

Check bottom cupboards for poisons and dangerous contents, such as dishwasher detergent and other cleaners and move these to high, locked cabinets.
Also check under tables and chairs for electrical wires from lamps, TV, etc. Baby will chew on ANYTHING, as he is unaware of DANGER.
Place safety gates at top and bottom of stairs
Do not leave child alone in the bathtub, even if he is able to sit steadily
Lower crib mattress before baby can pull up
Remove toys that dangle across top of crib before baby can sit up alone
Continue to use a car safety seat on every ride. Your baby should continue to face backwards until he is 1 year old AND weighs 20 pounds.

POISON CONTROL TELEPHONE NUMBER: 1-800-222-1222.
You should keep this number by your phone, in your wallet and in the diaper bag. Please call poison control if your child eats or drinks anything that they should not. Please call the poison control center if your child may have taken too much medication or a medication which was not prescribed for them. Please remember to keep household cleaners such as dishwashing detergent, toilet bowl cleaners or laundry detergents and bleach locked away and out of reach.

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