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Welcome to your baby's sixth month! This stage marks a significant milestone as your little one continues to grow and develop rapidly. From increased mobility to emerging communication skills, there's so much to celebrate. Here's a comprehensive guide to help you navigate the developmental milestones and healthcare considerations for your six-month-old baby.​

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Physical Development

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• Sitting Independently: By six months, many babies can sit up without support for extended periods. They may still wobble occasionally, but their core strength and balance are improving, allowing them to explore their surroundings from a new vantage point.

• Rolling Skills: Your baby's rolling skills continue to improve, and they may become proficient at rolling both from back to tummy and tummy to back. Encourage floor play and provide plenty of opportunities for movement to support their motor development.

• Reaching and Grasping: Fine motor skills are becoming more refined, and your baby can now reach for objects with purpose and grasp them using their whole hand or a pincer grasp. Offer a variety of toys of different shapes, textures, and sizes to promote hand-eye coordination and exploration.

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Cognitive Development

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• Object Permanence: At six months, your baby begins to develop a basic understanding of object permanence—the concept that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight. Enjoy games like peek-a-boo to reinforce this concept and encourage cognitive development.

• Exploratory Play: Your baby's curiosity about the world around them continues to grow. They may enjoy exploring objects using their hands, mouth, and senses, actively seeking out new experiences and sensations.

• Understanding Cause and Effect: Your baby's understanding of cause and effect relationships deepens. They may delight in dropping objects to see them fall or pressing buttons to activate sounds or lights, demonstrating their growing cognitive abilities.

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Social and Emotional Development

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• Expressing Preferences: Your baby may begin to show preferences for certain toys, activities, or people. Respect their choices and provide opportunities for them to explore their interests in a safe and supportive environment.

• Responsive Interaction: Continue to engage in responsive interactions with your baby, mirroring their facial expressions, vocalizations, and gestures. This back-and-forth communication strengthens your bond and supports their social and emotional development.

• Separation Anxiety: Some babies may start to experience separation anxiety around six months of age, becoming distressed when separated from familiar caregivers. Offer reassurance and comfort, and gradually introduce short separations to help them build confidence and security.

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Healthcare Considerations

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Schedule regular checkups with your healthcare provider to ensure your baby receives recommended vaccinations and monitor their growth and development. Your baby should have an appointment scheduled for this month, with the next one set for when they are 9 months old.

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• Vaccinations: At six months, your baby may receive additional vaccinations as part of Manitoba's immunization schedule. At this age, babies typically receive their third dose of the following immunizations (as of March 2024):

• DTaP-IPV-Hib (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b): The DTaP-IPV-Hib vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib).

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Sources:

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• Government of Manitoba. (2024). Routine Immunizations Schedules. https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/cdc/div/schedules.html

• healthychildren. (2023, November 20). Cognitive Development in Infants: 4 to 7 Months. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/Cognitive-Development-4-to-7-Months.aspx

• Children's Minnesota. (2015, June). Developmental Milestones Birth to 6 Months. https://www.childrensmn.org/educationmaterials/childrensmn/article/15316/developmental-milestones-birth-to-6-months/

• Swanson, W., S. (2021, July 29). How to Ease Your Child’s Separation Anxiety. Healthy Children. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/Pages/Soothing-Your-Childs-Separation-Anxiety.aspx

• Rourke, L., Leduc, D., & Rourke, J. (2020). Rourke Baby Record: Evidence-Based Infant/Child Health Maintenance [PDF]. Rourke Baby Record. https://www.rourkebabyrecord.ca/pdf/RBR%202020%20NAT-EN-1vpp-BLK-2020-Apr-29.pdf

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This information is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. We do not accept any responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, from any information or advice contained here.
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