This age is jam packed with fun stuff - you'll really start to notice a little personality developing.
Here are some of the important milestones to look forward to - make sure you have a camera ready to go!
- More to love - around four to five months, a full-term baby will have doubled their birth weight. It’s common to have growth spurts around three weeks, six weeks, three months and six months. They'll need more frequent or larger milk feeds when they're going through this. By six months their weight gain will be slowing down – you can expect them to put on around 70-90g each week from here.
- Sounds - at around four to six months, your baby will be developing an understanding of the basic sounds of language. You can encourage them by talking and reading and mimicking the sounds they make. That means loads of baby talk conversations! This will help them interact and recognize more sounds.
- Smiles all round – your baby will most likely start to smile in response to your voice. They also might be starting to laugh.
- Oh, it’s YOU - they'll be able to recognize familiar people - especially Mum!
- Taking notice - your baby will be really interested in world; they'll enjoy watching things and people move.
- Heads up – At around four months, your baby’s head and neck muscles will be getting stronger and they will be able to hold their head up when lying on their tummy. Next comes a mini push up. By six months your baby will be able to sit up in a supportive high chair. Around seven months is when you can expect them to start to sit up unsupported.
- Rolling – baby will be rolling from tummy to back and even starting from back to tummy.
- Ten tiny fingers - they'll probably play with their hands quite a bit, chew on them and often just watch them.
- Reaching out - They will be starting to reach out and grasp toys and rattles. They might be able to transfer objects from hand to hand.
- Little pearly whites - teeth might start to appear. The first tooth usually comes sometime around six months, but your baby could get them sooner. They'll be able to chew really well even without teeth as their gums are very hard.
- A lot to swallow - the extrusion reflex (when food placed on your baby’s tongue is pushed out the front of their mouth) will disappear around four to six months. When it does, it means that your baby has the coordination to keep spoon-fed puréed food in their mouth and then swallow comfortably.
Remember, every baby is different and develops at their own pace, so don’t worry if your baby has other plans and doesn't follow this pattern very closely. If you have concerns about your baby’s development speak to your health professional for advice.
The materials published on this website are of a general nature and have been provided for informational purposes only. Always consult your medical practitioner or a qualified health provider for any further advice in relation to the topics discussed.
