At 4 months

Physically and mentally

•  Lifts head up by 90 degrees
•  Has stronger neck support
•  Is able to follow objects with eyes in a 180-degree arc
•  Clearly recognises bottle or breast
•  Recognises that people have labels (that you are ‘mama’, father is ‘dada’ etc)
•  Likes to explore things by putting them in mouth
•  Reaches for favourite objects
•  Responds more actively to rattle or bell sounds
•  Makes gestures such as waving arms to be picked up
•  Supports weight on legs with help
•  May sit with support
•  May roll over from stomach to back

Language and emotions

•  Makes sputtering sounds
•  Babbles more often
•  Experiments with new noises by changing shape of mouth
•  Laughs when tickled – may even belly laugh!

Sleep
Babies usually sleep for a stretch of at least six to eight hours a night by this age and take two or three naps in the day.

Ideal toys for this age
Toys with flashing lights and sounds

Useful tips
Do you know that baby can enjoy a good book even at this age? Don’t worry if he/ she is more interested in eating it than reading it. Choose colourful board books, such as books about shapes and colours or books with different-textured fabric swatches.

Now is usually the time when many parents attempt weaning. Do not be discouraged if baby reacts negatively to solids. It is quite a strange experience for baby’s taste buds after all. If baby doesn’t like it, leave weaning attempts aside for a while and try again a week or two later.   At 5 months

What your child might do:

Physically and mentally  Experiments with concept of cause and effect  More observant of small objects  Able to see clearly across the room  Uses hands more confidently (usually in a raking fashion) to bring  objects closer  Transfers objects from hand to hand Pushes away if he/ she  dislikes what you are doing (wiping off drool, etc)  Plays with toes  Sits with support  Rolls over from stomach to back  May begin teething  May be ready to wean Language and emotions Tries to imitate sounds Feeding Solids should be introduced very cautiously. Signs that baby is ready to begin weaning include:  Being able to hold the head up well  Being interested in solid food  Having a good tongue reflex to push solid food in or out (to aid swallowing and   prevent choking)  Being able to open mouth to receive a spoon Ideal toys for this age  Squeeze toys with squeaky sounds  Handheld musical toys such as toy telephones Useful tips Notice how much your child loves to watch you? Now is actually a great time to try baby sign language. Teaching baby simple signs with facial expressions and hand movements can help enhance communication skills even at this pre-verbal stage. Don’t worry if baby doesn’t pick it up right away. Consult a baby sign language book for more information (available at most bookstores).  Your baby is ready to hit a number of important milestones this month. Don’t worry if baby doesn’t achieve all the milestones listed below. This is completely normal. In fact, some babies lag behind in certain areas while shooting ahead in others. Always check with your pediatrician if you are worried about your child’s development.   At 6 months   What your child might do:     Physically and mentally  Keeps head level when pulled to a sitting position  Sits with minimal support  Holds bottle for feeding  Drinks from a cup with help  Opens mouth for spoon  Rolls over and back  Begins teething Language and emotions  Combines vowel-consonant sounds  Makes two-syllable sounds (e.g. ma-ma)  Imitates facial expressions Sleep Are you still co-sleeping with your child? While there are many bonding advantages to this, do try teaching him/ her to sleep independently. The older baby gets, the more resistant he/she will become towards sleeping alone. Ideal toys for this age  Board books  Stacking toys  Child-safe blocks Useful tips Enhance baby’s gross and fine-motor skills by stacking up a block tower together and letting him/ her knock it down.