How babies develop in their 6th month

Appointments – what’s coming up in the 6th month?

U5: In the sixth month your child is due for the U5. The paediatrician will check your baby’s fine motor skills and dexterity. How does your baby respond to sounds and being spoken to? A visit to the paediatrician is a good opportunity to clear up any remaining questions.
Impfung: If you have chosen to vaccinate, the next booster dose is now due. The third six‑in‑one vaccination boosts the primary immunisation provided by the first two doses. Side effects such as fever or diarrhoea can still occur now – it’s best to have a remedy for fever in the house.
Babyschwimmen: Many pools offer baby‑swimming classes; the minimum age for courses varies from 3 to 12 months. After a short familiarisation period many children feel very comfortable in the warm water, and splashing also strengthens muscles and the parent–child bond.

Important developmental milestones in the sixth month

Sehen: Your baby can now see in three dimensions. Objects are no longer explored so intensively with the mouth but are looked at closely. Pretty impressive: Neck, arm and back muscles are becoming progressively stronger. Rolling onto the tummy or back is no longer a problem for most babies. In prone position many infants can support themselves on their hands.
Kommunikation: Your baby attracts attention with loud noises. They are increasingly able to express their mood and will through gestures, facial expressions and sounds. Reading aloud, singing and “conversations” can already help to promote speech development playfully in everyday life.
Mobilität: The foundations for crawling and exploring the surroundings are now in place. Many babies, however, still take their time with their first crawling attempts. Some skip crawling, find other ways of getting around or eventually start walking straight away.
Erste Stehversuche: Often babies in the sixth month try to sit up by themselves or pull themselves up on furniture. They rock back and forth on outstretched arms and bent knees.
Fremdeln: Your child prefers being with you. In many babies, from about six months, a growing wariness of unfamiliar faces and situations develops. “Stranger anxiety” is a completely normal reaction and varies in intensity from baby to baby.

How much should my child weigh in the 6th month?

Your child has visibly grown – they measure between 66 and 68 centimetres. The face now appears less rounded and the head is no longer so large in proportion to the rest of the body. Your little one weighs about 7,300 to 7,900 grams in the sixth month.