Your baby girl or boy is growing up fast! The first 6 months have gone slowly at some points (all those sleepless nights and then tired days), but overall it’s gone too quickly! So what to expect in the next 6 months of this wonderful little person’s life? Here’s another short peek into what is in store for you in baby’s first year of development.
6 – 8 Months
Your baby’s personality is blooming in these months. When he’s not taking in his surroundings, he’s aiming to captivate your attention!
- Communication and Social Skills – you should be able to hear that your baby now tries to use consonants and vowels together e.g. ‘dada’ and is using his tongue to change sounds.
- He can respond to his name when called and enjoys a game of ‘peek a boo’!
- He is able to look for a dropped toy and can recognise it even if partially hidden.
- Objects are still being explored by putting them in his mouth. He could be teething and around 6 or 7 months a tooth may appear.
- Gross Motor Skills – at this stage your baby may begin pre-crawling by lifting his knees off the floor and wriggling along. There is no set way for your baby to crawl – some scoot along on their bottoms.
- He is able to sit unsupported to play and can reach out an arm towards an object or person, that is further away.
- Fine Motor Skills – your baby’s first clap may happen during these development months and clapping back will encourage fine motor skills required for this action. Plus baby loves the sound and your reaction!
- He can transfer an object from hand to hand and can also use his hand to ‘rake’ through small toys.
8 – 10 Months
Your baby is probably moving about a lot, tasting new foods and figuring how to connect with all the smiling, encouraging faces he meets.
- Communication and Social Skills – he is building on a repertoire of sounds and engaging his tongue more.
- You will find him watching your mouth when you speak as this is how he learns to talk along with hearing the sounds you make.
- At this stage your baby can show ‘separation anxiety’ which is a very normal stage of development.
- He might cry, scream, cling to you, shake his head or hide his face when someone he doesn’t recognize approaches. It can also happen when you leave a room or are away for a night out for example. However it shows the close bond you and your baby have. There are many websites which offer help and advice.
- He is now able to put mental images and labels together, for example ‘cat’.
- Now has some idea of spatial relationships – in and out for example.
- Gross Motor Skills – your little one can sit up unsupported and will be heading to pulling himself up to standing from the furniture.
- Crawling on his hands and knees will be his form of getting around the house and never underestimate how fast he can crawl!
- Fine Motor Skills – this can be a very messy stage where your baby is now attempting to feed himself using a spoon.
- One of the most ‘endearing’ parts of self -feeding is where he now loves to bang on the table with his spoon and any other object he can get his hands
He will be holding and drinking from a sippy cup on his own.
10 – 12 Months – From Baby to Toddler
Ah the mischief months. Chances are your little one is on the hunt! Babies this age are super curious, and tend to get into everything.
- Communication and Social Skills – your baby may now be saying ‘mama’ and ‘dada’ and recognising each parent by the correct name. What joy!
- He can definitely understand the word ‘no’ and can respond to simple requests.
- Able to understand and wave bye bye when he, or someone else is leaving.
- Loves to try to imitate animal sounds.
- He can locate hidden objects placed under a blanket and is developing depth perception.
- Also – by 12 months your baby’s brain will have doubled in size from birth!
- Gross Motor Skills – certainly by now your baby will be mastering this crawling malarkey by cross-crawling – moving the opposite arm and leg simultaneously.
- He can move easily from crawling to sitting and can now sit for long periods unaided.
- Time to ensure the stair gate is in place because he can now crawl upstairs (although not down).
- He can walk whilst holding on to furniture and may take his first tentative solo steps.
- Fine Motor Skills – he is able to achieve more complex fine motor movements such as holding and turning the pages in a book.
- Stacking blocks is also part of his growing skill set which requires an increased level of patience and concentration.
- This is also the time for the ‘pointing finger’. He is able to point to what he wants and what he wants you to see.
Please do remember that every child develops at a different rate and at their own pace. Your health care provider will monitor your baby in all areas from feeding to walking to ensure he or she is developing well physically, mentally and behaviourally.
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