Your baby 1-6 months

Your baby is becoming a very social being. They love being with you and you will begin to understand more about your baby’s ways and messages.

How you care for and respond to your baby now will make a big difference to them later in life. The more you talk, play, sing and respond to your baby, the better your child’s speaking skills will be. It will also help their growing brains to develop. When you show your baby love with attention, praise and cuddles, it builds their self-esteem and confidence too. 

During the very early months, your baby will spend a lot of time sleeping, and their needs will change a lot during this time. Remember you will find a routine that satisfies their needs and works for you as a family.

The following provides general information about the different stages of your baby’s development during this time, and some tips for what you can do to support your baby. Your baby may do some things earlier or later than described here. 

There is more detailed information about your baby’s development in the Every Child - Newborn to Age 2 e-book. It also provides information about feeding your baby, teething, vaccinations, your baby’s health and making your home safe. 

If you are worried about your child’s development, ask your GP or health visitor.

At 1 - 2 months, your baby may be able to:

  • Reach out for you when they need attention or to feel secure;
  • Move their arms and legs more strongly;
  • Smile at people, blow bubbles;
  • Follow moving objects with their eyes;
  • Respond to loud noises by blinking, frowning or waking up;
  • Hold on to things for a little while; and
  • Hold their head up for a few minutes.

At 3 - 4 months, your baby may be able to:

  • Recognise familiar people;
  • Turn towards you when they hear your voice;
  • Make more sounds and laugh when you talk and play with them;
  • Grab their feet with their hands;
  • Reach and grab things better;
  • Try to move a toy from one hand to the other;
  • Roll from side to side;
  • Keep their head up almost straight when in a sitting position (make sure your baby is supported); and
  • Show excitement when they see or hear familiar people.

At 5-6 months, your baby may be able to:

  • Hold out their arms to be lifted;
  • Roll over from their front to their back and sometimes from their back to their front;
  • Sit up with some support (don’t leave your baby unattended);
  • Grab small toys and other objects put in front of them;
  • Communicate using sounds, actions and facial expressions;
  • Drop things and let them fall;
  • Know that a rattle makes a noise when shaken; and
  • May cry when they see unfamiliar faces.

Tips to encourage and support your baby's development

  • Respond to your baby’s crying. Crying is your baby’s way of communicating with you especially when they are very young. They are telling you that they need your help to soothe them. If it is getting too much for you, put your baby in a safe place and leave the room for a moment until you feel calmer. Cry-sis (external link) provides support for crying and sleepless babies. 
     
  • What to do if you think your baby is unwell. If they have a high temperature, they may have an illness. If you think there's something wrong, ring NHS 111 Wales for advice. You can call them on 111.
     
  • Respond to your baby’s ‘signals’. Babies communicate in lots of ways; you don’t have to wait for them to cry to give them a cuddle or play with them. Play with your baby when they are alert and awake. Have a quiet cuddle when they cry, turn away or arch their back. You can use your baby’s signals to work out what your baby wants. Do they suck their fingers when hungry, or rub their eyes when tired?
     
  • Give lots of cuddles, smiles and praise to your baby. It reassures them and helps to build their self-confidence.
     
  • Introduce new routines slowly and gently. Help your baby learn that it’s time to sleep by doing the same things, in the same order every evening. For example, at bedtime give your baby a bath, look at a book together, give your baby their feed, play some soft music and then turn off (or dim) the lights.
     
  • Put your baby where they can see things happening. You could change what they are looking at or move them to a different spot, so they have something else to look at. 
     
  • Handle your baby with care. Support your baby’s neck and head whenever you lift them or lay them down. NSPCC (external link) have a booklet showing safe ways to hold your baby. 
     
  • Talk to your baby all the time. When you’re on the bus, in the car, walking to the shops or in the supermarket point out the things you see. When you change their nappy or give them a bath talk about what you are doing. This will help your baby learn. Talk with Me has useful tips on supporting your baby’s speech, language and communication skills.
     
  • Read to your baby, letting them see and feel the book. There are ideas for talking and playing with your baby from Book Trust Cymru (external link).
     
  • Speak some words in Welsh as this can give them the best start to a bilingual life. Cymraeg i Blant can help with words to use. You could also sing along to a range of Welsh nursery rhymes and songs also on Book Trust Cymru website (external link). These songs include many simple words making it easy for young children to absorb the Welsh language. 
     
  • Play. Try to give your baby bright and safe things to look at. Blow gently on your baby’s tummy or play peek-a-boo. There’s lots of ideas for play activities and songs on Playful Childhoods (external link) and Words for Life (external link).
     
  • Try distraction. For example, if your baby is trying to grab onto something that you don’t want them to, give them a different toy or safe object instead.
     
  • Try to stay calm and patient. Your baby is becoming aware of your feelings. When you are calm and relaxed, your baby is more likely to feel calm too. If you get stressed your baby is more likely to feel tense. 
  • Be calm with your baby. Your baby is not old enough to do things on purpose yet or control their actions. Your baby doesn’t do things to upset or annoy you. For example, your baby may throw their toys on the floor. To your baby this is a game, and they are learning where things go.  Never shake your baby as this can damage their brain.
     
  •  If it is getting too much, make sure your baby is in a safe place (e.g., a clear, safe cot away from animals) and then leave the room for just a moment until you feel calmer. Or you can ask a friend or family member to care for your baby for a while so you can have time to feel better.

It’s OK to ask for help. If you are worried about feeling stressed, low or depressed talk to your health visitor or GP. 

In addition, you may find these helplines useful:

During their first year, your baby's brain will double in size. When you hold, talk to and play with your baby, you help their brain to grow.

For more information, see our Booklet on Understanding and Responding to Children’s Behaviour in the Early Years.