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6 week milestones
Around 6 weeks many babies become noticeably more alert and social. This is a lovely stage.
Social and emotional
- Watch for the first real social smiles, in response to your face or voice.
- May start to calm when spoken to or picked up.
Communication
- Making sounds other than crying, like small coos.
- Turning toward familiar voices and reacting to loud sounds.
Movement
- More head control during tummy time.
- Moving both arms and both legs, with hands opening more.
The 6-week well-child check is a good time to talk about feeding and sleep. Ask about a vitamin D supplement if you are breastfeeding.
Common questions
What should a 6 week old baby be doing?
Around 6 weeks, most babies: watch for the first real social smiles, in response to your face or voice; making sounds other than crying, like small coos; more head control during tummy time. Every baby grows at their own pace, within a range of time.
What if my baby was born early?
Most pediatricians count milestones from the due date, not the birth date, until about 2 years. That is called corrected age, and it is how Bobbychips counts milestones too.
What if my baby is not doing these things yet?
Most children reach each milestone within a range of time, so one missing item is not a verdict. If you have questions, or your baby has lost a skill they once had, talk to your pediatrician. The CDC's advice is to act early rather than wait.
The day at this age, in numbers: 1 month old schedule.
Every baby grows at their own pace, and these are general guides, not medical advice. If you ever have questions about how your baby is growing or developing, your pediatrician is the best person to ask.
Sources: the CDC's Learn the Signs. Act Early. milestone checklists and the World Health Organization's infant and young child feeding guidance.
A guide like this, on the day
Bobbychips emails a guide like this one when your baby reaches each of these ages, counted from the due date for a baby born early, and keeps a checklist of the milestones in the app.