4 to 6 Month Milestones
Rolling, reaching, babbling, and the all-important solid food readiness check - The second quarter is packed with firsts.
Development at 4–6 Months
🦵 Gross Motor
- Rolls from tummy to back at around 4 months - Then back to tummy at 5–6 months
- Holds head steady and upright when held in sitting position
- Begins tripod sitting with both hands on floor for support at 6 months
- Bears weight on legs when held upright - Bounces in place
- Pivots on tummy - Begins circular movement
✋ Fine Motor
- Reaches deliberately for objects with both hands (palmar grasp)
- Transfers objects from hand to hand at 5–6 months
- Rakes small objects toward self using all fingers together
- Brings objects directly to mouth - Mouthing is developmental, not just teething
- Bangs objects on surfaces
💬 Language
- Babbles consonant-vowel chains: 'baba', 'mama', 'dada' - Not yet meaningful
- Laughs and squeals with delight
- Responds to own name consistently by 6 months
- Uses different sounds to express happiness vs. displeasure
- Begins reciprocal 'conversations' - You talk, baby responds, you talk again
🧠 Social / Cognitive
- Recognises familiar faces vs. strangers (beginning of stranger anxiety)
- Shows excitement with arm and leg movements at pleasurable stimuli
- Shows interest in food at mealtimes - Watching, reaching - Key weaning readiness sign
- Explores objects visually before grasping them
- Begins to understand cause and effect: shakes rattle → makes noise
Rolling Over - What's Normal
Some babies skip one direction of rolling entirely. As long as baby is moving purposefully and developing other skills on track, this is fine. Once baby rolls, never leave on a high surface.
Solid Food Readiness at 6 Months
Sits with minimal support
Head steady, mostly upright. Being propped with pillows is not sufficient.
Loss of tongue-thrust reflex
No longer automatically pushes food out with tongue.
Interest in food
Watches you eat, leans forward, opens mouth when spoon approaches.
See the Starting Solids guide → for the full introduction protocol.
The 4-Month Sleep Regression
Around 4 months, sleep cycles mature permanently into adult-like patterns. Babies who were sleeping in long stretches suddenly start waking every 45–90 minutes. This is developmental - Not something you caused or can prevent. See the Sleep Regressions guide → for how to manage it.
Continue through the Milestones: