Your Guide to 6-Week-Old Baby Development (2024)

When your baby hits the 6-week mark, it can feel as though an entire lifetime has passed since they were born. You’ve already been through so much together! But it’s also normal to feel like you’re still getting your footing as a parent. After all, each day with a baby is filled with new challenges and surprises.

Around 6 weeks, your baby is due for another major growth spurt, which might throw you off. All of a sudden, your little one wants to eat all the time and acts extra fussy. Many parents feel taken aback by their infant's growth spurt, but in due time, they will settle down... and you might notice that their clothes are a bit tighter too!

Besides all that growing, your 6-week-old baby will hit some exciting milestones this week, and you'll probably have lots of questions about their feeding, sleep, health, and care. Read on for details about all of these topics and more.

6-Week-Old Baby Development

You’ve probably noticedin the past few weeksthat your baby has more periods of alertness and awareness. They're also becoming more social. “As they get closer to the 2-month mark, they start becoming a little more interactive,” says Gina Posner, MD, a pediatrician at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center.

Your baby has recognized you since they were born, says Dr. Posner, but starting this week, you may notice them turning toward you more consistently when they hear your voice. You can enhance this socialization by playing with your baby, talking to them, and making funny noises.

As with everything about raising a baby, the exciting moments are also balanced by some challenges. Around 6 weeks, your baby is having a growth spurt, so they're feeding more frequently. They may be clustering their feeds together in the evenings acting fussier too.

Add that to the fact thatcrying and colictend to peak at around six weeks, and you might have some difficult evenings ahead of you. Hang in there! Most babies start to get less moody as they approach 2 months, but they usually outgrow colic by 3 months. In rare cases, it can last 6 months.

6-Week-Old Baby Milestones

With all the increasing socializing this week, you might witness a very exciting milestone: your baby’s first smile! Yes, your baby may havesmiled in their sleepa few times already, but most babies have their first social smile by the end of the second month.

If you're hoping that your baby will break out into a grin soon, try making funny faces or silly noises near them. Remember, you're their favorite person right now, and if anyone can make them smile, it’s you!

Besides those first smiles, your baby is getting more adept at holding objects in their hands, such as rattles and toys. They may still drop those objects after a short time, but their grip is improving nonetheless. Your baby can also distinguish different sounds better, as well as see colors more clearly.

According to Christina Johns, MD, pediatrician and senior medical advisor atPM Pediatrics, you can enhance these new and emerging skills in a few ways. “It’s a great idea to talk regularly to your baby—read and sing and start to expose them to different colors and sounds,” she says.

6-Week-Old Baby Feeding

At this point, you’ve probably established a feeding routine for your baby. Six-week-old babies still tend to eat very frequently, but they might extend the intervals between feedings a little more now. For example, newborns may need to eat every two to three hours, but at about 2 months of age, they may be able to go three or four hours between feedings, according to the Academy of American Pediatrics.

Still, all babies are different, and if your little one still feeds frequently, that’s perfectly fine. “Some babies will space out feedings at this age, but others are still demanding every two hours,” explains Dr. Posner.

Breastfed babies, in particular, may still need to eat as often as every two hours, as breast milk is digested faster than formula.Experts usually advise nursing your babyon demandat this age—both to keep up your milk supply and to ensure your baby is getting enough to eat.

Again, six weeks also correlates with a growth spurt for many babies, so your little one might seem hungrier than usual. Often, growth spurts cause babies to become fussy during the evening. They may cluster their feedings together, wanting to eat every hour. This helps increase your supply so it can meet their needs, so rest assured that your baby likely has enough milk. Your body and your baby know exactly what to do!

6-Week-Old Baby Sleep

Your baby is sleeping upwards of 15 hours per 24-hour period. They'll get about eight or nine hours of nighttime sleep and seven hours of daytime sleep, broken into smaller increments. They're not sleeping through the night yet (which is defined as a six- to eight-hour stretch of snoozing), but some might be getting closer to that reality.

Many parents wonder if they still need to wake their baby to feed at this age. There’s some good news in that department, says Dr. Posner. “As long as they are gaining weight well, I let them sleep as long as they want (preferably at night).” Of course, if your baby is still waking to feed, it’s important to let them since they still have a lot of important growing to do.

6-Week-Old Baby Schedule

With your baby’s newfound awareness, you can add some infant-centered activities to your days. Yes, it’s true that your schedule will still revolve around eating, sleeping, anddiaper changes, but when your baby is awake and alert, you can try some playing.

Six-week-old babies love taking walks outside in thestroller. Try out some tummy time in a play gym oractivity center, and introduce them to baby toys.Toys for this agegroup are usually brightly colored and make noises when squeezed; they're also the right size for your baby to practice their grabbing skills.

6-Week-Old Baby Health and Safety

Your baby won’t be having another check-up until the 2-month mark, but that’s coming up soon. If you haven’t made the appointment yet, you should do so now.

During this upcoming visit, your baby will get their first set ofimmunizations. If your baby didn’t receive their second hepatitis B vaccine at their 1-month check-up, they'll receive it at their 2-month check-up. Additionally, your baby will likely receive their pneumococcal, DTaP, Hib, and polio vaccines. They may also receive their rotavirus vaccine, which is an oral vaccine.

It’s normal for new parents to have questions about vaccines and side effects. In general, babies usually experience redness and soreness at the injection site, and they sometimes have mild fevers. Ask your pediatrician how to soothe your baby after their shots. Usually, an over-the-counter painkiller can be given if they need it.

6-Week-Old Baby Care Basics

If you're considering returning to work, the transition is probably on your mind. Nursing parents can try introducing a bottle to their baby—and feeding it to them about once per day—so they can get used to it.

Now is also a good time to start pumping your milk and storing it in preparation for your return to work. Label your milk with the date you pumped it and store it in the freezer for future use

Some parents wonder when topump their milkif they're still breastfeeding around the clock. Consider pumping in between sessions or in the morning, when many people produce the most milk.

What Else to Know About Your 6-Week-Old Baby

At 6 weeks old, your baby probably has increased crying and fussiness. Indeed, colicky symptoms peak around 4 or 6 weeks old.

Your baby might be doing most of their fussing and crying in the evening, which is often known as “the witching hour.” Dr. Johns says that witching hour is common in babies, but it can be frustrating for parents. Try soothing your baby by rocking them or playing “white noise," says Dr. Johns.

Ultimately, make sure to take care of yourself as well as your baby. “It’s important for parents to take care of themselves first,” says Dr. Johns. “If a baby has been fed and changed, it’s OK for a parent to put their baby down safely in their crib for a moment, even if they are crying to collect themselves and take a quick break before resuming efforts to settle the baby.”