By 6 weeks your baby may
- turn their head and eyes towards light
- watch your face and try to respond to speech
- make cooing sounds
- quieten at sound of your voice
- smile at you
- lift their head briefly without wobbling, when placed on their tummy
- jump or blink if there is sudden loud noise, or stir in their sleep
You can encourage their development by
- holding objects close (20-35cm) from their face, and they will stare intently as they try to focus
- letting them study your face as you talk to them, that will become their favourite object to look at!
- hanging large black and white images, with stripes or circles to look at, eg. posters
- singing, reading, playing music quietly to them while you feed them or are working round the house. Babies learn through hearing speech, when people talk to them during the first year
- cuddling them
- hanging toys, mobiles, musical toys, rattles strung over the bassinet