Age: 4-6 months

Reflexes

• Rooting diminishes
• Gag reflex now elicited farther back in mouth

Oral-motor and self-feeding skills and behaviors

• Voluntary sucking
• Showing an interest in food
• Up and down munching and biting
• Pursing and smacking lips
• Recognizing bottle
• Sitting unassisted
• Mouthing objects

Positioning

• Seat back at 90 degrees
• External support required for sitting
• Feet supported
• Hips flexed and trunk and head in midline

Appropriate foods

• Breastmilk or infant formula
• Soft, semi-solid, pureed foods from spoon (e.g., infant cereal, pureed fruits and vegetables)

The oral-motor and self-feeding skills exhibited at this stage indicate a readiness for the introduction of solid foods. For many infants, these skills are not developed until age 6 months.

You can view a video of feeding skills at the 4-6-month old stage here:

• video for broadband (1.43 MB)
• video for modem (681 KB)

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