Know everything to look forward to when your baby turns 6 months old
Medically Reviewed by: Dr. Kedar Patnekar (MBBS, D.N.B, D.C.H, Specialist Pediatrician) Dubai, UAE.
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Author:
Khushboo Kirale
- >> Post Created: January 5, 2021
- >> Last Updated: May 8, 2024
6 Month Milestones — Table of Contents
Your baby is 6 months old already!
Your tiny little baby is at the half-way mark from their first birthday. Your baby’s 6 month birthday comes with some very exciting developments and 6 month milestones.
Your baby will be a lot more active this month in their explorations. Their curiosity is increasing each day and just staying in one place is a hindrance in these explorations. This means that the days that you can just place your baby on the floor and expect them to stay there are numbered, as they are soon going to be mobile.
This article will help you understand your baby’s 6 month milestones so that you are well prepared to all that is to come forth.
So before they start moving and trouble ensues, just enjoy and celebrate your baby turning 6 months old.
What are developmental milestones?
A newborn baby is adjusting to the new surroundings that they have been pushed into suddenly. Therefore, they are very cranky and fussy. But by the time they are 6 months old, they seem to be getting used the environment and are now looking to grow and develop quickly so that they can enjoy everything around them.
Developmental milestones is the way you will be able to check your baby’s development easily. It will be anything that the baby has not done before or anything that has not happened to them before.
You can easily observe the 6 month milestones through the sleeping patterns, feeding patterns, their weight and height, communication skills, their personality, etc.
Some of the biggest leaps that your child may be taking this month are trying solid food, starting to crawl, teething, etc.
6 Month Milestones: baby weight and height/length
At this stage your baby’s growth is slow and you might feel a little concerned about the same. But don’t worry, this is completely normal. As long as they have doubled their birth weight by this point, it is nothing to be concerned about.
On an average, a 6 month old baby will gain about 1–1.25 pounds and grow about 0.5–0.75 inches in length before they turn 7 months old.
With a steady diet of breast milk and formula, a 6 month old baby boy can weigh anywhere between 13 and 23 pounds, whereas a 6 month old baby girl can weigh anywhere between 12 and 22 pounds. Similarly, a 6 month old baby boy can measure anywhere between 24 and 29 inches in length/height, whereas a 6 month old baby girl can measure anywhere between 23 and 28 inches in length/height.
But you need to remember that these are just averages and your baby might not fall into the same growth ranges, especially if they were premature. As long as the baby’s pediatrician is happy with your baby’s growth, you have no reason for worrying.
As many parents also choose to start their baby on solid foods from this month onwards, the change in the diet may boost a growth spurt. If you see your baby is hungrier than usual, they want feedings more frequently, they are crankier, and are not fitting into their favorite onesie anymore, then your baby has probably hit the 6 month growth spurt.
6 Month Milestones: all significant changes to look forward to
6 Month Milestones: Physical developments
With the exercise your baby is getting during tummy time, they can now roll over from front to back as well as back to front. Don’t be surprised if they just start rolling around to get to their desired toys.
Most 6 month old babies are able to sit without support.
They enjoy bouncing when they are held in a standing position. This strengthens their leg muscles for walking.
An important 6 month milestone is that your baby may even start trying to crawl and scoot.
Your 6 month old baby will progress to the pincher grasp, i.e. they will hold objects with the help of their pointer finger and thumb.
Just like their grasp, your 6 month old baby will develop better reflexes especially to protect themselves. If they are toppling over, they will use their hands to soften their fall and protect themselves.
6 Month Milestones: Eyesight
Their eyesight is further improving this month. They are able to see things several feet away clearly and are able to see minute details like your earring, coat button, the nose on the bear, etc.
They can see moving objects and have also started to understand the concept of distance and speed and will be able to grab objects that are moving.
If your baby was born with light-colored eyes, you will notice that their eye color has changed now that they are 6 months old. But if their eyes are still blue and have not changed colors, then their eyes will remain blue permanently. So 6 months is the time when you can determine what color your baby’s eyes are with certainty.
6 Month Milestones: Communication skills
- By now, your 6 month old baby will have these typical sounds that they make when they are happy, sad, frustrated, angry, etc.
- If your start talking to them, your baby may even respond with goo goos and gaa gaas.
- Your 6 month old baby has turned into a chatterbox. They are trying to talk to anyone who will listen (even if it is a teddy bear).
- They will start trying to string vowels together while talking, like “eh,” “oh,” and “ah.”
- They are also trying to make consonant sounds like “m” and “b.”
6 Month Milestones: Gross motor skills
Your 6 month old baby has better hand coordination and can pass objects from one hand to the other easily.
6 Month Milestones: Cognitive skills
Most 6 month old babies are able to recognize familiar faces now.
Because they can recognize familiar faces, they may not like it when they see a stranger. They may get clingy, cranky, and will want to stay with their known caregivers.
They like to look at themselves in the mirror. They have another little one in the mirror that they can talk to when you are not around. The mirror is their new best friend.
If you have been calling them by their name regularly, they will start recognizing it and respond whenever you call them by their name.
They have also started understanding the meaning of “NO” and will stop doing the activity when they hear you say it.
Your 6 month old baby has also started recognizing your emotions. They will know when you are sad, happy, angry, etc. and respond accordingly.
As they are starting to learn cause and effect, they will try and push, squeeze, poke, and throw objects just to see what happens.
They are trying to learn about their environment through touch and taste. So everything that they are curious about will go right into their mouth.
They have started looking forward to playtime especially with you and your partner.
They can now recognize games, songs, rhymes, and actions that you do regularly. So if you are singing a nursery rhyme they will recognize what comes next if you stop. They may even try to join in and complete the rhyme for you with whatever little language skills they have developed.
6 Month Milestones: When to Be Concerned?
As new parents, it is very easy to go overboard in monitoring your baby’s growth and progress. This monitoring and tracking can bring unnecessary stress if you see your baby’s growth deviating from the average.
Your baby’s growth deviations may cause you to worry and conclude that there is something wrong with your baby. But just because your baby has not reached a few 6 month milestones, you think that there is reason to be concerned.
But there are a few things that you should discuss with your doctor to help them understand and monitor your baby’s progress.
Contact your pediatrician:
- If your baby does not try to reach for objects around them
- If your baby does not respond to your affections
- If your baby does not respond to sounds
- If your baby is unable to bring toys and other objects to their mouth
- If your baby is unable to make sounds
- If your baby is unable to roll from front to back or back to front
- If your baby has not yet laughed or does not make happy squealing sounds
- If your baby appears stiff and is unable to move their head easily
- If your baby is not gaining weight or has not doubled their birth weight
- If your baby does not make the vowel sounds like “ah,” “eh,” and “oh.”
- If your baby appears to be very floppy just like a rag doll
6 Month Milestones—your 6 month old baby’s feeding pattern
One of the major 6 month milestones is introducing solid foods to your baby’s diet. Although this is the preferred age for introducing solid food, it is not a rule that you have to start on solid food when your baby is 6 months old.
Some babies are ready for solid foods earlier than 6 months and some others are ready when they are 8 months old.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that you look for the following signs to see if your baby is ready for solid food:
- Your baby can hold their head up
- Your baby keeps opening their mouth when food is nearby
- Your baby is able to eat food from a spoon
- Your baby has doubled their birth weight or your baby at least weighs 13 pounds
- Your baby appears to be very interested in food like trying to reach for food when they see you eating it
Many doctors used to recommend starting with grain like rice cereal, but there is no medical evidence to support it. Now doctors recommend that you introduce your baby with fresh food first.
AAP recommends that you introduce only one type of solid food at a time and continue the same for at least a week. This will help you check if your baby is allergic to anything and eliminate those foods early on.
At this stage solid food is not going to become their main source of nutrition, it will still be breast milk or formula for at least the first year.
You can start with 1–2 tablespoons of solid food 2–3 times a day in the beginning and then slowly increase it to about 4–5 tablespoons per feeding as your little one grows.
Don’t cut down on formula or your nursing sessions. Your baby will still need 4–8 ounces of breast milk or formula every feeding.
One of the things off limit for your baby at this stage is honey, which should not be given for at least a year. Honey can contain the bacteria that causes botulism.
Similarly, cow’s milk should not be introduced in the first year, but you can introduce cow milk products like yogurt and soft cheese.
Many parents also introduce water at this stage. But remember that breast milk or formula will keep your baby hydrated. But if your baby is eating more solids then you might need to introduce water.
6 Month Milestones—your 6 month old baby’s sleeping pattern
A 6 month old baby typically sleeps around 12–16 hours a day. This will be divided into 2–3 naps of 1 to 2 hours each and a long stretch of 8 to 10 hours of sleep at night.
Most babies at this age will sleep through the night, but if your baby does not, then you don’t need to worry. It just means that your baby has different sleeping needs at this point. Sooner or later they will fall into the pattern of sleeping through the night. You just need to be patient.
Many things can affect an infant’s sleeping pattern like growth spurts, infections, teething (which is a 6 month milestone), etc. Some parents have even noticed that their baby started sleeping better through the night once they had started feeding the baby solid food.
Consult your pediatrician if you still have any concerns.
6 Month Milestones—your 6 month old baby’s health
As your 6 month old baby continues growing and developing physically as well as behaviorally, every tiny change in them will make you wonder whether this is a symptom for something and whether it is normal.
We are listing a few of the common health problems that 6 month old babies might face along with their developmental 6 month milestones:
Colds
Many babies suffer from cold in the first few months after birth. Cold is also called the upper respiratory infection and is caused by a virus. It is very common (hence, the name common cold) and contagious. Your 6 month old baby can also have a runny nose with yellow or green discharge. Having colds is very normal in babies and will go away with some home remedies and lots of care. But if your baby’s cold lasts for more than 10 days, consult your pediatrician.
Vomiting
One of the best things to feed your baby is breast milk, and if your baby has a stomach bug, feeding breast milk is even better. If your baby is vomiting and you have been feeding them formula, consider switching to breast milk. Breast milk is more easily digestible during illness as compared to formula or other replacement drinks. You can also try shortening the nursing sessions and then see if the baby can keep the milk down. If the baby throws up everything that they have eaten in 24 hours, then visit a doctor immediately.
Fever
If your baby has a fever higher than 101°F after 6 months of age, you should seek medical attention. Having a fever usually means that your baby is fighting some infection. Fever can be an indication of common cold, ear infections, or even pneumonia. So it is best that you consult a doctor if your baby has a fever.
Diaper rash
Those pesky diaper rashes are unavoidable. At some point all babies get it. Diaper rash will clear up in a couple of days with the help of rash creams. Diaper rashes can be prevented by using diapers that are made from natural materials – biodegradable materials like cotton, changing the diaper frequently so that the wetness does on last long on your baby’s skin, making sure the baby gets enough time without a diaper to ensure air circulation, upgrading the diaper sizes when the baby grows, etc. You could also try some really effective home remedies on diaper rash like – Coconut oil, Corn Starch, Baking Soda etc..
You can also apply diaper rash cream when you are travelling to avoid diapers rashes from appearing. But if the rashes are not clearing up in a couple of days and appear bright red, it could also be a fungal infection, which can be cleared with the help of an anti-fungal cream. Keep your doctor posted if the rashes are persistent.
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Constipation
If your baby is constipated, their poop will almost be like hard balls and their belly will feel hard and rigid. Consult a doctor immediately to relieve the baby.
Diarrhea
If your 6 month old baby’s poop is more watery and runny, then they might be suffering from diarrhea.
Consult your doctor immediately.
Heat rash
A hot and humid climate can affect your baby and heat rashes may appear on the arms, legs, neck, or the diaper area. There is no need to apply any special creams or ointments. Try using cool water to clean the skin and then dry completely. Dress the baby up in dry and cotton clothing and keep them out of heat. Heat rash will typically go away in a couple of days.
Contact your pediatrician if the rashes are persistent.
Eczema
If the crooks of the elbow and knees show red, itchy, and scaly patches, then your baby probably has eczema. Your pediatrician will diagnose the condition and provide treatment options. Avoid strong scented baby soaps and other baby products. Ensure that the clothes your baby wears are washed with mild detergents and are not prickly. Bathing the baby not more than 3 times in a week is preferable.
Allergies
Your 6 month old may also have some allergies or sensitivity that haven’t been diagnosed yet. If your baby is excessively fussy, vomits after every feed, the poop is very watery, bloody stools, rashes on the body, etc., then these could be signs that your baby is allergic to something. Consult your doctor to find the allergen that is affecting your baby and the corresponding treatment plans.
Earache or ear infection
Middle ear infections are quite common in babies between ages 6 months to 3 years. They are often caused when your child has the common cold.
You can give them acetaminophen or ibuprofen in the dosage appropriate for them, but it is always advisable to consult your doctor before giving them any medication. If the infection is causing a lot of pain, the doctor may also recommend using ear drops for pain relief. Some form of ear infections are also caused by bacteria and may require you to give your baby antibiotics.
Talk to your doctor about the treatment options available for your 6 month old baby.
6 month milestones—checklist and tips for your 6 month old baby
While you understand your baby’s 6 month milestones, here is a small checklist you should definitely go through along with a few really helpful tips.
Well-child visit
- As your baby turns 6 months old, it is time to go to the pediatrician for the well-child visit.
- In this visit the baby will be given shots of DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough/pertussis), Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b), IPV (polio), PCV (pneumococcal), RV (rotavirus), and influenza/flu vaccines.
- If your baby has some side effects from the immunizations shots like mild fever, sleepiness, fussiness, redness at the injection site, etc. it is completely normal and nothing to worry about. Consult your doctor immediately if the side effects are getting worse or if your baby is showing an adverse reaction to the shots.
- When you visit the doctor, they will also check your baby’s weight, length/height, and head circumference. They will inquire about the baby’s eating and sleeping habits.
- If you have any questions that you need to ask, list them down and ask during the visit. Making a list will ensure you don’t forget anything.
Teething
- A big 6 month milestone is that your baby may start teething this month.
- So once those pearly whites start showing, you need to start brushing your baby’s teeth with a special baby toothbrush with rice grain size of fluoride toothpaste.
- It is important that you keep your baby’s teeth healthy as they are important in the development of normal speech.
- Keep some chew toys around as they will want to use them to relieve the pain of teething.
- Replace the brushes after every few months because the mouth bacteria can start building up.
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Assisting your child’s physical development
- As one of the 6 month milestone is that your baby will start trying to crawl and stand up on their own, you can help assist them in this endeavor by holding them in an upright position whenever they want to stand or you can also use an activity center.
- The AAP does not recommend the use of baby walkers as they come with a higher risk of the baby falling.
Safety precautions
- While travelling with your little one, always use a rear-facing car seat instead of the front-facing car seat, at least till they are 2 years old.
- Never place the baby’s car seat near an airbag or in the front seat.
- If you haven’t already babyproofed the house, then this is a good time to do so, as your baby will start crawling soon.
- As your 6 month old baby is trying to learn to crawl, they will try and reach for objects that are around them. So avoid keeping anything that might hurt them in their vicinity.
Assisting your child’s cognitive development
- Your 6 month old baby is growing and their toys should also change to help stimulate their growing needs.
- Stacking toys that are colorful, cuddly toys for the babies to have a companion, toys that help them improve their crawling like train, cars, etc., toys that help them stand (but ensure these toys are sturdy), and last but not the least, colorful books that will keep your little one entertained.
- Playing peek-a-boo with your 6 month old baby is also a good idea, as it teaches them about object permanence. This means that the object still exists even if it is out of sight.
- 6 month old babies love animal noises. Reading a book with a lot of animals and then making their corresponding sounds really makes them happy. They will even try and repeat the sounds.
Adapting to your child’s dietary changes
- Many parents introduce water to their 6 month old baby. If you are one of them, then try and use a sippy cup. This will give them practice to drink from something that does not have a nipple.
- Another important 6 month milestone is that the baby can start eating solid foods. Many parents of 6 month old babies experiment with solid food at this stage just to help the baby get into the habit of eating solid food.
- But with the change in the diet, you will also see a change in your baby’s bowel movements.
- You have good news and bad news. The bad news is that your baby’s poop will be stinkier, but the good the good news is that your baby’s poop will be less liquidy (this is good because it reduces pooplosions and leakages).
- Keep some gas medicine ready as some babies tend to get gassier while their digestive systems tries to adjust to the change in diet.
Assisting your child’s communication skills
- A 6 month old baby is building the foundation for effective communication with their “ohs” and “ahs.” You can also enhance their communication skills by teaching them simple sign language.
- When you repeatedly show certain hand movements for certain things and objects, your 6 month old baby will start making the connections between the two and try and imitate the same hand gestures to convey what they need.
- You can create your own signs for milk, sleep, poop, bath, play, etc. Before you know it, your little one will be able to express things to you easily in just sign language.
- Giving your baby some teddy bears or similar toys can help them develop better social skills. As they are turning into chatterboxes, the toy can be a good option for them to practice their communication skills on.
- You can also help your baby practice their communication skills by just listening to their babble without interruption. Speak only after your baby is done talking.
- This helps your baby understand that communication is a to and fro thing and is not just one sided.
Assisting your child’s social skills
- Many 6 month old babies tend to have stranger anxiety. Arranging play dates and taking them to the park to meet other babies will encourage their social skills.
- Your face is very fascinating for your baby and they will try and touch it and copy your expressions. So less frowns and more happy faces from your end is the key to a happy baby.
Assisting your child’s motor skills
- Giving them toys that can be picked up and easily moved around will improve their dexterity.
- 6 month old babies can start learning swimming as well. They are natural at it and learn quickly at this stage.
Final thoughts
Many people consider the 6 month milestones a major turning point in a baby’s development. Many parents get stressed over if their baby has not reached the 6 month milestones. But remember, all babies are different, and they may have a different growth story.
This is the best time for you to play and enjoy with your baby. 6 month old babies are usually very happy and giggly and they are not yet mobile, so they cannot get into trouble yet.
So stop worrying; your baby is growing happily. In the meantime you can celebrate your baby’s half birthday. You deserve some cake too!
Khushboo Kirale
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