Congratulations! You’re halfway through your baby’s first year. No doubt, watching your baby grow to a happy 6-month-old is fulfilling. At six months, expect a lot of new developments, like babbling, solid feeding, and sitting up. This guide shows what to expect from your 6-month-old baby.

Growth

At six months, your baby’s growth will still be slow.  On average, your baby will gain more than twice its birth weight. This age also signifies many notable developmental milestones for your baby.

Body

Your baby will start:

• Passing things from one hand to another
• Sitting without help
• Rolling from front back to front, and front to back
• Bouncing while standing
• Scooting backward
• Crawling
• Seeing well across a room, as his or her vision mirrors that of an adult
• Swiping at things with open fingers, which might advance to a pincher grip

Brain

Your baby will start:

• Making frustrated and happy sounds
• Imitating sounds
• Replying when spoken to
• Recognising known faces
• Responding to strangers with crying, fear, or reaching back for you or a caregiver
• Stringing vowel sounds like ‘oh’, ‘eh’ and ‘ah’ when talking
• Looking at a mirror
• Babbling consonant sounds such as ‘b’ or ‘m’
• Responding to his or her name

Starting on Solid Food

Babies at 6 months old are considered ready for solid food! Fret not, don’t be too quick to introduce solids to your baby just yet! It’s important to follow your baby’s cues to know if he or she is ready for food. Pediatricians suggest looking for these signs in your baby:

• Opening his or her mouth when food is near
• Taking food with a spoon, and bringing it into his or her mouth
• Showing interest in food
• Weighs about 16.6 lb (around 7.6kg)

Health and Safety

At six months, take your baby to receive the listed vaccines:

• Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib)
• Whooping cough, Diptheria, and tetanus
• Influenza (flu)
• Pneumococcal (PCV)
• Polio (PCV)
• Rotavirus (RV)

The side effects of these immunisations aren’t severe and may include redness at the injection area, sleepiness, fussiness and a mild fever. If your six-month-old baby has a severe reaction to any vaccine, consult your doctor immediately

Teething

Your baby may start teething at six months (that’s if he or she hasn’t already). Your pediatrician will ask you to monitor your baby’s teething symptoms and give medication for the pain (if necessary). The doctor will tell you to begin oral hygiene even though no teeth can be seen yet as brushing is still essential.

Enjoy your time with your baby as they often love to play at this age!