Congratulations! You’re halfway through your child’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 months old baby.

Growth
At six months, your baby’s growth will still be slow. On average, your child 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 thing 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 vision nears that of an adult
• Swiping at things with open fingers, which advance to a pincher grip

Brain
Your baby will start:
• Making frustrated and happy sounds
• Imitating sounds
• Replying when spoken to
• Recognizing 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 in a mirror
• Babbling consonant sounds, like “b” or “m”
• Responding to his name

Starting solid food
Babies at 6 months old are considered ready for solid food! But it doesn’t mean you should begin feeding your child with solids as soon as possible.
It’s important to follow your child’s cues to know if he’s ready for food. Pediatricians suggest looking for these signs in your baby:
• Opening his mouth when food is near
• Taking food using a spoon into his mouth
• Showing interest in food
• Weighs about 16.6 lb

Health and safety
At six months, take your child to receive the listed vaccines:
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
• Whooping cough, Diphtheria, and tetanus
• Influenza (flu)
• Pneumococcal (PCV)
• Polio (IPV)
• Rotavirus (RV)
The side effects of these immunizations aren’t severe and may include redness at the injection area, sleepiness, fussiness, a mild fever. If your six month-old baby has a severe reaction to any vaccine, consult your doctor immediately

Teething
Your child may start teething at six months (that’s if he hasn’t already). Your child’s doctor will ask you to (monitor your baby’s teething symptoms and give medication for the pain (if necessary). Also, the doctor will tell you to begin oral hygiene. Your child may not have any teeth yet, but brushing is still essential.

This age is a time to enjoy your baby, it’s a special time in your baby’s life. At this age, babies love to play and are generally happy.

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