Your little love has changed so much over the past 6 months—and their skills are getting even more impressive. And more changes are coming for your 6-month-old baby, from starting solids to working on self-soothing and starting to crawl. It’s all happening, but try to savor this sweet time, too. Here’s what else to know about your baby’s health and growth this month.
Related: 6-month-old baby milestones
After nothing but breast milk or formula for the first six months, it’s finally time to start solid foods. There are a few different approaches to take when introducing solids: start with spoon-fed purees, go the baby-led weaning (BLW) route or use a combination of the methods. But is your little one ready for that avocado or banana? Here’s how to tell.
How to know when your baby is ready to start solid foods, according to AAP:
For now, your baby should still be getting most of their calories from breast milk or formula, and solid food should be considered introductory. As the saying goes, “Food before 1 is just for fun.”
The AAP and La Leche League (LLL) recommend the following feeding timeline and amounts for 6-month-olds:
Read more: 6-month-old baby feeding schedule & amounts
While offering solids, the recommended serving sizes for a 6-month-old are:
Aim to introduce one “single-ingredient” new food from any food group every 3 to 5 days, and watch for any reactions. Foods should be prepared with no added salt, as too much salt can overwhelm your baby’s kidneys, and texture is important—stick to softer foods that baby can gum or easily chew. Nothing too hard just yet!
Related: How to safely—and deliciously—start solids with your baby
A note on rice cereal, puffs and teething crackers
The FDA and CDC recommend avoiding rice cereal and rice-based products for infants, as rice-based baby foods have been found to be contaminated with arsenic, a heavy metal. Babies’ developing brains may be more susceptible to harm from even low levels of heavy metal toxins.
Lead, arsenic and other heavy metals such as cadmium have also been found in high amounts in some baby food purees—and even in homemade baby food. Some amount of heavy metals exist in the natural environment, but there are ways to reduce your child’s exposure.
Related: 5 tips on making safe, brain-boosting baby food at home
For babies up to 2 years of age, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend using the World Health Organization (WHO) weight and length charts.
The WHO growth charts for babies 0 to 2 years are based on what is standard for a predominantly breastfed infant. According to the organization, the WHO charts reflect growth patterns among children who were predominantly breastfed for at least 4 months and were still breastfeeding at 12 months. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends continuing to breastfeed for at least two years, as long as it benefits both mother and baby.
For the first six months, your little one was in a period of rapid growth, and has likely now more than doubled their birth weight. For the next half of their first year, that growth will slow down a bit. That means they’ll no longer gain an ounce of weight per day, but they’re still growing, of course.
According to the WHO:
Your baby’s weight may be a factor of how much milk they’re getting, their assigned sex and their activity levels.
Assigned sex at birth: Male babies tend to gain weight slightly faster than female babies.
Daily milk intake: The amount your baby takes in at each feeding plays a role in their weight.
Activity levels: Your little one may be able to roll in both directions, sit without support and working on crawling this month. Baby’s activity levels may factor into their overall weight, as physical activity helps build strong muscles and bones.
Related: Activities for a 6-month-old: Fostering baby’s development
In month six, you can expect your baby to grow less rapidly as in previous months, but they’ll still add another ½ inch to ¾ inch (1 to 2 centimeters) in length.
According to the WHO:
Your baby’s growth depends on many factors, including family genes, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, overall health, and the functioning of the hormones that control growth. For length (or height), specifically, the biggest factor tends to be hereditary: if a baby’s parents are tall, the baby is likely to be tall too.
Since birth, your child’s pediatrician has been plotting their weight, length and head circumference on a growth chart (see the examples below). Growth charts illustrate how your baby has grown over time and show how a baby’s weight or length may be compared to that of other babies who are the same age.
For example, let’s say your baby’s weight is in the 35th percentile. That means that 65% of babies of the same age and sex weigh more, and 35% of babies weigh less. All babies grow at their own pace. Babies can be healthy whether they’re in the 5th percentile or 95th.
A big growth spurt is likely coming this month, as there are some major developmental leaps that are expected to take place around now (growth spurts sometimes go hand in hand with developmental milestones). Don’t be surprised if your busy 6-month-old seems hungrier or fussier than usual.
Extra crankiness and hunger are both signs of growth spurts, which typically last anywhere from a few days up to a week.
Babies at 6 months will likely still need one nighttime feed, but now’s a good time to work on self-soothing if they’re waking more than once to eat (outside of growth spurts).
At your baby’s 6-month well-check this month, ask your pediatrician if you can see their growth chart. A growth curve should be visible, and the doctor will be checking to make sure your child is exhibiting steady, sustained growth over time. If they’re concerned about your baby’s growth, they’ll let you know.
At home, you can keep an eye on your baby’s growth and development, too, taking note if they seem especially stiff or floppy in their movements or aren’t getting close to meeting their 6-month developmental milestones. If you notice these signs in your baby, be sure to bring it up with their pediatrician.
There’s a lot happening in your baby’s world this month, and you might expect some sleep changes as a result. Around 6 months is the time when many babies officially drop to three naps per day, and their sleep naturally starts to consolidate, says Rachel Mitchell, sleep consultant and founder of My Sweet Sleeper.
But babies under 12 months should still aim to get 12-16 hours of sleep per 24 hours. The Journal of Nature and Science of Sleep also adds that most commonly, sleep for a six-month-old baby averages more in the 13-14 hour per day range.
What baby sleep looks like at 6 months:
Your lovebug may also be ready to work on self-soothing in the middle of the night—see if you can hold off on rushing in (unless they’re really distressed) to help facilitate this process.
Read more: How much sleep does a 6-month-old baby need?
Given that your little one will be branching out in terms of their food intake this month, you can expect some changes to occur when it comes to their diaper contents. The addition of more fat and fiber will cause your baby’s poop to become more formed—and maybe a bit more smelly than you’re used to. Otherwise, you should still expect around 5 to 8 wet diapers per day, and a regular bowel movement schedule of one or more poops per day.
Skipping a day or two usually isn’t cause for concern, but if you’re worried about their stool frequency, a quick check-in with the pediatrician can’t hurt to prevent potential constipation from getting worse.
Your baby will have their 6-month well-check this month, at which they’ll receive the next round of the same vaccines they received at their 4-month appointment. It’s important to keep your child on schedule with regard to their childhood vaccinations so that they can receive vaccine-provided immunity early in life, before they come into contact with potentially life-threatening diseases.
Your baby will likely receive the following vaccines at their 6-month checkup:
Related: Questions about the Covid vaccine for kids? We’ve got answers
Your baby becomes eligible for a flu vaccine and a Covid vaccine once they turn 6 months old. Both of these vaccines can help prevent severe disease or hospitalization in your infant should they contract the illness. If you have questions or concerns, be sure to speak with your child’s pediatrician.
If you’ve been holding off on using soap for your infant, once they hit 6 months is a good time to start incorporating some suds into your bathtime routine. Now that baby is moving and cruising a bit more, and getting a little (or a lot) dirtier, gentle soap can boost the fresh-and-clean factor.
However, daily baths still aren’t a necessity. The AAP recommends no more than three baths per week in the first year, and they suggest keeping bathtime relatively short—just 10 to 15 minutes. If your little one enjoys them, baths before bed can make for a relaxing wind-down, for both of you.
From baby’s first toothbrush to coughs, sniffles and general safety, here’s what to know about caring for a 6-month-old baby.
Have you seen baby’s first tooth poke through yet? Once those first pearly whites make an appearance, it’s time to start an oral hygiene routine. A baby-friendly toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste are all you need—use an amount the size of a grain of rice until they’re 3 years old. Brushing twice a day, once after breakfast and once before bed, can help them establish healthy teeth habits well into the future. Wondering if it’s time for baby’s first dentist appointment? Your little one should see a dentist by the time they turn 1, or within 6 months of getting their first tooth, AAP says.
Most children get anywhere from eight to 10 colds by the time they turn 2—and if your little one has started daycare, it may seem like you’re seeing a new illness come home every other week. Rest assured that most colds go away or resolve by themselves and rarely lead to anything else. The key is to follow your pediatrician’s advice when illness strikes and help your baby stay comfortable, well hydrated and well rested.
Babies at 6 months old are especially curious about their environment, and with their newfound gross motor skills (sitting up, rolling over) and fine motor skills (passing objects from hand to hand, bringing objects to their mouth), they’re likely to reach for more things—and potentially get into objects or places they shouldn’t.
“Parents need to be more careful about being safe with the baby,” says Ben Levinson, MD, a primary care pediatrician with Nationwide Children’s Hospital, to Verywell Family. “For instance, don’t leave a baby on a changing table or bed where they could roll-off. They also will put everything in their mouth at this age, so watch out for poisonous and small things.”
Baby gates, play yards and closely supervised playtime can be super important at this stage.
Allowing your baby to safely explore their space while ensuring their safety is paramount.
Related: How to keep baby safe: Your complete list for babyproofing
It can be bittersweet watching your tiny infant transform into a bubbly, busy 6-month-old baby—packing away tiny onesies and toys from their newborn stage can fill you with nostalgia, but take heart that there’s so much joy in the here and now, too. Welcoming in this new era of exploration and engagement can be so rewarding. And we hope that you’re starting to get some more nighttime sleep as well, which can make caring for an infant so much easier. If you’re struggling, mama, reach out for mental health support in the form of therapy or medication. Postpartum depression can set in anytime in the first year after birth—and help is out there.
If you’re experiencing any postpartum mood symptoms, no matter how mild, know that help is available. Reach out to your healthcare provider about next steps and potential treatment options, such as more support at home, therapy or medication. If you’re in crisis, reach out to a crisis hotline or dial 988 or 911 for immediate support.
The phone numbers listed below are available 24/7 to help you with suicidal thoughts or other mental health crises.
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