Baby Development: Your 6-Month-Old

Medically Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on January 15, 2022
5 min read

You may find it hard to believe, but you’ve made it halfway through your infant’s first year! In just six short months, your baby has started to learn how to communicate and to eat solid foods.

This portion of WebMD’s month-by-month guide provides a few of the baby milestones you can expect your child to achieve in the sixth month.

During the first few months of life, your baby was growing at a rate of about 1 ½ to 2 pounds a month. By now, they should have at least doubled their birth weight. At six months, baby’s growth will slow to about 1 pound a month. Height gain will also slow, to about a half-inch each month.

Your baby may be starting to sit up alone by six months. To get ready, babies first prop themselves up with their hands, but over time they can start to let go and sit unsupported.

Your 6-month-old can probably roll from their back to their stomach and vice versa. Some babies can propel themselves around the floor using this rolling method. Or, they may creep forward or backward -- sliding around on their tummies while pushing against the floor. You may notice your baby rise up on hands and knees and rock back and forth.

Most babies are sleeping six to eight hours at a stretch by six months. When babies at this age have trouble falling or staying asleep, some parents turn to a method developed by pediatrician Richard Ferber. The Ferber Method, as it is known, involves putting your baby into the crib while they are still awake. If your baby cries, wait for a progressively longer period of time each night before going in to provide comfort. This method works well for some families, but you may need to experiment with several different sleep methods before you find the one that works best for you.

Now that your baby can roll over independently, don’t be alarmed if you put them to sleep on their back and they wake up on their tummy. The risk of SIDS is much lower at six months than it was in the first few months of life. Still, it’s a good idea to keep stuffed animals, pillows, crib bumpers, and other soft items out of the crib for now.

You may notice that your baby’s eyes have changed from their birth color. Lighter-colored eyes may go through several shifts before settling on their final shade at about six months. If your baby still has blue eyes now, chances are they’ll stay that way permanently.

The nerves in babies' mouths are much better developed than their fingertips, so placing anything -- and everything -- into the mouth can provide babies with more information than holding something. Babies may suck on their thumbs, fingers, and even their toes to soothe themselves, especially when they're hungry or tired.

If you haven’t started your baby on solid foods already, your pediatrician will likely recommend that you do so at six months. Begin with an iron-fortified cereal mixed with breast milk or formula. As your baby adjusts to solids, introduce pureed fruits and vegetables one at a time. Wait a few days each time you try something new to make sure they aren’t allergic to it.

If your baby doesn’t seem to like a new food, wait a few days and then try it again. Babies are fickle creatures and their tastes can change from one day to the next.

Introduce foods one at a time to be able to monitor for any reactions such as rash, diarrhea, or vomiting. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there is no evidence that introducing foods such as eggs and fish after 4-6 months of age increases the risk of food allergies; the AAP recommends introducing allergenic foods early in most cases. However, wait to give your baby honey until at least age 1, because it can carry the bacteria that cause botulism. Cow’s milk should also not be given until your baby is at least 1 year old, although products made with cow’s milk, such as yogurt or soft cheese, are fine.

 

Your 6-month-old baby should be smiling, laughing, and babbling away (“ma-ma,” “ba-ba”). To help them learn the language, read stories together every night.

Babies at this age are starting to recognize the people and things around them. Your baby will start to feel comfortable with the familiar -- mommy, daddy, grandma, and grandpa, as well as a few of their favorite toys. You might see the first signs of fear when they are with strange people or in new situations.

You may be lucky enough to have a friend or relative nearby to babysit. If not, here are a few tips for choosing a safe and trustworthy childcare provider:

  • Visit several childcare centers. Spend as much time as possible at each one to get a feel for what your baby might experience there. If you’re able, drop in unannounced so you can see how the center runs when they’re not prepared for a visit.
  • Check to make sure that the facility provides a clean, safe environment. There should be no obvious safety hazards -- such as dangling cords, open outlets, or small toys -- and emergency procedures should be clearly posted.
  • Ask about the ratio of staff members to children. The fewer children per staff member, the better. Each state’s requirement for licensed childcare centers varies, but most stipulate no more than three to six babies for every one childcare worker.
  • Find out about the background of every person who will be watching your child. Make sure the facility conducts careful background checks of all their employees, from the childcare workers to the maintenance people.
  • Ask to look at the written policies that explain when a child may or may not attend day care because of being sick, including rashes, a fever or diarrhea.
  • Find out what the requirements are for vaccinations.
  • Ask what foods you should provide for your baby and what foods might be supplied by the day care. If you want to supply all of your baby's food, ask if that is acceptable and what you need to provide.

  • Be on the lookout for signs that your baby is not hitting important milestones, like babbling, sitting unassisted, smiling, making eye contact, or responding to sounds. If you’re concerned they have missed any milestone, call your pediatrician.
  • Some babies bang their heads or rock their bodies. It's normal, provided they aren't hurting themselves or doing it for hours at a time.
  • Play peek-a-boo and similar games with your baby. It will help teach the idea of object permanence -- that objects still exist, even when they’re out of sight.
  • Place toys just out of reach on the floor to encourage your baby to start crawling.
  • If you have older children, make sure to put away toys with tiny pieces to prevent your baby from choking.