Your infant is halfway to a year already and showtime to notice that there's a fascinating world out at that place just waiting to be explored.

And that means the days of being able to plop your baby down in the middle of the floor, secure that he volition stay there, are numbered.

This is the month y'all'll outset your baby on solids if you haven't already, and as well when your babe can start sitting upwards ameliorate. It may besides have infant's first tooth in shop!

Here's what else your vi-month-old is doing.

Your six-month-sometime infant's evolution

At a Glance

Sleeping basics

At this historic period, babies typically sleep about 11 hours at night (many direct through) and have effectually 2 daily naps that add together upwards to three to iv hours, though it tin can vary.

Feeding basics

Now's the time to get-go solids! Introduce 1 to two tablespoons to 3 to nine tablespoons of cereal, fruit and vegetables, plus around 24 to thirty ounces (upwards to 32 to 36 ounces at most) of chest milk or formula a day.

Did y'all know?

Babies typically sit down unsupported somewhere around the historic period of 6 to half dozen½ months old. Just there'south a wide range of normal when information technology comes to when babies master the skill.

What's keeping baby busy these days in the milestone and development department? Plenty!

If he's like half of all babies, he'll likely be able to sit down upward without support. The "boilerplate" baby sits unsupported somewhere around half dozen½ months.

Some very normal babies start sitting at 4 months and others await until as late every bit the 9-month-marker. But he'll almost definitely be able to sit well in a high chair, which is perfect timing since he'll be eating solids in earnest at present.

Your baby will probably be able to acquit weight on his legs when held upright and may even be gear up to striking the road at a crawl (though babies who spend little time on their tummies during playtime may reach this milestone later — or skip straight to cruising — and that'south non crusade for concern).

Some fiddling acrobats can pull themselves into a standing position or get into a sitting position when placed on their tummies.

Stimulating your now-older babe requires new activities and toys that will help boost large and small motor skills as well as social, intellectual and language skills.

Think stacking toys and games (ones with different-size rings or multi-colored cubes), toys that encourage crawling (cars, trains and assurance that roll, light upwards and make music) roly-poly toys (they right themselves when rolled over), toys that encourage pulling upwardly to continuing (brand sure they're sturdy!) and of class, colorful lath books that volition keep your baby entertained.

Your half-dozen-month-sometime babe's growth

Who'southward making great strides in the growth section? Your 6-calendar month-old baby is!

Cheers to a continuing nutrition of breast milk or formula (around 24 to thirty ounces a 24-hour interval) and solids (ranging from almost i to ii tablespoons to three to ix tablespoons of cereal, proteins, fruit and vegetables each per day), your baby will weigh in somewhere between 13 and 23 pounds and measure somewhere between 24 and 29 inches if he'southward a boy.

If y'all have a lilliputian daughter, she volition hitting the scales somewhere between 12 and 22 pounds and mensurate somewhere between 23 and 28 inches.

When feeding your cutie to fuel all that incredible growth, think to pay attention to dietary do's and don'ts, such as introducing new foods one at a fourth dimension and fugitive certain foods birthday (steer clear of beloved until afterwards his commencement birthday, for instance).

Your 6-calendar month-old baby'south health

Time for baby'southward six-calendar month well-baby visit, and likely, his showtime flu shot.

The 6-month well-babe visit

Go fix to hear all well-nigh what your baby will do adjacent at the half-dozen-month well-baby visit, where baby will get another round of vaccines and y'all'll learn more than about his growth and evolution, along with which milestones he'southward hitting and those to come. Read More

Time for a flu shot

Babies should go the influenza shot every yr (by the terminate of October, if possible), starting at the historic period of 6 months. Baby's get-go vaccine volition need ii doses: the showtime 1 "primes" the immune system, and the 2d one provides immune protection. Read More

Should you socialize your baby?

Before the age of three, babies go nigh of the social date they demand past being around their parents, siblings and caregivers. Early on, you can help your baby'south social evolution by doing pare-to-pare contact, reading him stories and cuddling. Read More than

How to protect baby in the common cold

Y'all can take your petty one out in the common cold, but be aware that babies are more susceptible to common cold atmospheric condition than bigger kids. Try dressing your little one in a jumpsuit sleeper outfit, a long-sleeved shirt and pants and a snow suit (or bunting). Read More

Postpartum & new baby tips

Introducing sippy cups

At about the six-month marking, you tin can brainstorm introducing your babe to a sippy loving cup.

Starting at this time means your babe may accept the cup more than readily and it will requite him enough of time to master it before you need to completely wean him from the breast or bottle.

At first, he'll exercise lilliputian more play with the loving cup (and sputter and spit as you dribble a few drops into his mouth). Just soon he'll learn that his fascinating new toy can be a source of delicious drinks.

To help him brand the jump, outset with a lightweight, unbreakable plastic cup. You lot may need to try a few different shapes, sizes and styles before you hit on the 1 he likes best.

If you cull a cup with a spout, remove the spill-complimentary valve before y'all offer it to your baby. It will exist messier, but he'll get the thought of drinking much more rapidly.

Most babies can't yet muster the powerful suck they demand to become liquid through the valve (plus studies show that extended use of a sippy cup can pb to tooth decay because of the style the liquid is extracted and then pools in the mouth).

Serve upward water first — it's the easiest, least messy selection.

Your speaking 6-month-former

Your baby'due south language skills are soaring. He isn't ready to form words, but he'll happily practise making lots of sounds, imitating what he hears.

And he'll use his growing repertoire of sounds and movements to let you lot know what's on his heed (whether you can understand what he'southward getting at is another story).

With his burgeoning communication skills ripe for the learning, now's a good time to begin educational activity him some simple sign language.

He'll shortly connect your manus movements with the wants and needs he'due south trying to express ("more," "eat," "milk," "all done"), and it won't exist long before your baby tin make the signals himself.

He too loves games and finger-plays like itsy bitsy spider and patty-cake — or whatsoever silly vocal or audio you care to repeat (and repeat and echo). Don't be surprised if your baby tries to chime in on the chorus.

When it comes to dining, brand room for baby considering he'll probably want to belly up to the table now when you're sitting downwardly to a meal, and he can safely begin eating solid (well, teeny, mushy and/or goopy) food.

He'll continue to get the vast bulk of his nutrients from breast milk or formula, so don't pay too much attention to whether the tidbits on his plate actually make it into his tummy.

His meals now are more for learning (minor-motor skills, swallowing!) than for calories and nutrition, although you should, of course, offer him nutritious foods.

Y'all might also want to stock up on paper towels as he digs in — and flings every other bite!

Stopping night waking

Has baby been waking up often during the night?

Start, make sure he finishes his terminal feeding of the evening before dropping off to sleep and that he's getting enough to eat throughout the day likewise.

You might even try gently waking him but before you lot go to bed for an extra feeding.

The idea is to maximize the number of calories he takes in during your waking hours, so he doesn't need to interrupt your sleep — and his — for more food.

If he continues waking, chances are at this stage that he's searching for comfort. So instead of offer the breast or bottle correct away, nourish to him in other loving ways, similar patting him or cuddling him.

Another disincentive to those dark feedings: Make those undesired night feedings, well, undesirable, by shortening nursing sessions or cutting back the formula in his bottle.

2nd, get in boring. Don't give your baby the idea that nighttime is playtime. Dim the lights (or turn them off completely where you can), and proceed bubbly conversations and sing-songs to a minimum. Soft lullabies are the exception!

And unless his diaper is especially muddy or sodden (or if he'due south decumbent to rashes), leave information technology on until morn — even a diaper change is just too much action!

Nutrients for baby

Vitamins, minerals and fatty acids boost your baby from top to bottom, promoting healthy brain and nerve development, as well every bit proper performance and development of his eyes, skin, immune function and more.

The secret to getting them into your fiddling 1'southward diet: Feed him the rainbow!

Carrots and sugariness potatoes are loaded with vitamin A; greenish veggies, bananas and beans are packed with B vitamins.

Plow to tomatoes, strawberries and cantaloupe for C; and cereal and grains for E.

If baby drinks bathroom water

You may cringe if you come across your little one chugging bathroom water that's dirty or (worse) has been peed in.

But don't worry: Dirty bath water (and your infant's pee) doesn't incorporate anything his body hasn't already been exposed to and therefore won't make him sick.

A flake more than of a business is the soap in the water. If you're using products made for infants and kids, y'all take nothing to fret nigh. Merely if you used an adult shampoo, bubble bath or essential oil, y'all might want to requite the Poison Control Eye a call (800-222-1222) to see if y'all should expect any diarrhea or an upset tummy, depending on how much your niggling mischief gulped down.

All the same, your lilliputian bather would need to guzzle a whole lot of bath h2o to go really sick. If it'southward merely a sip or 2, there'southward no need to disrupt the routine.

Exercise with baby

Here are two fun ways to practice with your niggling one.

1) Trip the light fantastic with your darling to some favorite tunes (yous won't even notice you're getting in a workout!). And non merely will your little one love the move, you lot'll besides foster a passion for music. (No head-banging, Mommy, no affair how radical the vocal might be … and don't pump upward the volume too much — tiny ears are extra sensitive.)

ii) Stream a video. There are enough of postnatal videos for moms to choose from these days but even a Barney film has enough singing and dancing to do the trick. (Simply because that big, lovable dinosaur is purple and sappy doesn't mean the kids' Television set star can't inspire some calorie-burning movement!)

Expect what your 6-calendar month-one-time can do!

It's halftime in your baby's starting time twelvemonth (wow, already?), and your little one may exist sitting on his own, eating solid foods and peradventure even sporting his start tiny tooth.

He'll be working harder than ever at communicating with you — and commanding your attention (then put down your cellphone and start giving infant his due).

Physically, your 6-month-old babe is moving closer to moving around (if he isn't already). He tin probably roll over from both front to back and back to front, and he may surprise you past wriggling all over the room this way.

Presently, your infant may begin to clamber, or to set for all-fours forays by hoisting himself up on easily and knees and rocking backward and forward (or oft, only hilariously back — diaper-starting time into the nearest corner).

He probably enjoys beingness held in a standing position and so he can bounciness up and downward (this mini-workout is strengthening those leg muscles to prepare them for the real thing: walking).

If you place baby in a sitting position, he may be able to hold himself upright. From hither, he'll dearest grabbing anything he tin can get his paws on — and stuffing information technology straight into his mouth.

Make certain he has plenty of safe toys to chew on, because mouthing objects is one of the wacky yet wonderful ways he learns about the world around him.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, writer ofWhat to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Look follows strict reporting guidelines and uses just credible sources, such equally peer-reviewed studies, bookish research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how nosotros keep our content accurate and up-to-engagement by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

  • What to Expect the Start Twelvemonth, third edition, Heidi Murkoff.
  • WhatToExpect.com, The half-dozen-Month Well-Infant Visit, February 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Influenza Vaccine (The Flu Shot) for Babies and Children, December 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, When Exercise Babies Sit Up?, March 2019.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Baby Teeth Chart, Types and Order of Advent, Dec 2018.
  • WhatToExpect.com, When Do Babies Start Teething?, April 2018.
  • WhatToExpect.com, When Do Babies Crawl?, Nov 2018.
  • WhatToExpect.com, How to Promote a Baby's Social and Emotional Development, October 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, How to Protect Babies and Toddlers From Extreme Cold, April 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, When Is Your Child Likewise Sick for Day Care?, October 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, How Much Should My Baby Eat?, April 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Here'south How Much Sleep Babies Demand, June 2020.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics, Emotional and Social Development: four to 7 Months, August 2009.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics, Language Evolution: 4 to 7 Months, August 2009.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics, Movement: 4 to 7 Months, August 2009.
  • American Dental Association, Baby Teeth, 2020.

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