Who says birthdays should only be celebrated every twelve months? When it comes to babies, there’s always a cause for celebration: and there’s no better reason to break out the balloons and party hats than hitting that sixth-month milestone! And since birthdays come with lots of surprises, your baby’s “half-birthday”—or “halfie!”—is no exception! Here are some milestones to expect:
- Let’s get physical!
Crawling, bouncing, rolling—yep, the party’s really getting started! At six months, your little one is starting to attempt to crawl: at first scooting backward, before moving forward.
They’ll also start rolling over in both directions, so make sure all cribs, play, and sleep areas are baby-proofed.
Encourage your little one’s physical development by holding lots of supervised “tummy time” sessions, so he can kick and move.
By now, they can support their own weight on their legs to bounce on your lap, and also sit up unsupported (perfect for those “Halfie Birthday” celebration photoshoots!)
- New schedule, who’s this?
Babies who have been sleeping through the night might experience “sleep regression,” where they have a hard time going to bed, or keep waking up fussy in the middle of the night.
The culprit may be all the physical activity they do during the day, such as sitting up, rolling, and crawling. All that activity can be exhausting, and babies will normally take longer nap times to recharge—which in turn, could mean longer waking hours at night! Don’t worry, these disruptions are just a phase. Power through this phase by trying to nap when your little one naps.
Teething can also cause extra fussiness, so get those gum massagers and cold pacifiers ready to soothe the pain away. Steer clear from frozen teethers though, as they can bruise your little one’s delicate gums!
- Can we talk?
From laughing, to cooing, to babbling: your baby is starting to be quite the talker!
This is the age when they start to respond to their name, and will string along vowels as they babble (“ma,” “pa,” “wa, “eh.”) Expect your little one to start making sounds to express joy, anger, displeasure…or just to make random conversation!
Encourage them to build their language and communication skills by listening and responding to her babbling. Talking and describing everyday things (“We’re going for a walk!”) will also help in building their own vocabulary and understanding of words.
- Hello, smarty-pants!
Your baby’s world is definitely getting wider: and she’ll use her hands and mouth to explore it!
Babies at this age will start to reach and grab objects, mostly placing them in their mouths. Encourage these motor skills by playing with a variety of noise-making objects and toys within batting range.
Your little one will also start “problem-solving,” like looking at the direction of a toy that she dropped (signaling that she knows it fell,) or staring at herself in the mirror (“Is that me, or another baby?”)
- Meeting the world.
Your baby’s social and emotional skills are starting to kick into high gear.
He now recognizes and responds happily to familiar faces, and will want to play more often with those he’s familiar with. Expect her to express a wide range of emotions: happiness, pleasure, sadness, and anger.
He’s also more attuned to the world around him, as he’s starting to distinguish when his caretakers are happy, mad, or stressed. Use this time to talk to your baby in the right tone when introducing new things to him (this also helps with his vocabulary skills.)
Play games such as “peek-a-boo,” which also teaches him about object permanence (just because they can’t see certain things—in this case, your smiling face—they still exist.)
- New diet!
When she’s able to sit up with little to no support, has good head control, and leans forward with her mouth open when food is offered, then your baby is ready to eat! First foods should always be single-ingredient meals, and must be pureed or mashed to prevent choking.
Try mashed banana or avocado; or steam and puree sweet potato or carrots (make sure they are cool before feeding!) When introducing new food, feed the same kind for three to five days, to ensure that your baby isn’t allergic to any of the ingredients. From there, you can start mixing and matching two ingredients, like apples with bananas, or bananas
with blended oatmeal.
Of course, it’s important to note that good nutrition is needed for your little one’s overall development, so picking the best ingredients and food sources is key! You can take the guesswork out of meal prep by purchasing ready-made baby food made of single ingredients.
A brand like GERBER ® is a good pick, as they have over 90 years’ worth of expertise in the baby food industry. They use only 100% fruits and vegetables in each jar, free of preservatives, and with no added sugar or salt. Added bonus: you can easily purchase them on Lazada for hassle-free delivery, with added deals and freebies!
Want to learn more about your little one’s six-month milestones? Watch our Gerber Facebook Live event, or click here to visit GERBER ®’s Mom & Me page for more tips!
GERBER® and GERBER® Organic are not considered breastmilk substitutes. Infants age six months should be given fresh, indigenous, and natural foods in combination with continued breastfeeding.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kids Health, verywellfamily, Grow by WebMD, whattoexpect.com, raisingchildren.net.au, HealthyFamiliesBC.ca, whattoexpect.com (2), helpmegrowmn.com, parentingscience.com, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2), nhs.uk
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