Baby's Six Month Check-up
by Annie Wiesman
Nov 15, 2018
And just like that, you are half-way through Baby’s first year! Baby’s six month check-up is coming up and it’s time to think about what the pediatrician will be looking for during this well-check.
Things seem to be changing daily at this stage and it can feel like your little one can do something new every time you turn around. Hopefully you are getting a little more sleep now and are enjoying that tiny emerging personality.
Your Baby’s 6 Month Check-up
What to Expect at Baby’s Six Month Doctor Visit
As you remember from the four-month appointment, the doctor will continue to measure your baby’s height, weight and head to make sure her physical development is on track.
The doctor will likely ask various questions about additional physical developments, as well as cognitive and emotional developments.
A six month old baby typically:
- Recognizes familiar faces and begins to respond with fear or crying if someone is a stranger
- Likes to play with and responds to other people’s emotions
- Enjoys looking at herself in the mirror
- Reacts to sounds by making own sounds
- “Converses” with parent by taking turns making babbling sounds using some vowels and consonants (for example, “mamama”, “bababa”)
- Shows recognition of own name
- Shows joy and displeasure by making specific sounds
- Looks at things nearby
- Reaches for things, pulls toward self and holds with whole hand
- Explores things by putting them in the mouth
- Begins to pass things from one hand to the other
- Rolls over from back to front and front to back
- Begins to sit without support
- Begins to scoot backward
- When standing with support, may bounce up and down
Your child will also receive the next round of vaccinations that she received at previous appointments. They may include:
- DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis)
- Hib (haemophilus influenzae type b)
- IPV (polio)
- PCV (pneumococcal)
- HepB (hepatitis B)
- RV (rotavirus)
- Influenza
Questions to Ask the Doctor
If you haven’t yet introduced solid food into Baby’s diet, you may want to know about how to get started. Other questions may include:
- How much solid food should she be getting?
- How much breast milk or formula in relation to solid food should I be feeding my baby?
- How often should I be feeding Baby?
- What if she spits out food?
- What should I do if we have food allergies in our family?
- What things should I look for in an allergic reaction?
- Should I give vitamin supplements?
- What if Baby is rolling over at night onto the tummy?
- What should I be aware of when my baby starts teething?
- How much should my baby be sleeping in a 24 hour period?
What’s Next for Your Baby’s Well-Visit Schedule
Baby’s next well visit will be at nine months. She will continue to grow and change just as rapidly over the next three months as she has done in the last six. As her world and abilities expand, she may even be pulling herself up on the couch and walking around the furniture by the next visit.
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Annie Wiesman
Annie Wiesman is the co-author of “Education Begins at Birth: A Parent’s Guide to Preparing Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers for Kindergarten.” She is a former kindergarten teacher turned stay-at-home mom who enjoys traveling, hiking in the mountains, and creating memories together with her husband and little girl.
