6-Month Milestones: Solids, Sitting, and Self-Feeding Skills

At 6 months old, your baby is hitting some exciting milestones—especially when it comes to breastfeeding, starting solids, and physical development. This age brings a blend of big energy, big curiosity, and big messes.

Here’s what to expect, how to support your little one, and some encouragement as you move through this next phase.

🍼 Breastfeeding Milestones

• Increased Interest in Solid Foods:
  Many babies begin to show interest in solid foods around this time, but breast milk or formula is still their primary source of nutrition. While they may start exploring tastes and textures, milk remains the main event.

• More Efficient Feeding:
  Your baby may now be able to latch more easily and finish a feed more quickly. Their coordination of sucking, swallowing, and breathing has improved.

• More Active During Feedings:
  This is the age when babies get really wiggly at the breast. They may stop and start, turn to look around, or pull off to smile.
  ✨ It doesn’t mean they’re weaning or disinterested—it just means it’s hard to keep their busy little bodies still!

💪 Physical Development Milestones

• Rolling Over:
  Many babies begin confidently rolling both from back to tummy and tummy to back.

• Sitting with Support:
  Your baby may sit for short periods with a pillow or your hand helping them stay steady.

• Reaching & Grasping:
  Expect lots of grabbing, mouthing, and object-passing between hands. They’re improving coordination and exploring textures.

• Improved Head Control:
  Most babies can hold their head steady while sitting and during tummy time.

• Pushing Up on Arms:
  During tummy time, you may see them pushing up with straight arms and lifting their chest. This builds the upper body strength needed for crawling.

• Weight Bearing on Legs:
  When you hold them upright, they may press their feet into the floor and bounce—early signs of future standing and walking skills.

🍽️ Starting Solids: Signs of Readiness

Your baby may be ready for solids if they can:

• Sit upright with minimal support

• Hold their head steady

• Have lost the tongue-thrust reflex (pushing food out with their tongue)

• Show interest in food by watching others eat or reaching for food

💡 Remember: Starting solids is an exploration, not a replacement for milk.

👶 Baby-Led Weaning (BLW): What It Is & How to Start

Baby-led weaning (BLW) is a method of introducing solids that lets babies feed themselves soft, whole foods from the start—no spoon or purees required.

Key Principles:

• Whole Foods: Offer soft, graspable foods (like steamed veggies or banana strips) rather than purees.

• Let Baby Take the Lead: They choose what and how much to eat.

• Family Meals: Baby eats alongside you—watching and learning through observation.

First BLW Foods Might Include:

• Soft-cooked vegetables (sweet potatoes, carrots, zucchini)

• Soft fruits (banana, pear, avocado, watermelon)

• Small pieces of scrambled egg or omelet

• Soft pasta or toast strips with avocado or smooth nut butters

🚨 Safety First

• Always supervise meals closely.

• Cut food into safe sizes (finger-length, easy to grasp).

• Avoid choking hazards like whole grapes, hard nuts, raw carrots, or thick chunks of meat.

👉 Gagging is normal. It’s a learning process. Gagging helps babies develop safe swallowing.
🥴 Choking is rare if safe practices are followed, but you should always be present and calm during meals.

🥄 Not Sure About BLW? That’s Okay!

Many families choose a hybrid approach, mixing purees with BLW-style finger foods. You might:

• Spoon-feed avocado in the morning

• Offer banana strips for baby to hold at lunch

• Let baby self-feed scrambled eggs at dinner

There’s no one right way to feed your baby—only what feels aligned with your values, your lifestyle, and your baby’s readiness.

🌱 Why BLW Appeals to Some Families

• Promotes Fine Motor Skills: Picking up food helps build hand-eye coordination.

• Encourages Self-Regulation: Babies stop when they’re full, reducing pressure or overeating.

• Builds Independence: Feeding themselves fosters confidence.

• Normalizes Family Meals: Baby joins the table and learns through watching.

🧘🏾‍♀️ Tips for Parents

• Keep Breastfeeding Frequently: Even after starting solids, milk remains essential for nutrition and immune support.

• Prioritize Tummy Time: Keep those little muscles working and growing!

• Let Go of Perfection: BLW is messy. Traditional feeding is messy. Growth is messy. And that’s okay.

• Take Pictures of the Chaos: You’ll laugh later.

📚 Related Posts

• 2-Week Milestones: Surviving the First Growth Spurt

• 8–10 Week Milestones: More Awake, More Hungry, and More You Than Ever

• 4-Month Milestones: Rolling, Babbling, and a Whole Lot of Distraction

💗 Need Support?

Still unsure how to introduce solids while maintaining your milk supply? Wondering if BLW is right for your baby? Let's talk. I’ll help you create a feeding plan that reflects your baby’s development, your goals, and your real life.

📞 milkinmotion.co or call/text 703-372-9711

Written by Laci Tang, IBCLC, Certified Babywearing Educator
Owner, Milk In Motion