What to Expect: The Sixth Months
As your baby reaches the six-month mark, they enter a period of rapid growth and development, requiring adjustments in their care routine. This guide provides essential tips for navigating this stage, focusing on introducing solid foods, encouraging interactive play, establishing safe sleep practices, and ensuring overall safety. By understanding and responding to your baby’s evolving needs, you can help them thrive during this crucial time, setting the foundation for their continued healthy development.
FAMILY CHECK-IN
It’s important to take care of yourself and connect with family and friends while finding suitable childcare options.
Talk with your healthcare provider or call for help if you feel sad or very tired for more than a few days.
Spend time with your family and friends.
Find a responsible, experienced babysitter or caregiver.
You can talk with your child’s healthcare provider about childcare options.
FEEDING
Begin introducing solid foods while continuing with breastmilk or formula. Look for signs of readiness and introduce new foods gradually.
Your baby’s growth will slow down at this stage.
Feed your baby breastmilk or iron-fortified formula.
Begin to offer solid foods if your baby shows the following signs of readiness:
Is interested in the foods you eat
Opens mouth when provided with a spoon
Shows good head and neck control
Can sit upright and long enough with the support of a highchair (highchair should not be reclined)
Starting new foods
Introduce one food at a time
Choose first foods that are good sources of iron and zinc
Iron and zinc fortified cereals
Pureed red meat, such as lamb or beef
Introduce fruits and vegetables after iron-fortified/iron-containing foods.
Offer solid food 2 to 3 times per day; allow your baby to decide how much to eat.
No raw honey until at least 12 months old, and avoid large chunks of food that could lead to choking.
Consider introducing all other foods, including eggs, nut butter, and peanut butter. Research shows early introduction may prevent food allergies.
Give your baby only soft, small bites of finger foods to prevent choking.
Wash produce before serving.
Introduce a cup with water, breastmilk, or formula.
Look for signs of fullness and avoid feeding your baby too much:
Signs your baby is full:
Turns away
Closes their mouth
Leans back
Don’t force your baby to finish the foods served.
Keep trying if your baby seems to dislike a particular food. It takes 10-15 tries for many children to adjust to a new food.
PLAYING
Encourage your baby’s development through interactive play, reading, and safe toys.
Place your baby on the floor to practice sitting up or playing while sitting up.
Mimic the sounds your baby makes.
Read together.
Play call and response games such as peekaboo.
TVs and digital media should not be used to calm or entertain your baby.
Provide safe toys for your baby to hold and put in their mouth.
HEALTHY TEETH
Start dental care early by cleaning your baby’s gums and teeth daily and avoiding harmful habits.
Ask your healthcare provider about fluoride.
Avoid sharing spoons with your baby.
Don’t use foods or juice that your baby sucks out of a pouch.
Avoid giving your baby any bottles in the crib.
Clean your baby's gums and teeth twice daily with a soft cloth or soft baby toothbrush and a dot of toothpaste (the size of a grain of rice).
SLEEPING
Ensure safe sleep practices by following crib safety guidelines and placing your baby on their back.
Always put your baby to sleep on their back.
Choose a crib with slats no more than 2 ⅜ inches apart
Lower mattress down.
Avoid using a crib with drop-side railings.
Make sure the bed and mattress meet the most recent safety guidelines.
Do not put soft objects or loose items in bed with your baby—no blankets, pillows, bumper pads, or stuffed animals.
If you choose a mesh playpen, get one made after February 2013.
SAFETY CHECK-IN
Maintain a safe environment at home and on the road by following key safety practices, including using the correct car seat and securing hazards in your home.
Safety In The Car and On the Road
Always buckle your baby in a rear-facing-only car seat in the back seat of the vehicle.
Never put a baby in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.
Suppose your baby has reached the maximum height/weight allowed for your rear-facing-only car seat. In that case, you can use an approved convertible or 3-in-1 car seat in the rear-facing position.
Safety Around Water, Sun, and Chemicals
Keep poisons, medicines, and cleaning products locked out of your baby’s reach.
Program poison control numbers into all phones. Call your healthcare provider if you are worried your baby has swallowed something.
Avoid sun exposure for your baby. When you go out in the sun, put a hat on your baby and apply sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher to exposed skin.
Tobacco-free environments are best for children.
Keep home and car smoke-free.
Never leave your baby unattended in the bathtub, even with a bath seat or ring.
Safety in the Home and Emergency Planning
Conduct a home safety check (stair gates, barriers around space heaters, and covered electrical outlets).
Keep hanging cords or strings away from your baby.
Don’t leave your baby alone on the changing table, tub, near water, bed, or sofa.
Keep small objects, small toys, and latex balloons away from your baby.
Keep your baby in a high chair or playpen while in the kitchen.
Do not use a baby walker.
Have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every floor. Test monthly and change batteries yearly.
Make a family escape plan in case of fire in your home.
Conclusion
As your baby reaches the six-month milestone, they are developing rapidly and require more attention in various areas such as feeding, play, sleep, and safety. Introducing solid foods, fostering interactive play, and maintaining a safe environment are crucial during this period. Establishing good habits now, like early dental care and following safe sleep practices, will set a strong foundation for your baby’s future growth and well-being. By staying informed and proactive, you can help ensure that your baby thrives during this exciting stage of development.
