Your Baby's 6 Month Visit
NUTRITION
It is important that you continue to feed your baby breast milk or iron-fortified formula for the entire first year of life. Now it’s time to start adding solids!
Most babies will be taking 24-36 ounces of breast milk or formula per day. You may notice a small decrease in the total volume of formula or breast milk intake as your infant begins to eat more solid foods, but breastmilk or formula should be the main nutrition for your baby still for the next few months.
Solid foods should be offered twice a day, and all food groups are fine – starches, fruits, veggies, and proteins. Dairy can cause allergic reactions, so it should be avoided, though one to two servings of baby yogurt is okay, and honey should be avoided until after the age of 1 year old due to the risk of infant botulism.
Other feeding tips:
Spitting out foods is just a normal a normal part of learning how to handle new textures. It doesn’t mean your baby dislikes the taste.
Encourage baby to pick up finger foods to feed self as his grasp gets neater. Avoid round, hard foods like peanuts, popcorn, hot dogs or grapes that could get caught in the baby’s airway (choking hazards).
Many of the soft table foods the family eats can be cooked a little softer or chopped up finely or coarsely or simply mashed for your baby. Let her experience your usual spices and seasonings and mixed flavors of different foods together; introducing more than one food at a time doesn’t increase the development of allergies, but if allergies develop, the different foods will have to be isolated to determine which is the culprit.
Juices are not necessary, but you can start introducing up to 6-8 ounces of water per day from a sippee or straw cup.
TEETHING
Babies begin drooling as early as 3 months of age, however tooth eruption usually begins around 5-8 month of age. Some babies do not get teeth until closer to 15 months of age. Teething should not cause fever over 101˚F. It may cause looser stools, drooling, nasal congestion, and fussiness. You may administer Tylenol or Motrin or offer a cold or frozen teething ring or washcloth for the infant to chew on. Natural (such as clove oil and chamomile based) teething gels are safe; avoid teething gels with benzocaine.
As the teeth erupt, you should start getting the baby used to a toothbrush. Toothpaste is not necessary at this age, but if you do use it, we recommend a sesame seed-sized dot of fluoridated toothpaste. Consider starting regular dental care about 6 months after the first teeth erupt.
PLAYTIME/SLEEPTIME
Continue to follow the guidelines recommended in the 4 month handout regarding playtime and sleeping. Try to not respond to nighttime awakenings, and make sure you have a regular bedtime with an established routine. Babies this age should be sleeping 10-12 hours at night. Remember, no bottles in bed.
Encourage baby to play on the floor in a supervised area with appropriate toys. Now is the time for bath toys, squeaky toys, and plastic cups that fit inside each other.
Infant walkers where you put a baby in the seat to zoom around the house are discouraged by the American Academy of Pediatrics due to safety issues (possibly zooming down a flight of stairs) and because they can actually delay a baby from learning to walk appropriately.
SAFETY
Accidents kill more infants in the first year of life than any other cause. Keep your baby safe by following a few recommendations.
Childproofing
Now that baby is ready to crawl and explore, parents must be aware of and limit the possibility of accidents in the home.
*Remove breakable and small objects on the floor and on low tables
*Cover electrical outlets and remove dangling electrical cords from baby’s reach.
*Choose toys carefully! Avoid small pieces or removable parts that can be swallowed
*Never leave alone in bathtub or near open water
*Keep all cleaning products and medications out of reach and in a locked cabinet
*Use gates on stairways (top and bottom)
*Do not leave unattended on any high surface
*Move household plants out of reach
*Lower the crib mattress before he can sit up
Car Safety
You may be thinking your infant is outgrowing his infant car seat. Check the manufacture’s recommendation on weight and length. If your baby is on the large size, you may want to look at purchasing a convertible car seat. Make sure you purchase one that is approved for rear-facing for this age and forward facing after age two.
*Remember, the infant should be placed in the back seat with the car seat rear-facing until your child is 2 years of age.
Sunburns
*Make sure baby is wearing protective clothing when outdoors and exposed to sun
*Cover head with hat
*It is safe to use infant sunblock for protection. Choose one that is mineral-based (active ingredients should be Zinc Oxide or Titanium
Dioxide)
DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES
Turns well to voice and sound
Babbles, makes raspberries
Rolls front to back and back to front
Puts feet in mouth
Sits with support (tripod position)
Reaches out, grabs and transfers objects from one hand to another
Recognizes parents and may be afraid of strangers
Shows feelings of pleasure and eagerness