Well Child Care 6 Months

Your baby should continue to have breast milk or infant formula until he is 1 year old.  Please continue your Vitamin D drops for those babies who are mostly breast fed.  Your baby may soon be ready for a cup although it will be messy at first. Try giving a cup sometimes to see if your baby likes it. Don’t put your baby to bed with a bottle. Your baby will see the bottle as a security object and this will make it hard to wean your child from the bottle. Leaving a bottle with your baby, especially at night, will lead to tooth decay and may cause ear infections.

Make cereal with formula or breast milk only. Use a spoon to feed your baby cereal, not a bottle or an infant feeder. Sitting up while eating helps your baby learn good eating habits.

If you haven’t started your baby on baby foods (other than cereal), you can start now. Start with pureed fruits and vegetables. Start one new food at a time for a few days to make sure your baby digests it well. If your family eats meat you may begin pureed meats at this time.  Do not give finger foods or foods that require chewing.

At this age babies are usually rolling over and beginning to sit by themselves. Babies squeal, babble, laugh, and often cry very loudly. They may be afraid of people they do not know. If you feel overwhelmed, ask people you trust for help, or talk with your healthcare provider.

6-month-olds may not want to be put in bed. A favorite blanket or stuffed animal may make bedtime easier. Do not put a bottle in the bed with your baby. Develop a bedtime routine like playing a game, singing a lullaby, turning the lights out, and giving a goodnight kiss. Make the routine the same every night. Be calm and consistent with your baby at bedtime.

When babies do not sleep through the night the problem is not typically something that occurs in the middle of the night.  The problem most often occurs when you are putting your baby to sleep.

In order for healthy babies to sleep through the night it is important for them to fall asleep in the same environment he or she will experience the rest of the night.  Sleep is divided into deeper and lighter stages.  It is normal to wake up enough to assess your surroundings.  It is not hard to imagine that a baby who wakes up in the middle of the night might become upset if he or she is no longer in mom’s arms.

So, it is important that your baby fall asleep independently.  At bed time put your child in his or her crib while awake enough to know where he is (not with eyes so heavy he or she can barely stay awake).  Dim the lights the way they will be the rest of the night.  Do not put your child to bed with a bottle, and mom and dad must not be in the room.  If your baby cries, allow it to go on for 5 – 10 minutes.  If your baby is still crying, go back into the room and calm your baby with the least amount of contact possible.  If you have to pick up your baby do not feed him back to sleep.  Once your baby stops crying put him or her back down, leave the room and allow another 5 – 10 minutes of crying before going back in.  Be prepared for quite a bit of crying the first few nights.  Most families get very good results in less than 2 weeks.  If you are not making any progress in 2 weeks please call your pediatrician. Infants require 14-15 hours per night. Never put a bottle in the bed with your baby.

Books help parent and child grow closer. One way to help your child learn to love reading is to show that you enjoy reading. Pick books with bright colors and large simple pictures. Reading the same books over and over will help your baby to recognize and name familiar objects. Do not prop a baby in front of a television.

Teeth come in almost constantly from 6 months to 2 years of age.  It may help to massage your baby’s swollen gums with your finger for 2 minutes. A teething ring may be useful.

Fluoride supplementation is important to make teeth stronger and prevent decay.  If the water in your community is fluoridated you will not require an additional supplement.  If there is no fluoride in the water your doctor will recommend a fluoride supplement for your baby.

·         Cords, ropes, or strings around the baby’s neck can choke him. Keep cords away from the crib.

·         Keep all small, hard objects out of reach.

·         Use only unbreakable toys without sharp edges or small parts that can come loose.

·         Avoid foods on which a child might choke (such as candy, hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn).

·         Check your smoke detector to make sure it is working.

·         Keep a fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen.

·         Check food temperatures carefully, especially if a microwave is used.

·         Keep hot foods and liquids out of reach.

·         Put plastic covers on unused electrical outlets.

·         Throw away cracked or frayed old electrical cords.

·         Turn the water heater down to 120°F (50°C).

·         Keep crib and playpen sides up.

·         Do not use walkers.

·         Install safety gates to guard stairways.

·         Lock doors to dangerous areas like the basement or garage.

·         Check drawers, tall furniture, and lamps to make sure they can’t fall over easily.

·         Keep all medicines, vitamins, cleaning fluids, and other chemicals locked away. Dispose of them safely.

·         Put safety latches on cabinets.

·         Keep the POISON CONTROL number (1-800-222-1222) on all phones.

·         Children who live in a house where someone smokes have more respiratory infections. Their symptoms are also more severe and last longer than those of children who live in a smoke-free home.

·         If you smoke, set a quit date and stop. Ask your healthcare provider for help in quitting. If you cannot quit, do NOT smoke in the house or near children.

Flu (also called influenza) vaccines are given every year starting in late September.  Your baby will require a flu vaccine every year because each flu season is caused by a different set of viruses.  If flu season has not started please mark your calendar and call our office in late September.

Vaccines can be combined to reduce the total number of shots for your baby.

Your baby may run a fever and be irritable for about 1 day after the shots. Your baby may also have some soreness, redness, and swelling in the area where the shots were given.

You may give acetaminophen drops in the appropriate dose to prevent fever and irritability. For swelling or soreness, put a wet, warm washcloth on the area of the shots as often and as long as needed to provide comfort.

Call your child’s healthcare provider if:

·         Your child has a rash or any reaction to the shots other than fever and mild irritability.

·         Your child has a fever that lasts more than 36 hours.