Baby is 6 months old: getting ready for his first teeth

The first 6 months of a baby’s life is a crucial period during which he adapts to new conditions. The child begins to feel his body in space, learns to sit, hold his back and crawl. Sleep helps compensate for the physical and mental stress that he experiences during the day. While the baby sleeps day or night, his body restores strength and accumulates energy for the next period of wakefulness. Depending on the physiological characteristics, some children need several short rest phases for this, while others need one, but long, phase. In this article we will tell you how much sleep a child should sleep at 6 months and how to create favorable conditions for sleep.

Average norm of sleep and wakefulness

At the age of 6 months, the child sleeps up to 12-14 hours a day. Accordingly, the remaining 10-12 hours fall on the period of wakefulness. At this time, the baby learns to sit, communicate, learn about the world around him and his family members. His brain activity has not yet fully formed, so he needs to rest periodically in order to “digest” the large flow of information. That is why a six-month-old child can sleep up to 4 times a day, and the duration of one rest phase can be from 30 minutes to 2 hours. How much he sleeps depends on mental and physiological characteristics.

Around the middle of the 6th month, parents can gradually transfer the baby from 4 times a day to 3 times a day. Here you also need to focus on the characteristics of his psyche and well-being. Some six-month-old children need four short rest phases, others need 2-3, but long ones. The earlier the child wakes up in the morning, the earlier you need to plan the first phase of rest.

Approximate daily routine for a 6 month old baby

• 6:00-8:30 Wake up, morning hygiene, massage and air baths, first meal.
• 8:30-10:00 First sleep period.
• 10:00-13:00 Second feeding immediately after waking up and active wakefulness along with a little exercise and massage treatments.
• 13:00-13:30 Third meal.
• 13:30-15:00 Afternoon rest (best in nature).
• 15:00-17:00 Time for educational games along with gymnastics for kids.
• 17:00-17:30 Fourth feeding.
• 17:30-19:00 A walk in the fresh air, combined with knowledge of the surrounding world and a light sleep.
• 19:00-21:00 Time for family communication and educational games, active leisure and evening swimming.
• 21:00-21:30 Fifth meal.
• 21:30-6:00 Sleep until morning.

There are babies who still wake up for night feedings, so their daily routine will look different.

• 6:00-7:30 Wake up, morning toilet, eat.
• 7:30-9:30 Active leisure, massage, games, getting ready for a walk.
• 9:30-11:00 Walk in the stroller and first nap.
• 11:00-12:00 Lunch meal.
• 12:00-14:30 Afternoon nap time.
• 14:30-15:30 Third feeding.
• 15:30-17:30 Time for gymnastics and educational games.
• 17:30-19:00 Walk in the fresh air, third nap.
• 19:00-19:30 Evening feeding.
• 19:30-21:00 Active leisure, calming games, water treatments.
• 21:00-6:00 Sleep.
• 23:00-2:00 Night meal.

Based on these options for sleep, wakefulness and eating, you can create your own daily routine that will suit your child. After all, each baby is individual, and his daily routine may not coincide with those proposed. Every mother should monitor the condition of her baby in order to correctly determine what he needs now. It is not necessary to strictly follow this regimen minute by minute, you just need to follow their basic principles: the interval between meals should be approximately 4 hours, the baby should be taken out for a walk two or three times, and the child has three periods of sleep during the day.

Factors affecting sleep quality

6 months is the period when the child masters important skills. He learns to roll over from his back to his stomach, sit, get on all fours, crawl, and pull himself up against a support. Moreover, the processes of cognition do not stop even in sleep. Therefore, parents, watching their baby, notice that his daytime sleep becomes restless and shallow. The reasons for this are:

1. Irrationally organized daily routine. Parents need to ensure that the baby practices new skills in the first half of the waking period, that is, approximately 30 minutes after waking up and feeding. The second half will pass calmly, which will help him gradually adjust to rest. In this mode, your sleep schedule will improve within 1-2 weeks.
2. Going to bed late or skipping naps. Parents should know how much sleep their baby needs at 6 months. With a lack of sleep, your baby will be constantly overtired, making it more difficult to put him to bed at night. Maintaining a clear daily routine is a guarantee of success.
3. Separation anxiety. Having become more or less independent, a six-month-old child understands that he is not one with his mother. Therefore, if she leaves home, he shows fear and anxiety. Massage, breastfeeding, kisses and hugs will help calm him down and put him to sleep. If the mother urgently needs to leave while the baby is falling asleep, she can offer him his favorite toy. Now there are special devices that absorb the smell of breast milk, helping the baby calm down and feel safe.
4. Teething. This is another physiological factor that prevents the child from falling asleep during the day or at night. In the acute period, pain-relieving gels and teething toys help relieve itching and discomfort. As soon as the most difficult stage is over, you can return to your normal daily routine.
5. Introduction of complementary foods. At 6 months of age, the baby's diet begins to change. It contains vegetables, fruits, meat and fish - foods unfamiliar to the baby’s digestive system. It may respond differently to changes, thereby affecting behavior and sleep quality. That is why pediatricians recommend introducing new dishes gradually, carefully observing the child’s reaction.

Problems falling asleep can occur for psychological and physiological reasons. By eliminating or waiting out the unfavorable factor, it will be much easier for parents to understand how much the child sleeps and whether it is necessary to adjust the duration of daytime sleep.

Feeding

For the first six months of his life, the baby fully had enough of the nutrients he received through breast milk. Now the time has come when the introduction of complementary feeding is mandatory for all infants, because mother's milk can no longer provide adequate nutrition for the child. However, this does not mean at all that it is time to wean off the breast, quite the opposite: any pediatrician will advise you to continue breastfeeding further. It’s just time to introduce the first complementary foods into the daily diet in the form of juices, one-component purees of vegetables and fruits. Children who were on formula milk began to eat these products already at 4 months.

Complementary feeding table by month (6-9 months)

Each complementary food product should be given to the baby drop by drop, half a teaspoon somewhere in the middle of the day to notice his body’s reaction to the new food. If the child feels well, his skin is clean, and his stool has not changed, then every day you can increase the amount of the product administered. Gradually, the baby’s diet should become such that one of the breastfeedings will be completely replaced by complementary foods. Typically, complementary feeding starts with apple juice and pureed broccoli, cauliflower, pumpkin, zucchini or apples.

After the first purees and juices become familiar food for the child, you can give him dairy-free cereals and the yolk of a hard-boiled egg to try. It can be dissolved in a small amount of breast milk or water.

Approximate diet for a six month old baby

• 6:30 Attachment to the breast.
• 10:00 100 ml of vegetable puree with egg yolk in milk.
• 13:00 Fruit puree 50 ml, breast milk.
• 17:00 200 ml of dairy-free monograin porridge and 50 ml of juice (apple or carrot).
• 21:00 Attachment to the breast.

The nutrition of bottle-fed babies can be the same, only breast milk should be replaced with 250 ml of dry milk formula.

Many mothers wonder how to determine whether the baby has enough nutrition? The answer can be obtained by monitoring the child’s behavior during the period between feedings. If the baby is calm, cheerful, and not capricious, then the nutrition he received during the previous feeding is quite enough for him. A well-fed and healthy baby also gains normal weight.

Often six-month-old babies wake up for night feedings. This is quite normal. The baby will suck some breast milk and fall asleep peacefully. Artificial babies usually sleep all night without waking up, because their diet is richer.

How to organize your six month old baby's sleep

The duration and quality of a child's sleep at the age of 6 months depends on whether the parents adhere to any rituals and rules. Usually by this time the baby already knows how to fall asleep to his favorite lullaby, after a massage or a fairy tale. Some children need the breast for this, others need a pacifier or bottle.

In order for a child to willingly go to sleep, day or night, parents need to adhere to the following recommendations:

1. Schedule. Even while on a family vacation or visiting, the baby must adhere to a clear sleep schedule. If it is not possible to return to the hotel or home, you can use a stroller for this purpose. If the schedule is disrupted at least once, it will have to be adjusted within a few days.
2. Feeding. A child should not go to bed on an empty or, conversely, full stomach. Firstly, it will prevent him from falling asleep deeply and for a long time. Secondly, digesting food during sleep consumes energy that is needed during wakefulness. If the baby is breastfed, you can arrange to sleep with your mother during the day.
3. Daily rituals. Children in their first year of life are much easier to accustom to family rituals. If you adhere to the “water procedures - massage - lullaby - sleep” schedule day after day, the child will quickly get used to it. He will develop reflexes, due to which, already at the massage stage, he will tune in to sleep.
4. Falling asleep on your own. 6 months is the ideal age to start accustoming your baby to his crib or room. A favorite soft toy, dim lighting and an audio recording with your favorite fairy tales or melodies will help with this.

It will be easier for a six-month-old baby to fall asleep during the day or at night if he is in a familiar environment each time. This could be a children's room or a separate crib with soft and delicate bedding. There is no need to teach your child to sleep in absolute silence. Muted noise and parents' voices in the background will calm him down and help him feel safe. In such conditions, the baby will be able to sleep for the entire allotted time.

When the baby turns 6 months old, you can safely begin to establish a daily routine. The routine helps parents organize their day in the most convenient way for them, as well as organize child care. The child needs to be given time to get used to the same actions and understand how his day is structured. At 6 months, the baby undergoes many changes; he makes several breakthroughs in his development. These changes may disrupt the daily routine, but as soon as the baby gets used to the new skills, the previous schedule will be restored by itself.

Why do you need a 6 month regimen?

First of all, parents need a routine; they are adults and are used to planning their day. Planning the day helps mom and dad combine personal matters and caring for the baby. The baby himself needs the regime for his psycho-emotional and physical condition. The routine makes his day clearer and therefore the baby is calmer and more cheerful during the day.

How long should a 6 month old baby sleep and stay awake? As a rule, it is at 6 months that the baby is either in the process of transition, or has already fully switched to 3 naps a day. The amount of daytime sleep is significantly reduced, and the amount of time spent awake increases. The child no longer wants to sleep and lie on his back, he wants to roll over, sit down, examine and study everything. During one period of wakefulness, the baby can stay without sleep from 2 to 2:30 hours. Total daytime sleep lasts 3-4 hours. Some babies can sleep 4 naps, and this will be the norm for them. Night sleep lasts about 10-12 hours with breaks for 3-4 feedings. In total, sleep can take from 12-15 hours per day. Some children may sleep and walk less, while some babies, on the contrary, are ready, despite the norms, to sleep and stay awake longer than usual.

At this age, you may notice in your baby:

• Moodiness;
• Resistance when going to sleep;
• Violation of the daily schedule.

All these signs may indicate that your baby is experiencing a growth spurt and needs your maximum support. Children have a very hard time with this kind of phenomenon. To help your baby cope with this, pay him more attention and calm him down by any means. During this period, nighttime sleep may deteriorate. As soon as the race passes, the baby's sleep and mood will become much better.

Feeding

At 6 months, the baby's feeding pattern begins to change. Children who are breastfed begin to receive complementary foods, while a child on an artificial type of feeding receives complementary foods from the age of 4 months. For a baby, introducing complementary foods is always exciting, because along with new food, the baby receives a new skill that also needs to be practiced. During this period, the baby’s mood may change.

The introduction of complementary foods begins with small portions. First, half a teaspoon, then a spoon a day, and so on every day until the child begins to eat the entire jar. Vegetables are usually chosen as the first treat, but if there are problems with weight gain or the baby does not eat vegetables willingly, you can give dairy-free porridge. Usually, by the age of 7 months, the child is already able to fully eat complementary foods and skip one dose of breast milk.

Approximate regimen for a 6 month old child:

• Morning . Rise at 6:30-7:00. Hygiene procedures, diaper changing. Breastfeeding, complementary feeding. Walk in the fresh air. Active games with mom. Quiet time. Ritual. Dream. In terms of time, wakefulness takes 2:30 and sleep lasts 1:40 hours.
• Day . The baby wakes up around 11:20. Next comes breastfeeding and diaper changing. Practicing physical skills (turning over from the stomach to the back and back, practicing attempts to sit down). Quiet wakefulness with mom. Ritual. Dream. All classes take an average of 2:20. The second nap lasts 1:30 hours.
• Intermediate sleep . The child gets up around 15:20. Breastfeeding and complementary feeding, changing a diaper, active games with mom, a short walk. Ritual. Going to sleep. Activity time is 2:30. The duration of the last sleep is 40 minutes.
• Evening . Wake up at 18:00. Mom feeds the baby and performs bath procedures. A short walk before bed. Quiet time with mom. Feeding before bedtime. Ritual. Dream. Lately, wakefulness may be a little longer and takes an average of 2:40 hours. Retirement for night sleep between 19:30-20:00.

The difference in the daily routine of children who are breastfed or bottle-fed is that in a child who eats formula, complementary foods are introduced at 4 months and by 6 months he already eats full complementary foods twice a day. It is important that the day is organized in such a way that all family members feel comfortable.

Sleeping at 6 months

After six months, the amount of sleep the baby gets becomes significantly less. If earlier, during the day, he could sleep for 6-8 hours, then closer to 6 months, the amount of sleep decreases to 3-4 hours. The task of parents is to take care of comfortable conditions for the baby to sleep. It is important to organize the crib correctly and adjust the external conditions in the room where the baby sleeps.

How to help your baby sleep:

• Introduce a ritual . A ritual is a sequence of certain actions that lead to sleep. Find something that suits you and your baby. For example, you can go into the bedroom with a baby in your arms and start singing a lullaby, close the curtains, turn on the humidifier, and give breastfeeding/a bottle of formula. Over time, your baby will begin to understand your cues and fall asleep easier.
• Watch for signs of fatigue . When the baby is ready to sleep, he will definitely show this to his parents. These will be certain actions, such as: yawning, blinking slowly, hovering. As soon as you notice something similar in your baby, you can prepare him for bed and carry out the ritual.
• External conditions . This includes: air temperature, humidity, room lighting. Download the “COMFORT AND SLEEP” CHECKLIST and check all the points. There may be external factors that are preventing your baby from sleeping.
• "White noise" . A universal remedy for calming and putting your baby to sleep. “White noise” masks everyday sounds, and the child can sleep even if you are doing household chores nearby. It is important that the sound source is no closer than 2 meters from where the baby sleeps, and the volume is no more than 50 dB.
• Waking time . Parents need to keep track of how much time has passed from the moment they wake up until the next sleep. This is necessary to ensure that the child does not over-walk and goes to bed on time. Mom and dad need to keep a sleep diary and write down all the data about the baby’s wakefulness and amount of sleep.
• Resistance . If you see that the baby is not yet ready to go to bed, you do not need to put him to bed by force. Give your baby the opportunity to stay with you longer and try again after 5-7 minutes.

If you can’t improve your child’s sleep on your own, we recommend that you take the course “BABY’S SLEEP, MOTHER IN RESOURCE (+SZ).” Certified and experienced sleep consultants, led by Tatyana Kremneva, will help you improve your sleep and build the right daily routine.

What can disrupt a child’s daily routine:

• Disease;
• Inconsistent actions of dad and mom;
• Cutting teeth;
• Frequent trips or travel;
• Moving;
• Over-walking or under-walking;
• Frequent lack of sleep.

If you notice that your child’s routine is disrupted, you need to begin correcting the situation as soon as possible. Restoring the usual daily routine will help restore calm not only to the baby, but also improve the atmosphere in the family.

Walks

It is recommended that babies be taken out twice a day. It is better to plan the first walk in the morning as the baby will be able to not only enjoy the fresh air, but also sleep in nature. The second walk is best done closer to bedtime. This is necessary so that the child calms down during the day and prepares for a long sleep.

If the weather is not conducive to a walk, you can take the baby out onto the balcony or open the window. At such moments, you need to dress your child according to the air temperature in the room.

Establishing a daily routine for a 6-month-old child is not so difficult. It is important to follow several rules and be consistent. The baby will definitely understand your signals and begin to adapt to the rhythm offered to him.

Author: Tatyana Kremneva.

Signs of lack of sleep

At 6 months of age, the child is actively developing and learning about the world around him. He is exposed to high mental and physical stress, which can be compensated for by observing sleep and wakefulness. Signs of lack of sleep include:

• Bad mood,
• causeless whims,
• restless behavior in the presence of parents,
• lethargy and apathy,
• lack of interest in food and games.

If there are no psychological and physiological factors, and the baby still has problems falling asleep and quality of sleep, it is recommended to consult a pediatrician.

In native mode

Personally, my child, starting from 4 months, began to live according to the regime, I knew at what time she wanted to sleep, how long she would sleep, and when we would go outside. Of course, there were force majeure, but everything was easily explained by bad weather or teething. However, I know quite a lot of mothers who do not try to establish at least some kind of daily routine. They completely rely on the desire of their little child.

I cannot say whose little one is currently better developed and more calm, and I certainly won’t be able to say this, because an outsider cannot know all the subtleties and peculiarities of the behavior of another little one. As a result, I can say in defense of the regime, in addition to the positive aspects in the behavior of the baby, this is that in most cases you probably know what awaits you tomorrow, you can plan your day and do all the necessary things. Of course, don't plan too much, and at the same time, structure your day based on your child's biorhythms. For example, you know that the baby sleeps from 12 to 14 - play with him all the time he is awake, and when he falls asleep, you can prepare lunch or do other chores. When planning a day, it is very important to adjust your plans to the children’s, and not vice versa. At the same time, you shouldn’t go too far and constantly follow the little one’s lead. The golden mean is considered ideal, that is, a regime that will be comfortable for all family members, and everyone will be able to adapt to it with ease.

Features of feeding

By the sixth month, the baby's nutrition changes. For breastfed babies, complementary foods are introduced. For those who are artificially born, the food menu is completely changed.

The nuances of breastfeeding

On the recommendation of Dr. Komarovsky, new foods begin to be introduced at this age. They start mainly with dairy-free porridge or vegetable puree. To begin administration, select the second feeding of the day. The baby is allowed to taste 1 tsp. new product. Then his reaction is monitored throughout the day. If no problems with stool or skin rashes are noticed, then the portion is doubled every day until it reaches a volume of 150 g.

This procedure is carried out with each new product. It is preferable to try vegetable puree from:

• cauliflower;
• broccoli;
• zucchini;
• pumpkins;
• carrots.

Breastfeeding diet

Feeding times in the table are approximate. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the child and his personal daily routine.

With artificial feeding

With artificial feeding, a baby at six months has been eating complementary foods for 2 months. His diet is much more varied than that of infants. However, the introduction of new products continues. At this age, children begin to be introduced to meat puree, prepared from lean varieties of meat.

artificial diet schedule

Meal times are adjusted according to the child's daily routine. There should be the same time period between them.

Boy reaches for a spoon