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Half a year old? Already.. How?
Its like you were just at the hospital yesterday and bringing them home.
I don’t know how it happens, your guess is as good as mine honestly!
I know when mine hit the 6 month old mark, I just wanted to cry.
The whole situation is bittersweet. They are learning something new everyday.. They are learning how to sit up.. But sometimes all you think about is that precious newborn that depended on you for every tiny thing.
You don’t like them growing, you want them to stay little forever. But the first time they hug you, the first time they reach for you, and the first time they hold that bottle by themselves.
You’re glad you get to be the one watching them grow up and cheering them on everyday.
Don't get me wrong though, they will still always be your baby. They will still always need you. Your job is forever. But it’s very bittersweet.
The 6 month old milestone is amazing! There are so many new things they are learning every day, i know mine did. And you get to be there for that!
However, this milestone comes with all new challenges and things to introduce!
Which can be confusing and exciting for the both of you!
Here are all the things you will need to know and need to get for your new half a year old!
1. Purées
Now that your little one has mastered the art of swallowing cereal, they are ready to move on to purées and all the new flavors!
You can start out with whatever food you think they will like!
However, if your little one has reflux or dietary issues it’s best to introduce things like squash and green beans first!
Always make sure to try one food at a time for 2-3 days to make sure they won’t have any allergic reactions to it!
Your babe still applies to the same rule as oatmeal right now, 1-2 feeds a day of about 2 tablespoons.
Remember to not get discouraged! If your babe doesn’t seem interested in their new foods keep trying! However if it’s going on 7.5 months and they are still not getting interested in food, make sure to talk with your pediatrician!
2. Sippy Cups
Now that your baby is 6 months and is learning how to sit up and hold their bottle by themselves, you can start giving them sipping cups!
I recommend the Nuk Sippy Cups!
These sippy cups have a soft nipple top for your baby’s gums and teeth.
The handles make it easy for your babe to hold their own cup. And they spill or leak the least amount of all sippy cups I have tried out!
Tip: After my babe became advanced in holding his sippy cup, he started learning how to hold all his bottles, even the large ones! And I had fully accepted that he would never hold his own bottle when this happened!
BUT ALL BABIES ARE DIFFERENT!
Don’t worry if your baby is not holding their own bottle! I know when I was worried about this, my mother told me that I did not want to hold my own bottle till I was 10 months old! I was practically walking and in to everything, and I didn’t want to hold my own bottle!
Let me say it again,
Don‘t compare your baby to another baby!
3. Water?
At 6 months old, you can start introducing water to them!
Do they need water?
Aren't they already getting plenty of water in their milk?
Yes, they are absolutely getting plenty of enough water with their milk!
However, if you would like to start giving them water at this age once or twice a day, you can!
This is basically just like food. This is just for them to practice their swallowing, and to keep up their liquid intake.
At this age they can have up to 6 oz of water a day!
I give my boy water when I know he is not hungry and just wants to munch on a bottle because he’s bored from his toys.
4. The Crib
Around this time they start to become a lot more active, and I mean a lot!
It’s something about this milestone.
If you haven’t already, this is a good time to lower their crib to the lowest setting.
I know, it’s hard to admit they are not little anymore.
But this is the safest option for them. At this age they start learning how to sit up, they might be learning to crawl, they are way more mobile, and soon they will be pulling up on things!
The biggest reason why they suggest lowering their crib is not so they can’t crawl out of the crib, but so they can’t fall out of their crib!
Babies bodies up until a year old are very un proportional, their heads are a lot larger than their body, and their spine is not strong. So when your little babe leans over on something that is not taller than them, they will most likely fall over it.
This prevents this danger from happening, so get out your tools and crib manual parents!
5. Walker
If you haven’t already gotten one, this is a good time to invest in a good walker.
You don’t have to put them in it right away!
But this is the time where they will be wanting to stand all the time, and possibly even try to take steps while your holding on to them.
The Baby Tread Walker is a great and affordable option that will keep your baby happy and feeling independent, but won’t break the bank!
Bonus:
6. Portable Chair
One thing I wish I had for when he wasn’t completely sitting independently was the Travel Harness Seat
Now this chair is definitely not a necessity. However, when we went to restaurants we were still having to hold him because he was more alert and didn’t want to stay in his car seat.
But he wasn’t big enough to sit in a high chair without support.
So this is one thing I wish I had to make him comfortable and happy, but also made sure I got to finish a meal at least once in a restaurant!
This milestone is one of the most exciting, besides a year old.
So many new things are happening, its no doubt a rollercoaster of emotions! However, your babe needs you right now and you need them. So hold tight, because they wont stay this
little forever.
If you are about to have a new baby or are approaching the infant stage, make sure to check out our newborn items article and our infant items article!