Baby 3-6 months

This stage in your baby's life is very important he/she is growing really fast. gaining about 1-3 lbs a month. he/she should of started cooing a bit. he/she might have gave you a smile or two or maybe a giggle. these time are very joyful and you should spend as much time as you can with your baby. At about 4 months your baby should be able to lift head while on tummy...maybe rollover. :) a milestone us parents love. At 4-6 months your baby may be ready to start eating solids a very exciting milestone. there are so many mile stones your baby will be accomplishing in these few months. while feedings, sleeping and, diapers are a major concern for mama's. down below are some guidelines although your doctor is always the person to ask if concerned about your baby.


FEEDINGS

• At this age your baby should be eating 4-7oz a feeding. 5-7  bottles a day. a total of 20-32oz.
• You can start you baby on solids when he/she is 4 months old but it is getting more recomended you start at 6 months.
• if you start at 4 months or 6 months you should never put rice in the bottle its a choking hazard and you baby won't learn to eat solids.
•  you should make 1st rice meal by mixing 1tbs of rice with 4-5 tbs of formula it will be very watery as you do more solid meals increase the thickness. the feeding will get messy and funny all at the same time. although don't get agitated its your baby's first solid meal enjoy the funny faces he makes.
• after a couple weeks of just rice 1-2 times a day you can start to add fruits and veggies into he/she baby's diet.
• Night times feedings should be cutting down if not you might want to start looking into sleep training or night wean. there are lots of methods out there. but every baby is diffrent its a game of trial and error. with sleep methods.
• you should always check with your doctor before you start feeding your baby solids to make sure your baby is ready and doubled birth weight.
• Daily diet goals for a supported sitter:

24oz formula/breastmilk-4-7 bottles-4-6oz ea.

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1/4 c. fruirt aprx 2-4 tbs.-1-2 times a day

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1/4 c. veggie aprx. 2-4 tbs.-1-2 times a day

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1/4-1/2 c. rice dry- 2 times a day- AM & PM

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NO MEATS AT THIS AGE GROUP IS NESSECARY.

SLEEPING

• Your baby should be settling down into a pattern of naps and feedings.
• on average at this age a baby will have 2-4 naps ranging from 1-3 hrs.
• on averavge a baby this old will still wake up 1-3 times a night which is normal. sleep training can be started and  helpful at this age.
• A overall sleep a baby need at this age is 12-18 hrs. total. 8-12 hrs. at night and 2-5 hours of napping durring the day.
• There should be one in mid-morning beings about 1 1/2-2hrs. long, afternoon 1 1/2-2 hours long, early evening 1-1 1/2hrs long being the shortest in the evening.
• all babies are different if your baby seems to you not sleeping enough or too much contact or doctor.
• Naps times for your baby are:

1-2 hrs.- between 9am-11am.

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1-2hrs.- between 2pm-4pm

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1/2hr-1hr- around 5pm-6pm

DIAPERS

•  At this age you should not really be to worried about your babies bowl movements.his/her stools will most likley be happening on a pattern mostly after he/she eats.
• breastfed babies tend to have more solid diapers a day cause the breast milk is easier to digest. formula fed babies can go up to 3 days w/o a solid diaper. if any longer you might to call your doc. he/she might be consipated.
• Startings solid food can cause constipation in babies. you can give your baby some water,apple, or prune juice 2-4 oz a day. If he/she is already eating friuts and veggies. give him/her p-fruits such as prue,pears,pinapple...etc. those yummy foods help well.
• your baby should still be having 4-8 wet diapers a day & 1-3 stools. a day. if stools are hard that is a sign of constipation call your doc. or try the remidies i suggested above. they work well with my son.
• If you start to see a diaper rash appearing such as red or inflamened area. start using diaper rash cream untill gone. It will prevent the rash from coming and you baby being in pain.

                   Feel free to post your opinions, suggestions, questions, comments and sample routines thanks.