Best Things to Do for Your Baby for First 6 Months

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By the fourth dimension your baby nears their vi-calendar month birthday, you lot're probably well enlightened that life with a more agile baby is certainly different than living with a newborn. Get ready—your infant is most to become fifty-fifty more mobile.

Over the next iii months, your baby will tackle some pretty big milestones, such as eating solid foods and learning to sit upwardly, wave, and blubbering. Equally they near the historic period of 9 months, they might crawl or stand. As a result, you can outset preparing to go along your curious infant rubber and good for you.

It'south common to get a fiddling overwhelmed by all the unlike kinds of products available for this age group. At that place are a lot of choices, and it can be difficult to know what you really demand and what you lot can skip. To help, we've compiled a list of everything you can do and purchase for your 6 to 9-month-old baby. Being prepared will make life easier for the both of you lot!

Babyproofing

During this stage, your baby will become from sitting up to continuing, which ways your biggest priority correct now is to make sure that your home is safe. Accidents are the leading cause of death for young children.

How much babyproofing equipment you lot need volition ultimately depend on your house's size and layout.

A good way to brainstorm (and end) the childproofing process is to get on your hands and knees and crawl around, looking for sharp corners, devious cords, exposed sockets, and any other hazards that are depression to the footing and within a baby's achieve.

What Yous Need

• Babe gates: These are particularly important at the top and lesser of stairs and in forepart of fireplaces.
• Electric outlet covers: The safest ones are those that cover the entire outlet.
• Doorknob covers: These can be placed on doors to rooms that would be unsafe for your baby to enter.
• Chiffonier and drawer locks: Information technology's actually important that all cabinets containing cleaning supplies, medications, alcohol, silverware, and any other hazardous items are kept securely locked because curious babies love opening doors.
• Stove guards: These will go over the knobs on your stove and proceed your baby from accidentally turning information technology on or burning themselves.
• Appliance locking straps: Look these to keep the doors to your dishwasher, fridge and other appliances closed.
• Window gates or guards: This is a good thought even on the ground flooring.
• Corner covers: Expect for foam or soft covers that can be stuck downward on any sharp edges and corners of furniture to continue your baby from bumping into them.
• Cord covers: Hide any wires to electronics, TVs, or power cords under a cord cover wherever possible.
• Furniture and electronic anchors: Secure any piece of furniture or electronics (like your TV) to the wall to go along your baby from pulling it down on top of them.

Feeding Supplies

Your babe will probably start eating solid foods around the age of 6 months (once they show all the signs of readiness), and they'll first grabbing finger foods and feeding themselves around 9 months. So, y'all're going to need a good high chair, clip-on seat, or booster seat. We also recommend securing bibs and bowls to serve the food and cutting downwards on the mess (which there will be a lot of.)

Another decision to put on your radar: whether you want to make your own baby food or buy premade foods. It's totally okay if you don't take the time or don't feel comfortable making your own infant nutrient from scratch. Merely wait for minimally processed, low-preservative ingredients, also every bit organic brands. You tin also look into infant nutrient meal delivery services.

Some parents like the command that making their ain food gives them over the quality of foods their infant eats. Plus, lots of people are understandably nervous almost feeding their little ones store-bought food after the February 2021 study almost heavy metals in commercial baby foods. If you lot practice decide to make your own food, you'll probably want to choice up a babe food maker though, along with a infant food recipe volume or ii and so that you know how to set up the food safely.

There's no need to toss all your bottles if you lot plan to keep breastfeeding and pumping at this age. Your infant will still need breastmilk or formula even though they're eating solids until their start birthday. Nevertheless, as they start eating, you should offering them modest amounts of water in a sippy loving cup.

What Yous Need

• A high chair or upright baby seat: For rubber reasons, make sure to pick ane with a iii- or 5-signal harness, a crotch post so your baby tin't slide out, sturdy legs to minimize the hazard of tipping, and a seat that encourages infant to sit upright while eating.
• 4-5 Bowls and serving dishes: To minimize the chances of your infant throwing their entire repast on the floor, look for dishes with suction cups underneath so they stick to the table or high chair tray.
• 3-vii Infant spoons: Look for ones that are small enough for your baby'southward mouth and that don't have any sharp sides. Softer spoons, such every bit those made of silicone, will also work better than metallic ones once your babe starts trying to bite the spoon also.
• 3-v Bibs: In one case your baby starts feeding themselves, things get messy quickly so you might want to consider getting bibs that are easy to wipe clean or that take long sleeves.
• A splash mat: No matter what you lot do, some food is going to cease up on the flooring, simply a splash mat can brand cleanup a little easier.
• A babe food maker: This can assistance you steam, cook, mash, or puree food, but don't experience similar you take to buy a actually fancy one. Some babies prefer finger foods or outgrow their infant mush pretty apace.
• First foods: Whether you're making your own food or not, fresh produce (such as berries, bananas, and avocados) can make great finger foods or snacks. In one case your babe gets a footling more comfortable with solids, puffs and cheerios tin also assistance your babe work on their pincer grasp.
• 1 - 2 Babyfood cookbooks: There are lots of options when it comes to cookbooks, simply you probably don't need more than than one or ii at most.
• 2-3 Sippy cups or straw cups: Your baby tin practice drinking water, breastmilk, or formula from a sippy cup or through a loving cup that has a straw.
• three-4 Food storage containers: If you desire to make your own food, you might want to make it in batches, which means you'll need some storage containers.

Dress

Somewhere effectually their 6-month birthday, your baby will likely exist rolling around, scooting around, and trying to clamber. by 9 months, they could exist pulling themselves upward to a continuing position, cruising around past holding onto furniture, and maybe even taking their kickoff steps (though some babies won't walk until after their beginning birthday and that'due south totally normal as well!) With all this motility, though, y'all'll probably want to invest in some wearing apparel that can hold up to some wear and tear.

Before your infant learns to walk, they don't really demand shoes. In fact, information technology's easier for them to keep their balance when they first start pulling themselves up and cruising if they're non wearing shoes. However, they could apply some socks with not-sideslip soles.

Sleep sacks are still OK to use; and if you lot practice rely on them, you'll want to make sure that they don't restrict your baby's ability to use their artillery or gyre over in their sleep. Every bit a event, some parents start making the switch to pajamas around this age.

Depending on the season, you might also consider introducing your baby to pond around this age in guild to encourage them to like the h2o. If yous do accept them in the h2o exterior, though, consider getting a rashguard and swim hat to protect them from the sun. (Don't forget to option up some swim diapers!)

What You Need

• Durable everyday outfits: Await for wearing apparel y'all don't mind getting muddied. Pants with reinforced articulatio genus pads are also a cracking choice.
• Seasonal dress: Coats and hats are a must if you live somewhere with cold winters. Sunglasses, rompers, and summer hats will keep your baby rubber in the warmer season.
• Socks with not-skid soles
• A swimsuit, rash guard, and swim hat
• Pajamas: Footed PJs can be a good idea in the winter or if you live somewhere cold.
• Diapers and swim diapers

Outset Aid

Your baby'due south kickoff-aid kit is likely already well-stocked with nasal aspirators, saline spray, diaper cream, petroleum jelly, and a thermometer. Now that your baby is half dozen-months-old, y'all can add together a few showtime-aid medications to information technology in instance you need them.

Call back to always check with your infant'southward pediatrician before giving your baby medication to make sure you lot're giving them the right dose.

What You Need

• Babe Ibuprofen: Infant Advil and infant Motrin are safe to requite to babies over 6-months former when ordered past a medical professional.
• Infant Tylenol: Always ask your pediatrician for dosage instructions.
• Infant gas drops: Simethicone (Mylicon) can be rubber for babies if they have painful gas.
• Antibiotic cream: Your infant might go more than scrapes and cuts equally they larn to stand and walk.
• Children's Benadryl: This medication is not recommended for children nether two, simply your pediatrician may recommend that you have some in the house while introducing potentially allergenic foods. Medical professionals may instruct you lot to administer information technology in the upshot of a severe allergic reaction.

Cleaning Supplies

Half dozen to 9-month old babies can be really messy. Whether they're dropping food on the floor, squishing it on their clothes, or rolling around on the ground, things get muddy chop-chop. (Blowout diapers aren't a matter of the by yet, either.) That's why it'south a adept idea to stock up on some babe-safe cleaning supplies so you can make clean their dress, high-chair, and toys properly.

What Yous Demand

• High chair wipes
• Sponges
• Paper towels
• Boogie/face wipes
• Lots of laundry detergent
• Manus wipes

Developmental Toys

Picking toys for your baby tin can be a fun, yet daunting task because there are and so many options. The good news is, some of the all-time developmental toys for this historic period group are actually the simpler ones. Mirrors, assurance, rolling toys, and stackable cups can all be popular choices right now, encouraging your baby to explore their world, interact with it, and get moving.

Other popular choices are toys that encourage your baby to work on specific skills. Look for ones that encourage your baby to crawl, stand, or walk. These can exist stand-upward activity centers and walkers.

What Y'all Need

Ultimately, it's up to yous how many toys you want to purchase. But here are some popular recommendations:

• Stacking blocks or cups
• Tummy time mirrors
• Crawling toys
• Soft balls
• Activeness Walkers
• Wooden bead mazes
• Push toys
• Sit-to-stand activeness centers

Books

By half-dozen-months, your baby can see in colour and three dimensions, so they tend to exist fatigued to colorful and interactive books, such equally those that take touch-and-feel elements. They also respond when they're talked to, and they are beginning to make sounds in response. Every bit a result, this is a really fun time to read to your baby. They're more than probable to exist interested in the pictures and the words you read.

By 9-months, your baby might be able to say simple words, such every bit "ma" and "da," and they might effort to imitate words that you say. This tin can be a fun time to read books with pictures of everyday items that your infant is familiar with, such every bit books full of animals or foods.

Babies can however be a little hard on books at this age considering they put everything in their mouths. As a event, it's best to stick with board books at this historic period considering they can concur up amend to wear-and-tear (and teething.) Y'all tin can also try fabric books.

What You Need

Look for colorful, interactive, or touch-and-feel board books. Tongue-twisters can also get a reaction from your baby around this historic period too. Don't worry also much most the story of the book merely nevertheless. Right now your baby is more interested in the colors, the pictures, and the sounds you brand when y'all read. As a result, elementary books full of words and pictures are often good choices.

Teething Supplies

Your baby'due south first molar can come anytime between three to 15 months—and information technology can keep until they're 24 months. So if y'all haven't already, at present is the time to stock up on everything you're going to need to back up your baby'south teething and accept care of those very beginning teeth.

In other words, in addition to a collection of different kinds of teethers, you're going to want to buy your babe's first toothbrush. It'south really important to establish a good routine with teeth hygiene early with your infant to prevent decay. Most toothbrushes will point on their packaging what age they're aimed at, simply generally, y'all'll desire to start with a rubber grooming toothbrush to clean the baby'south gums earlier the tooth erupts, so switch to a bristle brush in one case it appears.

What Y'all Demand

• A diverseness of teether types: The simply way to know what kind of teether your baby volition like is to try a few different kids, ranging from freezable ones, hard rings, and silicone animals.
• An age-appropriate toothbrush: Look for 1 with a small head and extra soft beard.

A Word From Verywell

Your infant is going to change a lot between the ages of 6 and ix months. It's a really heady time. With so much modify, information technology tin can exist easy to get defenseless up in the desire to buy your baby everything they could peradventure demand to support their development.

Remember, also what y'all need to keep them safe (like babyproofing gear), what your baby needs virtually is for y'all to keep them happy and engaged as they grow upward. So don't worry if you can't buy everything on this list. That said, we hope it does provide some good inspiration to aid get you started.

Best Things to Do for Your Baby for First 6 Months

Source: https://www.verywellfamily.com/everything-you-need-for-your-baby-6-9-months-5119899

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