Your little one is so big compared to the day they were born. At six months, you will find more changes in their diet.
Six months is a big milestone for your infant. Your baby is sitting up alone or on the way there. Rolling around is also no problem. This is also the stage in their infancy that they have more of a personality and are more enjoyable to interact with. You may even get more sleep at this point if your baby is able to sleep six to eight hours by now.
When it comes to size, your six-month old should be double the birth weight. Things will start slowing down, like only gaining about a pound a month and growing a half-inch each month. Your baby's nutrition plays a big role in growth and development, and infant formula is still a part of their life.
Infant Formula and Cereal
The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that children are breastfed for the first six months exclusively. When breastfeeding is not an option, infant formula is the next best thing, especially organic infant formula with wholesome ingredients and no unhealthy or synthetic additives. Even though your baby is six months old, infant formula is still the primary source of nutrition while your little one explores the world of cereals and solids.
The first solid food that is recommended for infants is cereal. Rice cereal that is iron-fortified and contains other important nutrients like zinc. It is a single-grain cereal that is easy for your little one to digest. Since your baby has only had liquid up to this point, you want to make the cereal runny. Typically the proportion is 1 tablespoon of infant rice cereal with 4 or 5 tablespoons of infant formula.
You want to start with your baby sitting up, which is why six-months old is a good time to start. Resist the urge to mix rice cereal and formula in the bottle. It can clog the nipple and it does little to transition your baby to sitting at a high chair ready for other solid foods.
Infant Formula and Other Solid Foods
As you introduce other foods to your baby's palate, you still need to have infant formula as a part of your little one's diet. With each new food such as strained fruits and vegetables, your baby still need the core nutrition that they get from the bottle. Also, your baby may not respond well to the taste of new foods and may not eat as much the first few times around. It is important to introduce one food at a time for the course of a few days to make sure that there is no allergic reaction to it.
A decrease of appetite for the bottle is normal, so do not be discouraged when your little one takes fewer ounces when they are eating solids. Be sure to share any concerns with your pediatrician, especially if there are other symptoms such as fewer wet diapers.
Infant Formula for the Next Stage
Infant formula is designed to take your child throughout the first year. However, your favorite organic infant formula brands also come in Stage 2 varieties. It provides extra iron and nutrients that your baby needs. With their energy used in sitting, crawling, and scooting, it gives them just a little bit more.
Stage 2 comes in:
- Hipp Combiotic
- Hipp HA Combiotic
- Hipp Bio Combiotic
- Holle Follow On Milk
- Holle Goat's Milk
- Lebenswert Follow On Milk
