Baby's Care and Development
Your six to eight month old
How active your baby has become! He is learning about shapes
and textures. Your six to eight month old is curious and
exploring, and needs you to watch him carefully.
Feeding Your Baby
At six to eight months, breast milk or infant formula continue
to be your baby's main source of nutrients. As your baby
begins to eat  solid
foods, he will nurse less or take less formula. Breast-fed
babies nurse about every four hours during the day. Formula-fed
babies need 28 to 38 ounces of formula a day. Click here
for tips
on feeding and signs
of fullness.
Caring for Your Baby
Bathing
- Never leave your baby alone
- Cover the water control knobs so your baby can't touch
them
Skin Care
Mouth and Dental Care
Babies put almost everything in their mouths
- Keep your baby's hands and toys clean
- Prevent baby bottle tooth decay. Put your baby to bed
with only water in her bottle.
Sleeping
- Your baby probably has 3 periods of sleep: morning nap,
afternoon nap and bedtime
- Your baby should be sleeping 12 to 14 hours a day, most
of it at night
- If your baby flips himself from sleeping on his back
to his stomach, it's okay to leave him that way. For more
information on safe sleep practices, visit Baby's
Safe Sleep.
Health Care
- Your baby will need another check-up
and shots (immunizations) during this time. If your
baby does not have health insurance, visit the Child
Health Insurance portion of this Web site for more
information on North Carolina's publicly-funded health
insurance programs.
- Remember to take your baby's health record with you
so your doctor or nurse can record your baby's weight,
length and any immunizations given.
- Ask any questions you may have.
Your Baby's Development
There are lots of activities you can do with your baby to
help your baby grow and develop. See
How We Grow - Baby's First Year can give you specific
ways you can help your baby learn to trust, feel comfortable,
communicate and become aware of how his or her body moves.
(If you can't open the link above or it downloads too slowly,
try the plain
text version.)
Your Baby's Safety
Your six to eight month old is now on-the-move and can
quickly get into trouble. Be sure to visit the Safety
Tips page for things to watch out for and steps you can
take to keep your baby safe.
Other Links
North Carolina Vaccines for Children Program The N.C. Division of Public Health's fact sheet explains eligibility for this program and other information pertaining to reduced costs for required vaccines for children up to 19 years of age.
WIC
Program Breastfeeding and Support WIC strives to increase the incidence
and duration of breastfeeding among women enrolled in the Program.
Carolinas
Poison Center - 1-800-222-1222
National
HEALTHYCHILDREN.ORG a new parenting Web site from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The site includes general information related to child health plus more specific guidance on parenting issues and is promoted as "the only parenting Web site backed by 60,000 pediatricians committed to the attainment of optimal physical, mental and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents and young adults."
For more health information, search MedlinePlus |
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Last updated: November 2012 |
