Feeding Your Baby

Between 5 and 6 months of age, several things begin to happen. Your baby’s growth will begin to slow down. He will become more active and burn more calories.

Your doctor is probably telling you to not start solid foods for another month or two. Your friends and relatives are probably telling you that everyone starts solids sooner. Pay attention to your doctor.

Breast milk is best. Keep up the breast milk and/or the type of infant formula your doctor has recommended. If you don’t already have a breastfeeding support group, check out the La Leche League at http://lalecheleague.org/.

Help your baby learn to eat when he is hungry and to stop eating when he begins to feel full. Hungry babies may:

• Open their mouths when they see the breast or bottle
• Lean forward to be able to drink

Babies who start to feel full may:

• Hold their mouths tightly shut
• Push away the breast or bottle
• Lose interest in eating
• Turn their upper body away

No Honey, Honey!

Babies under 1 year old should not be fed honey. Honey is harmful to babies because it has spores that can cause infant botulism.

Helping Your Baby’s Memory

Watch how your baby reacts when things disappear from view. Does she lean over to look for things she dropped? Does she look for a favorite toy?

These are signs that your baby’s memory is growing. When she was younger, out of sight was out of mind. Now, she is learning that things exist even when she can’t see them.

You can have fun with your baby and help her memory at the same time. Show your baby a toy, and then cover it — slowly at first — with a cloth or cup. Does your baby try to pull the cover off? What if you cover only part of the toy? Try different toys and different covers.

Play peek-a-boo to help your baby learn that you come back when you go away. Sometimes cover your face and sometimes hers. If your baby doesn’t have fun playing these games now, wait a few weeks and try again.