Children's Panadol®: Your Baby's Day 3-6 Months

A Typical Day 3-4 Months

5am - Breast/bottle feed (120-180ml).
6am - Back to sleep (mother and baby).
9am - Baby wakes, breast/bottle feed. 10 - 10.30am - Play.
10.30am - Settle baby in pram if you're going out, or put back to bed.
11-1pm - Baby sleeps (mother shops or does chores and has lunch).
1pm - Breast/bottle feed.
2-2.30pm - Play.
2.30pm- 5pm - Settle and sleep.
5pm - Bath (or earlier if unsettled).
6pm - Breast/bottle feed.
7pm - Play time.
7.30 - 10pm - Settle and sleep.
10pm - Breast/Bottle feed.
Some babies also have a 2am feed.

By three to four months your life's probably become a lot easier, with baby settled into a routine and hopefully sleeping through the night. Time now to put baby into a cot, if you haven't already.

Feeding

This will now take less time. Baby should have 5 feeds in 24 hours. During the day they'll be every 3-4 hours, and at night every 6-8 hours. (Many babies will now be 'sleeping through', having had their last feed at 10pm and the first at 5 - 6am). Between 4-6 months your baby will be ready to start solid food in addition to milk - not before, as this may harm baby's health.

Sleeping

By 3 months, baby should be sleeping for 1-2 hours after each feed during the day, and from 5-7 hours at night.

By 6 months, baby still needs 1-2 hours sleep after daytime feeds as their playtime is more active. At night they will sleep 8-10 hours (i.e. 13-15 hours sleep in 24 hours).

Settle baby as soon as you see signs of overtiredness.
By now you will have established a settling technique to prepare baby for bed. Stick to it.
Remember to put baby to bed in the same place, both day and night.
Put baby in the cot while still awake, then leave, so they can learn to go to sleep by themselves.

Playtime

By 3-4 months, play may be 30 minutes, several times a day, including at least 5 - 10 minutes tummy time. They can now push up on their arms and hold that position for a short time. Their interest in coloured toys and objects is increasing as they start to reach, grasp and explore objects in their mouth. They'll be responding to your voice, interacting more and using a wider range of sounds.

By 6 months, play may be one hour several times a day. They will be more interested in exploring their world by rolling and moving around the floor in preparation for crawling.

Ideas for Play at Home

While cradling baby in your arms give him toys to hold.
During tummy time on the floor, place toys on the rug close to the baby, so he can reach for them. Clear plastic balls with bells inside are fun.
When baby's in the bouncer or rocker, use an activity gym with toys or rattles that dangle within reach. Or hang toys from a clothes airer.
Place the rocker where baby can watch you, and talk to them while you work. Place the pram in the garden or by a window where they can watch the trees move.
Make sure toys don't have sharp edges or small pieces that could come off easily and be swallowed.

How to Tell if Baby is Ready for Solids

Maybe baby seems always hungry, wakes during the night (when he used to sleep through), is not putting on weight or becomes interested in watching you eat.

How to Start

Give solids after the breast or bottlefeed.
Rice cereal is the best food to start off with because it's less likely to cause allergic reactions, and it contains iron.
Mix one teaspoon of cereal with a little breast milk formula or cooled boiled water, to a thick paste-like consistency. (If it's too thin, baby will try to suck it rather than chew).
Feed baby with a small plastic teaspoon.

         Week 1: Once a day, after midmorning feed.
         Week 2: Twice a day, morning and afternoon.
         Week 3: Add some cooked pureed apple or
          ripe mashed banana.

Gradually increase the amount as baby demands until they are having 1/4 - 1/2 cup.
For more information ask your Child Health Nurse for the brochure "Ready For Solids".