6-12 Months
Milestones:
The following is a rough guideline to what your baby may achieve. Babies may reach different milestones at different paces. Premature babies require more time to reach certain milestones. Hence, doctors evaluate a premature baby's development from the time they should’ve been born.
6 Months:
Motor skills:
Rolls over
Pulls feet into mouth
Reach for objects
Hold their bottle
May start sitting without support
Adjust body to see an object
Can bear most weight on standing position
May lift head, neck and chest when laid on their tummy
Head control: Holds head steadily without lagging
Vision: Recognizing objects from far
Hearing: Turns towards sound
Speech:
Continue to imitate sounds and words
Make one syllable sound (ma, ba, da)
Social:
Smile, laugh
Feel comfortable around family members
Shows fear towards strangers
Show interest towards their favorite toy
Start eating solid food Shows full readiness
Chew and bite
Permanent eye color develops
7 Months:
Motor Skills:
Sit down without any support
May begin to crawl
Bears full weight on feet when held in standing position and may bounce
May start passing objects from one hand to another
Bangs toys
Lean toward toys, pick them up, and lean back.
Develops hand- mouth coordination
Start using a handled cup with help
Social:
Recognize and responds to their name
Blabs when surrounding people talk
Smile, laugh, frown, grin
Understands parent’s voice tone (happy, angry, sad)
Start showing separation anxiety
Drools
May start showing teething signs
8 Months:
Motor:
May crawl (some babies do not crawl at all)
May start standing while holding onto furniture.
May start grasping small objects
Show mouth-hand coordination
Clap hands
Throw, shake, bang and chew objects
Social:
Show separation anxiety
Understands when someone is sad and show empathy
Vision:
Can see clearly
Can see very far objects
May start teething
Say dada, baba, mama to parents
9 Months:
Motor:
Can stand while holding to furniture and may take steps
May wave goodbye
Throw, shake, bang and throw objects
Start grasping small objects
Attempts to sit by dropping
May try to learn to stand when sitting
Social:
May respond and understands “bye”
Understands parent’s voice tone rather than words
Shows separation anxiety
Language
Uses the words “baba” and “mama” when attempting to talk to parents
In addition to “baba” and “mama” they may say another word
Vision:
Clearer vision
Can spot an object from a pile
Other:
Enjoys playing
Enjoys story time and lullabies
10 Months Old:
Motor Skills:
Waves goodbye
Masters crawling
Walk while holding onto furniture
May start standing for a very short while without support
May take steps when holding parent’s hand
Starts standing when they are in sitting position
Social:
Smile at people
Shy in front of people
Express fear, frustration
Make sounds for attention
Language:
Says “baba” and “mama” to talk to the correct parent
Babbles words that resemble real words
May start saying extra words that may be incomplete
Responds to their name
11 Months Old:
Motor Skills:
Walk while holding onto furniture
Take steps while holding parent’s hand
May sit down when standing (doesn’t throw themselves)
May be able to hold a cup and drink
Try to eat independently using their hand
Can stand independently for a short while
Social:
May understand and follow simple instructions
Language:
Says “baba” and “mama” to talk to the correct parent
Understands simple instructions
Babbles words and try to repeat words they hear
Other:
Enjoys stories and images in books and flip pages
Enjoys putting things in a box
12 Months:
Motor Skills:
May start taking a few steps
Sits down when standing without help
Flips pages
Social:
Responds to simple questions and commands
Shows affection
Shows independence in familiar places
Still shows separation anxiety and clings to parents around strangers
Language:
May say two extra words in addition to “baba” and “mama”
Babbles sentences
Understands the names of objects
Benefits of Breastfeeding after the First 6 Months
For Infants
Breast milk composition changes to suit your baby needs.
Breast milk protects your baby from infection as it still contains antibodies.
Breastfeeding protects baby from many illnesses later in life.
For Breastfeeding Mother:
Aids in weight loss
Contraception
Creates a strong bond with baby.
Convenience:
It takes now shorter time for a baby to feed.
No sterilization needed
Changes You Will Notice
Your baby will start nursing more efficiently and thus take less time doing so.
Solid foods [Hyperlink – Introducing Solid Food] will take over some breastfeeding sessions.
Your baby will get distracted while feeding and will start pulling off your breast few times during a feed. Find a quite area within minimum distractions.
If your baby started teething, get ready to be bitten.
There are phases where your baby refuses to feed. Try feeding your baby first thing in the morning and when he/she is tired.
Milk supply may reduce.
How Much & How Often?
When a baby turns 6 months, solid foods are introduced and thus the number of feeding sessions will drop. You might also notice that the feeds between meals get shorter. Try making some
Bottle feeding
Ronesca recognizes World Health Organization recommendations and encourages mothers to breastfeed for the first 6 months (26 weeks) of life. There are many occasions, however, when breastfeeding is not possible and for babies under the age of 1 year, infant formula is the only alternative.
Jumping Into Stage 2 Milk
Stage 2 infant formulas are designed to meet the needs of older babies, with rapid growth and development. For instance, stage 2 milk contains added amounts of iron to compensate for the depleted amount of iron that was stored and received by your baby during pregnancy and consumed during the first 6 months.
Based on cow’s milk, many infant formulas have been developed to mimic the content of breast milk. Some infant formulas like Ronalac have gone further in order to mimic the biological effects and benefits of breast milk. Their enriched formulas will typically have revised proportions of prebiotcs, probiotics and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Ronesca offers Ronalac 2 as stage 2 formula. Ronalac 2 is fortified with all vitamins, minerals and macronutrients that are essential for growth, mental development and immunity.
Transitioning From Stage 1 to Stage 2 Formula Milk
In most cases you can switch from Ronalac 1 to Ronalac 2 with no concerns. Your doctor might advise you to gradually do the transition to avoid intestinal discomfort. The gradual shift can begin at the fifth month in an increasing manner.
At this age you are advised to give plane water, juices water rich foods (fruits and vegetables) to avoid constipation.
How Much Formula Milk Does My Baby Need At This Age?
Your baby by now should be introduced to solid food, which will reduce the amount of milk fed. The amount of formula milk that should be given is at least 600 mL per day divided into 4 to 5 feeds.
It is advisable to consult the doctor and follow the recommended intake written on the formula milk tin.
Relative to their size, babies have a much higher need for energy and vitamins & minerals than adults. Until 6 months of age, they will have got their requirements from the stores they are born with combined with the nutrients in breast milk or infant formula1 [Hyperlink – Ronalac 1] and will have doubled their birth weight. By the time they are one year old they should have tripled it. To do so, they need a diet that is energy and nutrient rich. At this age, milk alone is not enough.
To avoid filling them up, that means providing a diet that is super-efficient - high in fat but low in fibre. Because they have stomachs ten times smaller than adults but need (relative to size), three times more energy, it also means little - but often. To ensure a balanced diet during weaning, a variety of foods should be offered but parents should be careful not to replace too much milk too soon with vegetable and fruit purees that are lower in calories.
MINERALS
Iron
It is important that good sources of iron are introduced straight away into the diet of a six month old baby who is being weaned. Anaemia (iron deficiency) is a common problem symptomized by loss of appetite, irritability and lethargy in the baby.
Iron is most easily absorbed from red meat but is also present in dried fruit, iron-fortified infant cereals, beans, lentils, chickpeas and green vegetables.
Read more: Vitamin C
Vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron from non-meat sources. Some follow-on milks like Ronalac 2 are also good sources of iron.
Read more:
Iron
Vitamin C
Zinc:
Zinc is also an important inclusion for growth & development but also affects immune function. It can be found in eggs, milk, cheese, wholegrain cereals, meat, fish and pulses.
VITAMINS
For babies between 6-12 months who drink less than 500-600ml per day of follow-on milk or for whom breast milk is the main drink, vitamin supplements A, C, and D are recommended.
Vitamin A:
Vitamin A affects growth & development, skin, eyes and the immune system. It can be found in whole milk, cheese, butter, oily fish and liver. Carrots and other orange colored fruits and vegetables, as well as dark green leafy vegetables, contain carotene that converts to vitamin A.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C also affects growth & development and helps the body absorb iron. It is also vital for the formation of a protein called collagen that helps make skin, scar tissue, tendons and blood vessels. It can be found in blackcurrants, oranges, mangoes, kiwi fruit, broccoli and peppers.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption to promote the formation of bone. Lack of it causes rickets and poor bone growth. It can be found in oily fish, liver, eggs, fortified breakfast cereals and also in margarine. It can also be manufactured by sunlight on skin but this alone will not be sufficient to meet the needs of a growing baby and exposing babies to too much sun is not recommended.
introducing solid foods/ Allergies
Introducing Solid Foods
The World Health Organization recommend exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months and recommend continued breastfeeding, after the introduction of complementary food. It is advised that you consult your healthcare professional before introducing infant formula and complementary food.
It is widely accepted that babies should be introduced to solids at 6 months but not before 4 months. In 2000 the World Health Organization reviewed the scientific literature on the optimal duration of breastfeeding, comparing babies exclusively breastfed for 6 months and those exclusively breastfed for 3-4 months. They concluded that there were no differences in growth between the two groups and that there were no benefits to introducing solids between 4 and 6 months. Infants breastfed for 6 months suffered fewer gastrointestinal and respiratory infections.
Is My Baby Ready for Solid Food?
Your baby will start giving you signs that show that he/she is ready for solids. These signs include:
Sit without support
Can lift head steadily
Shows curiosity when seeing someone eating and tries to grab food and/or make a chewing like motion
Doesn’t push food out with tongue (this is called extrusion reflex or tongue-thrust reflex)
Still feels hungry after having breast/ formula milk
Shows increasing appetite
Show good hand to mouth coordination
Has doubled their weight
Opens mouth when offered food
Allergy Concerns
Babies with family history of allergies are more likely to show food allergies. It is advised to introduce solids one at a time. Make (at least) a three day gap before introducing new food. This way you will easily determine which food was the cause of allergy.
Offering food too early (before 4 months) or too late, increases the risk of food allergy.
Signs of Allergy:
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Swollen face
Wheezing
Rash
Allergenic Foods:
It is a good idea to stay away from allergenic foods especially for babies with family history of allergy. Examples include:
Dairy
Eggs
Soy
Wheat
Sea food
Fish
Nuts
Less Allergenic Foods:
Corn
Berries
Seeds
Read more:
Food Allergy & Intolerance
Milk Protein Allergy
How to Begin Introducing Solid Foods? What to Introduce?
Introduce the following between 4 and 6 months of age, when your baby is ready:
Iron-fortified infant cereals
Pureed meats, beans, and legumes
Once cereals and meat are accepted, add:
Cooked pureed Vegetables and fruits
Single-ingredient commercial baby foods
When your baby is ready, around 9-12 Months, introduce:
Chopped or mashed finger foods
Tips:
At first, offer a couple of spoons then increase the number of spoons gradually.
Introduce every food alone and monitor your baby over 3 to 5 days before introducing another new food, to make sure your baby doesn’t have an unhealthy reaction to a food.
After testing foods for allergy, you can start mixing them.
Introduce foods that tend to be non-allergenic first (like rice, fruits and vegetables)
Mash foods before offering them, and avoid hard food.
If your baby refuses certain food, don’t give up and offer them later.
Later on, offer your baby finger foods to encourage coordination between hand and mouth.
Never leave your baby while eating finger foods.
It is advised not to add salt or sugar.
Concerning readymade purees, don’t feed directly from container so that you can reserve remaining for later.
Foods that are Not Recommended for Infants
The following foods are not recommended for infants:
Hard, raw fruits or vegetables such as apples, green beans and carrots
Hard biscuit
Raisins, whole grapes
Hot dog pieces
Popcorn
Peanuts
Sticky foods such as peanut butter, which can get stuck in the back of mouth
Important Precautions When Introducing Food:
You may introduce fresh juice (6 months onwards) using a cup, not a bottle, and must be limited to 4 ounces per day.
Sugar-containing foods and drinks and foods with added salt are not recommended for infants.
Avoid foods that the infant cannot chew. Un-chewed food can block the airway.
Non-formula milk — such as cow's, goat, rice, or soy milk—are not appropriate before 1 year of age.
Honey should not be given for infants (under 1 year) because of the risk of botulism spores (a serious fatal illness caused by a toxin produced by the bacteria found in Honey).
Avoid cow milk [Hyperlink – Cow’s Milk Allergy 6-12 Months] before your baby turns 12 Months.
Typical Portion Sizes and Daily Intake for Infants:
6-8 Months:
3-5 feedings/day of breast milk or infant formula (6-8oz)
2 feedings/day of Infant cereal (2-4 Tbsp)
1 feeding/day of 2 Crackers, bread (½ slice)
1 feeding/day of juice (1-3 oz)
1-2 feedings/day of Fruit or vegetable (2-3 Tbsp)
1-2 feeding/day of meat (1-2Tbsp) or beans (1-2 Tbsp)
8-12 Months:
3-4 feedings/day of Breast milk or infant formula (6-8 oz)
feeding/day of Cheese (½ oz) or yogurt (½ cup)
2 feedings/day of Infant cereal (2-4 Tbsp), bread (½ slice),
crackers (2), or pasta (3-4 Tbsp)
1 feeding/day of juice (3 oz)
2-3 feedings/day of Fruit or vegetable (3-4 Tbsp)
2 feedings/day of Meat (3-4 Tbsp) or beans (¼ cup)
Is My Baby Hungry?
Acts fussy
Acts thrilled when seeing you preparing food
Opens mouth when offered food
Is My Baby Full?
Turns away when offered food
Seals lips
Push the spoon away
Gets distracted
Change in Stool after Introducing Solids
Once your baby starts eating solids, you will notice some changes to your baby’s stool [Hyperlink]. These changes include: change in color and strong odor.
Constipated Stool:
If your baby gets constipated, avoid foods that contribute to constipation like banana’s and rice cereals. You may want to offer other fruits, vegetables and some water.
Read more:
Stool
Constipation
Food Allergy & Intolerance
If baby is allergic to a particular food, the reaction is usually immediate. Food intolerance is more often delayed – usually hours and sometimes days after eating it. Parents may need help in understanding the difference and should be reassured that a suitable diet can be recommended in either case.
For any baby who has acted adversely to food, parents should be given medical advice.
Allergy
Allergy involves the immune system and is increasing – around one in twenty children will develop a food allergy although nine out of ten will grow out of it by the time they are five. However, some will go on to develop allergy related conditions later in life – like hayfever, asthma or eczema.
Symptoms of food allergy are varied but the most common include sneezing, blocked or runny noses, irritation of the skin or eyes, swellings around eyes, mouth or tongue and shortness of breath or coughing. Abdominal pains, diarrhea and vomiting can also occur.
The most common causes are equally varied – eggs, milk, nuts, cereals with gluten, fish, shellfish, peanuts and soya. Even sesame seeds, mustard and celery can be responsible.
Babies are more likely to develop an allergy if there is a family history and for those considered at high risk, it may be wise to recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. When weaning, new foods should be introduced one at a time with a period of at least one day in-between to monitor possible effects.
Intolerance
Food intolerance is sometimes referred to as non-allergic food hypersensitivity and is an adverse reaction that happens every time a particular food is eaten. Symptoms will often involve the digestive tract and include pain, colic, wind, bloating, diarrhea or vomiting. Because the response can often be separated in time from the cause, food intolerance can sometimes be more difficult to recognize.
Cow’s Milk
Between 2-7% of babies are affected by allergy to cow’s milk and even babies being fed breast milk whose mothers have consumed dairy products can be affected. Babies being fed infant formula based on cow’s milk can also develop the allergy. Hypoallergenic formulas like Hypolait should help.
Where cow’s milk is thought to be causing symptoms, it may be necessary to identify whether protein or lactose is the cause. This can affect the diet adjustments that are needed.
Although symptoms (eczema, rashes, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps) of the two causes are similar, lactose intolerance will not result in hives or breathing difficulties. Nor will it show up on a skin prick or blood test.
Recipes
Recipes
In this section, you will find recipes to single ingredient foods and two ingredient foods. As explained in Allergy Concerns, you should wait at least 3 days before introducing new food. You will also find an easy guide to introduce spices to the recipes.
Important Reminders Before Feeding Your Baby
Remember to test for allergy before introducing any new food. Please read Allergy Concerns [Hyperlink] & Allergy [Hyperlink Allergy 6-12 Months] before starting feeding your baby.
When your baby turns 8 or 9, you can add spices and meat. You can also thicken the food at this age.
You can always add more than one vegetable or more than one fruit to your recipe after testing for allergy. Start with cereals, followed by single fruit and single vegetable purees to test for allergies. Then you can mix two or more of the tested ingredients.
Tools Needed
Baby food blender, grinder
Cutting surface
Knife
Fork
Spoon
Storage containers
Stove, oven, steamer
Homemade Cereals:
Boil 1 cup of water
Add 4 table spoons of ground cereal (rice, oat or barely), and cook gently for 10 minutes while stirring.
Add milk as desired
Note: for oat cereal, add ground rice.
Readymade Cereals
Prepare according to instructions on label.
To prepare Ronameal [Hyperlink – Ronameal]:
To prepare Ronameal [Hyperlink – Ronameal]:
o Boil 150 mL of water for 10 minutes. Then let cool down.
o Add 10 spoons of Ronameal cereal to 150 mL of water
o Stir until mixture is smooth.
Single Fruit Puree
Note: ripe fruit needs less time in steamer.
Apple Puree:
Peel and chop
Place in steamer for 10 minutes or until it becomes tender
Place in blender until smooth
Pears Puree:
Peel and chop
Place in steamer for 10 minutes or until it becomes tender
Place in blender until smooth
Peach Puree:
Peel and cut into half
For non-ripe peaches, place in steamer until tender
Blend until smooth
For very ripe peaches:
Peel
Mash with fork
Serve
Banana Puree:
Peel and cut half ripe banana
Using a fork, mash the banana
Add water or formula milk
Serve immediately. Bananas don’t keep well.
Mango Puree:
Peel
Cut into cubes
Steam for 5 minutes or until tender
Blend
Remove solid parts
For very ripe mangos, smash with fork without steaming
Kiwi Puree:
Peel
Cut into quarters
Mash using fork
Melon/ Cantaloupe Puree:
Peel, cut and remove seeds
Steam for a couple of minutes or until tender
Blend
Watermelon Puree:
Peel, cut and remove seeds
Mash with fork
Papaya Puree:
Peel, cut and remove seeds
Steam for 10 minutes or until tender
Blend
Avocado Puree:
Cut into half and peel. Reserve one half for later.
Mash using fork.
Add water or milk until you reach desired consistency.
If the avocado was ripe, scoop and serve using skin as a serving bowl.
Single Vegetable Puree
Carrot Puree:
Peel, clean and cut into slices
Steam until it becomes tender (keep liquid)
Blend with cooking liquid until smooth
Sweet Potato Puree:
Preheat oven at 370o
Punch potato using a fork
Bake for one hour
Cool for 30 minutes
Peel
Blend until smooth
Add water or formula milk as desired
Zucchini Puree
Steam zucchini until tender
Blend until smooth
Broccoli Puree:
Cut stem
Separate florets
Steam stems and florets until very tender (keep cooking liquid)
Grind with blender/grinder
Strain and remove solid parts
Green Pea Puree:
Steam peas until they become tender (keep cooking liquid)
Blend with cooking liquid until smooth
Strain and remove solids
When refrigerated, peas tend to become sticky. Add water for better consistency.
Green Beans Puree:
Steam for 15 minutes or until tender (keep cooking liquid)
Blend with cooking liquid until smooth
Strain and remove solids
Green beans are fibrous, be careful.
Beet Puree:
Beets might turn baby urine from yellowish into reddish.
Preheat oven at 370o
Clean beat using brush
Wrap beat with foil
Place in oven for 1 hour or until tender
Let cool
Remove skin and roots.
Cut beet in half
Blend until smooth
Add water as desired
Yellow Squash Puree:
Cut into slices
Steam until tender
Blend until smooth
Fruit Mix:
Apple & Pear:
Peel, cut and remove the seeds of one apple and one pear
Steam until tender
Blend
Apple & Carrot
Peel, remove seeds and cut apple into cubes and carrots into slices
Steam until they becomes tender (keep liquid)
Blend with cooking liquid until smooth
Pear & Banana
Peel, chop and remove pear seeds
Place pear in steamer for 10 minutes or until it becomes tender
Blend pear until smooth
Blend pear with mashed banana
Mango & Banana:
Peel mango and banana
Cut into chunks
Steam mango if needed
Blend until desired consist is reached
Add water if needed
Peach & Banana:
Peel and cut peach into half
For non-ripe peaches, place in steamer until tender
Blend until smooth
For very ripe peaches:
Peel
Mash with fork
Add mashed banana and blend
Avocado & Apple:
Cut into half and peel. Reserve one half for later.
Mash Avocado using fork.
Peel and chop apple
Place apple in steamer for 10 minutes or until it becomes tender
Blend apple until smooth
Mix apple with avocado
Add water or milk until you reach desired consistency.
Vegetable Mix:
Zucchini & Carrot
Clean, peel and slice carrot
Steam zucchini and carrot until tender
Blend carrot and zucchini
Add milk or water until you reach desired consistency
Zucchini & Mashed Potato
Steam zucchini until tender
Boil potato in unsalted water until tender (or bake)
Peel potato and mash
Blend until smooth
Add milk or water until you reach desired consistency
Mashed Potato & Broccoli
Boil potato in unsalted water until tender (or bake)
Peel potato and mash
Cut broccoli stem and separate florets
Steam stems and florets until very tender
Strain and remove solid parts of broccoli
Mix mashed potato with avocado
Add water or milk until desired consistency is reached
Mashed Potato & Carrot
Boil potato in unsalted water until tender (or bake potato)
Peel and smash potato
Clean, peel and slice carrot
Steam carrot until tender
Blend carrot and add to mashed potato
Add milk or water to improve consistency
Sweet Potato & Carrot
Preheat oven at 370o
Punch potato using a fork
Bake potato for one hour
Let potato cool for 30 minutes
Peel potato
Clean, peel and slice carrot
Steam until tender
Mix with sweet potato in blender until smooth
Add water or formula milk to improve consistency
Green Beans & Peas
Steam peas and green beans until they become tender (keep cooking liquid)
Blend peas and green beans with cooking liquid until smooth
Strain and remove solids
When refrigerated, peas tend to become sticky. Add water for better consistency.
Poultry Mix
After consulting your physician, you can introduce meats at the age of 7 months.
You can mix red or white meat with fruits or veggies and spices.
You can mix meat, fruits or vegies with rice (explained next – Rice Mix).
Spices are introduced when your baby turns 8 months old, full guide on what spices [Hyperlink – Introducing Spices] to add, explained next.
Always remember to test for allergy (Allergy Concerns [Hyperlink]).
Preparing Meat:
Clean meat
Chop
Cook (add spices if desired), you can use butter or oil after consulting your doctor
Place in blender
Add water to improve consistency while mixing and as desired
Mixing Meat with Fruits/Veggies:
Apple & Chicken:
Clean, peel, chop then steam apple until tender.
Blend chicken with apple and add water until desired consistency is reached.
Add more fruits as desired.
Add spices like cinnamon or as desired.
Potato/Sweet Potato & Chicken:
Bake potato at 370o For an hour and let cool
Mash/ place in blender
Add water to improve consistency
Mix with chicken
Add more vegies as desired
Spice as desired
Carrots, potatoes & Chicken:
Same as potato and chicken
To prepare carrots: Clean, peel slice and cook carrots wit oil in a pan
Then mix and blend carrots to Potato and chicken (explained above)
If needed add water to improve consistency
Add spices as desired
Fish Combo:
Cook fish fillet with two tea spoons of melted butter and a sprinkle of salt
Cook peas, peeled sliced carrots until tender
Remove solids from peas and strain
Bake or boil potato until tender
Blend fish fillet with formula milk, and vegetables.
Beef/Veal & Veggies Combo
Boil chopped meat pieces in a pan for 1 hour
Cook meat with carrots, potato, minced onions and garlic powder for 30 minutes or until meat is well cooked and veggies are tender
Blend until desired consistency is achieved
Rice Mix
Use small grained rice, basmati rice or brown rice.
Rice & Apple Mix:
Slice apple
In a pan, mix sliced apple with rice and water
Spice using cinnamon and ginger or as desired
Cook mixture on low heat and leave for 30 minutes or until rice is soft
Add formula milk
Cook, the mixture should not dry
Stir mixture and add formula milk as desired
Serve or blend if needed
Rice, Chicken & Apple Mix
Slice apple
In a pan, mix sliced apple with rice and water
Spice using cinnamon and ginger or as desired
Cook mixture on low heat and leave for 30 minutes or until rice is soft
Add formula milk
Cook, the mixture should not dry
Blend cooked chicken and apple-rice mixture
Rice, Chicken & Peaches Mix
Cook brown rice
Clean, Chop and cook chicken (add spices as desired)
Blend rice, chicken and formula milk with peeled ripe or steamed peaches
Pasta Mix
Introduce pasta when your baby turns 8 months and as advised by your doctor.
Prepare pasta as instructed on package.
Chop pasta or blend to suite your child’s mouth size and chewing ability.
Banana Pasta:
Add mashed banana to cooked pasta
Add milk
Peach Pasta:
Add mashed ripe peaches to cooked pasta
Sweet Potato & Apple Pasta:
Steam chopped apples until tender
Bake sweet potato for 1 hour
Mix apple and potato with cooked pasta
Sweet Corn & Sweet Potato Pasta:
Bake sweet potato at 370o for one hour or until tender
In a pan, heat 300 cc of milk with mashed sweet potato. Boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add sweet corn. Keep for 5 more minutes.
Blend or mix pasta with milk, potato and corn
Add shredded cheese (optional)
Tomato Sauce Pasta:
This is suitable for 7 month old babies onward. Please consult your doctor.
Remove tomato skin and chop
Using olive oil, fry minced onion and crushed garlic until brown.
Optional: You can add cooked minced red meat.Cook tomato with fried onions and garlic simmer for 10 minutes while stirring.
Optional: You can add cheddar or parmesan cheese. Stir with tomato sauce until molten.
Add sauce to mashed, chopped or non-chopped pasta.
Introducing Spices to Recipes
You might need to refer to the recipes for instructions. This is a quick guide of what spices to add to the recipes.
Cereals:
Fruit
Cinnamon
Vanilla
Nutmeg
Fruit Spices:
Apple:
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Allspice
Vanilla
Ginger
Pears:
Ginger
Cinnamon
Vanilla
Mint
Bananas:
Cinnamon
Ginger
Allspice
Vanilla
Vegetable Spices:
Sweet potato:
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Cardamom
Carrots:
Basil and garlic powder
Cinnamon
Green beans:
Garlic powder
Mashed potatoes:
Garlic
Meat Spices:
Chicken/ Turkey
Cinnamon and/or coriander
Garlic powder and basil
Sage, rosemary and thyme
Basil and oregano
Garlic and pepper
Lemon zest and pepper
Red Meat:
garlic and pepper
Onion powder and pepper
Sleep
How Much Sleep Do They Need At This Age?
6-9 Month Old:
Naps: 3
Total nap sleep: 1-2 hours.
Nap interval: 2-3 hours
Night sleep: 9-12 hours.
Bedtime: around 9pm
Total sleep: 12-14 hours
9-12 Month Old:
Naps: 2,
Total nap sleep: 1-2 hours.
Nap intervals: 3 hours
Night: 10-12 hours.
Bedtime: around 7pm
Total sleep: 12-14 hours
Sleep Routine Benefits:
Helps children fall asleep easier with shorter amount of time in bed before sleep
Less night wakening episodes
Reduces sleep problems. As a matter of fact, sleep routine is considered as a treatment for sleep disorders
Increases sleep duration.
Children with a bedtime routine sleep for an average of more than an hour longer per night than children who never had a bedtime routine
Decreases daytime behavior problems
Improves maternal mood
Improves marital satisfaction
Crawling
Do All Babies Crawl?
Don’t worry if your baby didn’t crawl. Some babies skip crawling and use other ways to move around like walking while supporting furniture. But if your baby doesn’t show signs of movement coordination, and if you have any concerns contact your doctor.
At What Age Should I Expect My Baby to Crawl?
Most babies start crawling at 8 months onwards. Some babies start crawling at 6 months or 7 months. Premature babies [Hyperlink – Premature At Birth] shows delays in crawling.
What Should I do to Help My Baby Get Ready for Crawling?
Place your baby on his/her tummy while supervising them all the time. Tummy time strengthens their head, shoulder, neck, hips and legs.
Once your baby starts doing crawling trials, place toys just beyond their reach to encourage him/her to move.
Tips:
Proof your house
Make sure the floor is clean
Crawling Types
Babies crawl differently. They may move one arm and opposite leg, some use their arms only and drag their whole body and others flex one knee and extend the other while moving their hands.
How is Crawling Good for My Baby?
Crawling gives your baby a sense of independence and allows him/her to explore more of the surrounding. Soon after your baby will learn how to self-navigate.
Teething
When Do Babies Start Teething?
Many babies start teething at 7 months. Yet some babies might teeth as early as 4 months and others might show their first teeth after their first birthday.
Which Tooth Should I Expect First?
Usually baby’s two central bottoms or two central tops appear first.
Teething Signs
Babies teething symptoms vary. Your baby may experience some or most of these symptoms.
Drooling
Swelling gums
Rubbing gums with their finger
Chewing behavior
Chewing toys
Rubbing ears
Fussiness
Crying
Decreased appetite
Mild fever
Rash around mouth
Runny nose
Loose stool
Diaper rash
Sleep issues
How Can I Help My Baby Feel Better While Teething?
Let your baby chew a clean and safe cold teething ring
Rub and press your baby’s gums using your finger.
Feed your baby cold drinks or foods like fruit purees.
After consulting the physician, rub a numbing gel on your baby’s gums.
If your baby was in lots of pain ask the doctor to prescribe a mild pain reliever like paracetamol.
Cleaning Teeth
Using a clean wet cloth, wipe your baby’s gums and teeth twice a day or use a special baby toothbrush to clean teeth.
