Breastfeeding Schedule At 6 Months
When it comes to exclusive breastfeeding, even at 6 months, you gotta let your baby call the shots!
Feed on demand, whenever your little one starts giving you those hungry eyes (or hungry cries, let's be real).
But what about specifics? Let’s explore what breastfeeding looks like when your baby is six months old, and how often to expect them to chow down.
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How often do 6 months old typically breastfeed?
Most 6-month-old breastfed babies are gonna need that liquid gold at least six times a day, or maybe even up to a dozen times if they're feeling extra hungry.
Breast milk is gonna be your baby's main source of fat and protein for a good while, so keep those milk factories in business!
From 6-12 months, breast milk is still the VIP of your little one's diet, and solids are just a side dish at this point. But don't get too excited about breaking out the tiny spoons and bibs just yet - not all 6-month-olds are ready for solids.
Signs your little one is ready to chow down on some solid food at 6 months:
Your baby's head game is strong - good head control is a must!
Holds their head up like a boss for long periods
Sits up with minimal assistance, like a tiny yoga master
The tongue thrust reflex has officially left the building. Sayonara, baby tongue, you won't be pushing food out anymore!
And of course, the most important sign of all, they give you that adorable toothless grin that says "bring on the food!"
PRO-TIP: TEACH YOUR BABY SIGN LANGUAGE!
At this age, your little one can't exactly use their words to let you know what they want. That's why some parents are getting super creative and teaching their babies sign language!
That's right, your little munchkin could be throwing up signs for "more," "finished," and "milk" like it's nobody's business.
We love this baby sign language book. It’ll teach you and your baby 101 signs!
What does breastfeeding look like at 6-7 months?
We went to some seasoned breastfeeding champs and asked them, "Hey, what's the scoop on breastfeeding at 6-7 months?" And boy, did they have some juicy answers for us…
“Some babies start to nurse a little less around 10m if they're really good at eating food but for most folks baby will be nursing about the same until 1 year.”
-Aubrey H.
“My son breastfed the same amount at 6 months old as he did prior. He turns 1 in a week and I didn't see a decrease in breastfeeding sessions until about 10 months. But he is still breastfeeding 5-6 times a day.”
-Katie T.
“Even if you jump right on purées or BLW, baby will be FAR from ready to eat whole snacks and meals. So it’s imperative that breastfeeding continues. I’m not sure why people think introducing food at 6 months automatically ends breastfeeding. ”
-Kiana T.
“Make sure to follow all the signs of readiness before introducing foods. Being 6 months is only 1 of them. I started both my kids after 7 months. With my daughter, she still nursed just as much and drank just as much food. My son is starting to drink a little less from his bottles at daycare but nursing is still somewhat the same. My supply though is dropping as I'm weaning from the pump But he still nurses as much as he wants when I'm home.”
-Micheria F
“Solids should not replace breast milk intake until after age 1.”
-Jessie M.
“At first I didn't notice a change, but around 10 months she started skipping nursing sessions. I've started to give her expressed milk in a cup with meals and snacks and she loves it.”
-Chloe M.
“I currently feed her on demand -- thats what we've done since day 1. Which is around 3-4 hours during the day. I give her at least 1 meal a day of solid food, but only AFTER breastfeeding her. TBH right now she's just exploring with food anyway and she wears more than she eats. Her primary source of nutrition is still breast milk.”
-Emily G.
“My daughter is 7 months and she still nurses as frequently as she did at 4 months. She will eat some purees around dinner time but all in all isn't very interested in food yet.”
-Jessica J.
“Food before one is just for fun”. You’ll likely breastfeed/bottle feed roughly the same amount a day. You may get a longer stretch between feeds when giving solids but that’s pretty much it. You also don’t have to strictly start solids at 4. 6 or even 8 months and you definitely don’t have to give a “full meal” of “real food” either.”
-Melina T.
“You will always breastfeed before food. Also food before 1 is for fun. My son loved normal food but my daughter hated normal food and I don’t think she really started eat food until after 1.”
-Carrie L.
“Totally depends on the baby! My daughter nursed every 1.5 hours for 8 months She also started solid foods at 6 months but still nursed like crazy!”
-Rachel R.
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