Month Overview
During the sixth month, you can aim for and expect the following:
- You can start to teach sign language to your baby. This can be done at any point forward.
- Teething can start to impact sleep.
- 4-6 feedings in a 24 hour period.
- Feedings should be 3-4 hours apart.
- Your baby will take 3 naps a day.
- Naps will be 1.5-2.5 hours long.
- The third nap might be a short 30-60 minutes long.
- Your baby should get 10-12 hours of sleep at night.
- You can start blanket time with your baby if you haven't already.
- Continue with Independent Playtime. If you haven't started, work it into your day if possible.
- Baby might be ready to drop the dreamfeed.
Our Sample Schedules
Week 22
McKenna
7:30 AM--wake, nurse, solids (1 T rice. I will add 1 T peaches this next week)
8:30 AM--nap
11:00 OR 11:30 AM--nurse, solids (at least 4 T bananas)
12:00 OR 12:30 PM--nap
2:00 OR 2:30 PM--nurse
3:15-3:45 (75-90 minutes later) PM--nap
4:30 OR 5:00 PM--nurse and solids (2-4 T sweet potatoes)
7:00 PM--nurse and straight to bed
Sometimes she eats after only two hours in the evening since she is extending her day out right now. This is a temporary situation and it is fine with me for now. I know it won't last too long. I find that preferable to having a fourth nap and eating at a 3 hour interval, and thus having a later bedtime. I want bedtime consistent.
8:30 AM--nap
11:00 OR 11:30 AM--nurse, solids (at least 4 T bananas)
12:00 OR 12:30 PM--nap
2:00 OR 2:30 PM--nurse
3:15-3:45 (75-90 minutes later) PM--nap
4:30 OR 5:00 PM--nurse and solids (2-4 T sweet potatoes)
7:00 PM--nurse and straight to bed
Sometimes she eats after only two hours in the evening since she is extending her day out right now. This is a temporary situation and it is fine with me for now. I know it won't last too long. I find that preferable to having a fourth nap and eating at a 3 hour interval, and thus having a later bedtime. I want bedtime consistent.
Brinley
Our schedule typically looks like this:
7:30--feed with solids--half of a banana and 2 T of oatmeal mixed in
8:45--nap
11:30--feed with solids--4 T of pears and 2 T of oatmeal mixed in
1:00--nap
3:30--feed
5:00--nap
5:30--feed with solids--half a banana mixed with 2 T oatmeal and sweet potatoes (1-2 T)
7:30--feed, then bedtime
Week 23
McKenna
This week, we started every day at 8 AM
8:00 AM--wake her up, nurse, eat 2 T oatmeal and 2 T fruit (she doesn't always finish this much)
9:00 AM--nap
11:30 AM--wake her up, nurse, eat 2 T veggie and 2 T fruit
12:30 PM--nap
3:00 PM--wake her up (sometimes she wakes on her own), nurse
4:30 PM--nap
5:30 PM--wake her up or she wakes up, nurse, 2 T fruit, 2-4 T veggie, 2 T oatmeal
7:30 PM--nurse then bed
10:20 PM--dreamfeed
You can see that the end of the day is crammed in there. I would like to be able to drop the dreamfeed so we can extend the schedule so it isn't so smashed together at the end of the day. The other night, I said our 7:30 PM nursing is basically just a formality.
8:00 AM--wake her up, nurse, eat 2 T oatmeal and 2 T fruit (she doesn't always finish this much)
9:00 AM--nap
11:30 AM--wake her up, nurse, eat 2 T veggie and 2 T fruit
12:30 PM--nap
3:00 PM--wake her up (sometimes she wakes on her own), nurse
4:30 PM--nap
5:30 PM--wake her up or she wakes up, nurse, 2 T fruit, 2-4 T veggie, 2 T oatmeal
7:30 PM--nurse then bed
10:20 PM--dreamfeed
You can see that the end of the day is crammed in there. I would like to be able to drop the dreamfeed so we can extend the schedule so it isn't so smashed together at the end of the day. The other night, I said our 7:30 PM nursing is basically just a formality.
Brinley
Our schedule typically looks like this:
7:30--feed with solids--half of a banana and 2 T of oatmeal mixed in
8:45--nap
11:30--feed with solids--4 T of pears and 2 T of oatmeal mixed in
1:00--nap
3:30--feed
5:00--nap
5:30--feed with solids--half a banana mixed with 2 T oatmeal and sweet potatoes (1-2 T) OR butternut squash (1-2 T)--we alternate every other day with squash and sweet potatoes.
7:30--feed, then bedtime. In bed by 8:00-8:10
Week 24
McKenna
8:00 AM--wake her up, nurse, eat 2 T oatmeal and 2 T prunes. She now usually does eat all of her oatmeal. Some days, she loves her prunes. Others, she hates it.
9:00 AM--nap
11:30 AM--wake her up, nurse, eat 2-4 T veggie and 2 T bananas
12:35 PM--nap
3:00 PM--wake her up, nurse
4:30 PM--nap
5:30 PM--wake her up and she is mad to be woken up, nurse, 2 T oatmeal mixed with 1 T peaches, 2-4 T veggie
7:30 PM--nurse then bed
10:15 PM--dreamfeed
She is really ready to both drop the dreamfeed and extend to a four hour schedule. I am really reluctant to drop the dreamfeed before we move. I would not be hesitant to move to a four hour schedule before we move. I always say I prefer dropping the dreamfeed before extending the schedule, but I might just have to extend the schedule first under these circumstances. I need to do something fast. Things are getting too tight in the evening and I have to wake her up for every meal of the day.
9:00 AM--nap
11:30 AM--wake her up, nurse, eat 2-4 T veggie and 2 T bananas
12:35 PM--nap
3:00 PM--wake her up, nurse
4:30 PM--nap
5:30 PM--wake her up and she is mad to be woken up, nurse, 2 T oatmeal mixed with 1 T peaches, 2-4 T veggie
7:30 PM--nurse then bed
10:15 PM--dreamfeed
She is really ready to both drop the dreamfeed and extend to a four hour schedule. I am really reluctant to drop the dreamfeed before we move. I would not be hesitant to move to a four hour schedule before we move. I always say I prefer dropping the dreamfeed before extending the schedule, but I might just have to extend the schedule first under these circumstances. I need to do something fast. Things are getting too tight in the evening and I have to wake her up for every meal of the day.
Brinley
Our schedule typically looks like this:
7:30--feed with solids--2-4 T prunes and 2 T of oatmeal mixed in
8:45--nap
11:30--feed with solids--4 T of pears and 2 T of oatmeal mixed in and 2 T of green beans with 1 T oatmeal mixed in
1:00--nap
3:30--feed
5:00--nap
5:30--feed with solids--half a banana mixed with 2 T oatmeal and sweet potatoes (1-2 T) OR butternut squash (1-2 T)--we alternate every other day with squash and sweet potatoes.
7:30--feed, then bedtime. In bed by 8:00-8:10
Week 25
McKenna
8:00 AM: I wake her. Nurse. 2 T fruit (prunes or peaches) and 3 T oatmeal. This is followed by bath and then independent playtime.
9:00 AM: Nap
12:00 PM: I wake her (yes, she takes a 3 hour nap). Nurse. 2-4 T peas and 2-4 T of bananas. This is followed by some time with siblings and some tummy time/floor play.
1:15-1:30 PM: Nap. Almost every day this week, she took this nap at my parent's house.
4:00 PM: I wake her. Nurse. 4 T yellow veggie, 2 T fruit (usually peaches), and 4 T oatmeal. This is followed by us going to our new house to work on it. I would put her in the front carrier or in the bouncer. Some days, she and I would drive to pick up food for the workers.
6:00 PM: Nap. This was taken in my new neighbors master bedroom closet in her bassinet.
8:00 PM: I wake her. Some nights she woke on her own. She sleeps so well! I never expected her to sleep well there. They have six kids, so you know things just get really loud sometimes. The girl can sleep. Nurse and then back to bed at home.
10:20 or 10:30 PM: Dreamfeed.
9:00 AM: Nap
12:00 PM: I wake her (yes, she takes a 3 hour nap). Nurse. 2-4 T peas and 2-4 T of bananas. This is followed by some time with siblings and some tummy time/floor play.
1:15-1:30 PM: Nap. Almost every day this week, she took this nap at my parent's house.
4:00 PM: I wake her. Nurse. 4 T yellow veggie, 2 T fruit (usually peaches), and 4 T oatmeal. This is followed by us going to our new house to work on it. I would put her in the front carrier or in the bouncer. Some days, she and I would drive to pick up food for the workers.
6:00 PM: Nap. This was taken in my new neighbors master bedroom closet in her bassinet.
8:00 PM: I wake her. Some nights she woke on her own. She sleeps so well! I never expected her to sleep well there. They have six kids, so you know things just get really loud sometimes. The girl can sleep. Nurse and then back to bed at home.
10:20 or 10:30 PM: Dreamfeed.
I would ideally like the last feeding to start at 7:30 so she can be in bed by 8:00, but for right now, it is good for me to have that extra 30 minutes to work on the house. We are still figuring out our perfect 4 hour schedule.
Brinley
Our schedule typically looks like this:
7:30--feed with solids--2-4 T prunes and 2 T of oatmeal mixed in
8:45--nap
11:30--feed with solids--4 T of pears and 2 T of oatmeal mixed in and 2 T of green beans with 1 T oatmeal mixed in
1:00--nap
3:30--feed
5:00--nap
6:00--feed with solids--half a banana mixed with 2 T oatmeal OR 3-4 T applesauce mixed with 2 T oatmeal and sweet potatoes (1-2 T) OR butternut squash (1-2 T)
7:30--feed, then bedtime. In bed by 8:00-8:10
Week 26
McKenna
8:00 AM--wake, nurse, eat 2-3 T prunes and 1 T peaches mixed with 3 T oatmeal (3 T dry before mixed with water).
9:00-9:10 AM--nap
12:00 PM--wake, nurse, eat about 4 T green veggie and 4-8 T banana (she will eat an entire banana. She loves them).
1:15-1:30 PM--nap
4:00 PM--wake, nurse, eat about 4 T yellow veggie and 4 T pears. I then offer 2 T oatmeal and let her eat until full. She usually doesn't eat much oatmeal, but I offer it to see if she is still hungry.
6:00 PM--(sometimes she is tired between 5:30 and 6:00, in which case I put her down) nap
8:00 PM--wake, nurse, change into PJs, story, bed
10:15 PM--dreamfeed
Brinley
Our schedule typically looks like this:
7:30--feed with solids--2-4 T prunes and 2 T of oatmeal mixed in
8:45--nap
11:30--feed with solids--4 T of pears and 2 T of oatmeal mixed in and 2 T of green beans OR peas with 1 T oatmeal mixed in and some fruit
1:00--nap
3:30--feed
5:00--nap
6:00--feed with solids--half a banana mixed with 2 T oatmeal OR 3-4 T applesauce mixed with 2 T oatmeal and sweet potatoes (1-2 T) OR butternut squash (1-2 T) and some fruit
7:30--feed, then bedtime. In bed by 8:00-8:10
Your Sample Schedules
Here are your schedules that you have shared over the years
5 Months Old Girl
7:00 – wake up/eat
8:00 – nap
10:30 – eat
11:30 – nap
1:30 – eat
2:30 – nap
4:30 – eat
5:30 – nap
6:30 – wake
7:00 – eat
8:00 – bed
10:00 dream feed/10:30 bed
8:00 – nap
10:30 – eat
11:30 – nap
1:30 – eat
2:30 – nap
4:30 – eat
5:30 – nap
6:30 – wake
7:00 – eat
8:00 – bed
10:00 dream feed/10:30 bed
5 Month Old Boy
7:00 - wake, 6 oz formula, solids
9:00 - nap
11:00- wake, 6 oz formula, solids
1:00- nap
3:00- wake, 8 oz formula
5- 6:00- nap
6:30- 8 oz formula, solids
7:30- bed
5 Month Old (girl)
She sleeps through the night, but her naps are very spotty. Her "normal" nap is 45 minutes long, but she usually has one longer nap (1.5 - 2 hours) each day, but not always at the same time. If she wakes up before it's time to eat, she plays for a bit.
7:00 - get up and nurse (she is often awake, but quiet, so I don't know exactly when she wakes up)
8:15 - nap (varies in length)
10:00 - nurse
11:30 - nap (varies in length)
1:00/1:30 - nurse
3:00 - nap (varies in length)
4:30 - nurse
6:00 - nap (30-40 min)
7:30 - nurse
8:30/9:00 - bedtime
5 Month Old Girl7:00 – wake up
7:15 - bottle & oat cereal w/ fruit
8:15 – nap
10:30 – wake
11:00 – bottle & rice cereal w/ veggie
12:30 – nap
2:30 – wake
3:00 – bottle, fruit & veggie
4:30 – cat nap
6:30 – bathtime/bedtime routine ending with bottle
7:00 – bed
Almost 6 Month Old Girl
7:00 Wake/Nurse/Rice Cereal
Play in PlayPen
9:00 Nap in Swing
10:30 Wake/Nurse/Rice Cereal
Play/Bath
1:00 Nap in Crib
2:30 Wake/Nurse
Play
4:45 Cat Nap
5:15 Wake/Nurse/Rice Cereal
8:00 Nurse
8:30 Bed
5 month, almost 6 month old girl (who has Down Syndrome):
Between 7-7:30am Wakes, Breastfeeds, plays
Between 8:30-9am Down for Nap
Between 10:30-11:30am Wakes, Breastfeeds, plays
Between 12:30-1:30pm Down for Nap
Between 2:30-3:30pm Wakes, Breastfeeds, plays
Between 4:30-5pm Nap(although is transitioning away from this nap)
Nurses between 5-6pm
Plays, Bedtime Rountine, Bath
Between 7-8pm Breastfeeds and bed
Dreamfeeds between 9:30-10:15, depending on the night.
Combo ages:4-6 month old girl
typical flexible routine, it varies by 20 or 30 minutes sometimes
6:45 wake, eat (6 oz. breastmilk)
7:30 long nap every day
10:30 eat (6 oz. breastmilk)
11:45 nap some days
2:15 eat (6 oz. breastmilk)
3:45 nap some days
6:00 eat (nurse)
7:00 nap most days
8:30 bath and bedtime routine
9:00 eat (6 oz. breastmilk)
9:15 bed, sleeps through the night
I find that her nap routine is the least consistent since I work part-time and different family members keep her on those days. Her bedtime, morning waketime, and feeding time is very consistent. I would like for her naptimes and activity times to be more consistent. After charting everything for several days as suggested by the Baby Whisperer, her naptimes really depend on who keeps her that day.
4-6 Months
Since 4 months (he will be 6 months this week) we have been working on transitioning to 3.5-hour schedule. After a few days of the longer schedule, he wakes up early from naps and we end up doing the 3-hour schedule above, so for the last little while we've just done the longer schedule 2-3 days a week which allows me to decide which days rather than him. Hopefully we'll do this all the time soon!
6am Nurse, then some playtime
7:15 Nap
9:30 Nurse, tummy time, playtime
11:00 Nap
1:00pm Nurse, tummy time, playtime (or errands)
2:30 Nap
4:30 Nurse, play time, family time
6:00 (sometimes a little later) Nap
(Sometimes he doesn't take the 4th nap, but most of the time he needs it.)
7:30 Nurse
Bedtime routine
Bed by 8:15
4-8 Months:
8:00 wake, nurse
9:30 nap
11:30 wake, nurse
12:00 independent play time
1:30 nap
3:30 wake, nurse
5:30 nap
6:30 wake, nurse
8:00 nurse, bed
typical flexible routine, it varies by 20 or 30 minutes sometimes
6:45 wake, eat (6 oz. breastmilk)
7:30 long nap every day
10:30 eat (6 oz. breastmilk)
11:45 nap some days
2:15 eat (6 oz. breastmilk)
3:45 nap some days
6:00 eat (nurse)
7:00 nap most days
8:30 bath and bedtime routine
9:00 eat (6 oz. breastmilk)
9:15 bed, sleeps through the night
I find that her nap routine is the least consistent since I work part-time and different family members keep her on those days. Her bedtime, morning waketime, and feeding time is very consistent. I would like for her naptimes and activity times to be more consistent. After charting everything for several days as suggested by the Baby Whisperer, her naptimes really depend on who keeps her that day.
4-6 Months
Since 4 months (he will be 6 months this week) we have been working on transitioning to 3.5-hour schedule. After a few days of the longer schedule, he wakes up early from naps and we end up doing the 3-hour schedule above, so for the last little while we've just done the longer schedule 2-3 days a week which allows me to decide which days rather than him. Hopefully we'll do this all the time soon!
6am Nurse, then some playtime
7:15 Nap
9:30 Nurse, tummy time, playtime
11:00 Nap
1:00pm Nurse, tummy time, playtime (or errands)
2:30 Nap
4:30 Nurse, play time, family time
6:00 (sometimes a little later) Nap
(Sometimes he doesn't take the 4th nap, but most of the time he needs it.)
7:30 Nurse
Bedtime routine
Bed by 8:15
4-8 Months:
8:00 wake, nurse
9:30 nap
11:30 wake, nurse
12:00 independent play time
1:30 nap
3:30 wake, nurse
5:30 nap
6:30 wake, nurse
8:00 nurse, bed
