Help Me Be Healthy: Birth to 6 months
I am your baby. You want the best for me. Feed me with food and love
Hold me and cuddle me. Smile and talk to me. Listen to me when I “talk” to you with my face and body.
Feed me breast milk. It is the only food I need for 6 months. If you do not breastfeed me, give me only formula. Wait until my first birthday before you give me cow’s milk. I need to eat often because my tummy is small. I might eat every 2 to 4 hours until I am 4 months old, then every 3 or 4 hours until I am 6 months old
How do you know when I am hungry or full?
Ways I say I am hungry: I move a lot, or turn my head and open my mouth. I may suck on my hand or fuss. Please feed me before I cry. I eat best when I am calm.
Ways I say I am full: I stop sucking and spit out the nipple. I may look relaxed or sleepy. I may frown, kick, or fuss to let you know I am done. Please don’t keep trying to feed me.
Give me safe food.
I can get sick from germs and the wrong food. Wash your hands before you feed me. Mix up formula the way the can says or the way the doctor tells you.
Keep breast milk up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Keep concentrate formula up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
Keep formula made from powder up to 1 day in the refrigerator.
Throw out breast milk or formula kept out more than 1 hour or left in the bottle after I eat.
Do not feed me plain water, sugar water, or honey.
Help me sleep safe.
Follow the A, B, Cs of safe sleep. Put me to bed Alone, on my Back, in a Crib.
Let’s play!
Put me on my back on a blanket on the floor. Watch me kick my legs and stretch.
Put me on my tummy. I will learn to push myself up with my arms and roll over.
Let’s play peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake.
