Your Six to Twelve Month Old
![[picture of a baby girl propping up against a sofa]](../breastfeeding/images/p20.jpg)
Your baby will probably have
doubled her birth weight by now. Your milk should still be your baby's main food, but she
will start to eat more solid foods as she gets older. Your baby is ready to start drinking
from a cup. Some of the liquid may dribble from the sides of the baby's mouth. Be ready;
put a bib or cloth over the baby's clothes.
Feeding Your Baby
As your baby gets older, the time between breastfeedings will get longer. Your baby may not want to nurse at meal-times. She will slowly start to eat more solid foods and nurse less often. Some babies continue to nurse about 30 minutes at each feeding and others nurse more quickly.
Sometimes your baby will want to eat a lot of solid foods. This is probably a growth spurt time. Instead of nursing more, the baby is eating solid foods to meet her needs.
Sometimes your baby will want to nurse a lot and not want solid foods. These times may be when your baby is teething, not feeling well or has just been given a shot. Offer the baby meals as usual, but then nurse if that is all the baby wants for a day or two.
Using a Cup
Learning to drink from a cup is a new skill. Start with just a little in the cup at first. Offer sips of water, juice, or breast milk from the cup. While a cup with a spout may help avoid spills, it does not help the baby to learn about drinking from a cup or glass.
Introducing New Foods
![[picture of a mother giving her infant daughter something to drink with a cup]](../breastfeeding/images/p21.jpg)
Once
your baby is eating cereal from a spoon and swallowing easily, you may begin to add other
foods to the baby's diet. Try only one new food at a time. Always wait three days before
adding another food. This way, if your baby gets diarrhea, a rash, or other problem, you
will know what food to stop.
Teething
Teething has probably started. Some babies do not want to nurse very much when they are cutting teeth because their gums hurt. Other babies want to nurse a lot because they do not feel good. Each baby is different. If your baby's gums seem to hurt, you can crush an ice cube in a clean washcloth and hold it while the baby chews or use a cold soft teething ring. The cold may help the gums feel better so your baby can nurse.
Nursing babies cannot get milk if they bite. Biting will pinch the nipple shut. When the baby is nursing, the tongue covers the lower gum. If your baby's tongue slips back and the baby starts to bite, you can stop the feeding. Your baby will quickly learn not to bite.
Special Tips
- Begin teaching your baby how to drink from a cup. Be prepared for spills.
- If your baby has trouble nursing because she is cutting teeth, you can crush an ice cube in a clean washcloth and hold it while the baby chews. The cold may make the gums feel better so your baby can nurse.
- As your baby begins eating more solid foods, the time between breastfeedings will get longer.