Pearls of Wisdom & Things to Know (6-12 months)

[Beauchamp]

What should I expect with a 6-12 month old baby? I got *so* much newborn and infant advice, but there were tons of things I learned by doing and many things I wish I had known beforehand.

Anyone have any really great pearls of wisdom for 6-12 months? Help me be prepared for what's coming!

[Kelly1101]

Do anything you can to keep up your energy, hahaha.

Seriously, since she's started crawling I'm exhausted.

[JMJ]

Really work at getting stuff you don't want her to have out of her reach to minimize having to pry things out of her fingers while she screams that you're taking away her toy. I'm also working on saying "yes" instead of "no." "Yes, you want to play with books. Here are your books" instead of "No, that is Mommy's book."

Practice creative diaper changes. In a single day, in addition to the standard laying down diaper change, I'll also find myself putting on crawling diapers, standing diapers, and diapers while holding DD in front of me and looking in a mirror for accuracy. (Place bum of diaper on stomach, place baby bum on bum of diaper, swing front of diaper through baby's legs, attach velcro.) Poop is often wiped by holding DD with one arm with the hand holding one leg and wiping with the other hand, again using the mirror for accuracy. Get creative!

Prepare to start loosing support for your AP lifestyle. Pediatricians, parents, and friends may start making comments (if they haven't already) that imply that your baby is still breast feeding too much, not eating enough "real food," that she needs to be more independent, that she's too heavy to carry around, and that she's old enough now to sleep in her own bed in her own room and CIO to sleep. They may have been supportive before but think that AP is something only for newborns.

[Mal85]

Originally Posted by Kelly1101

Do anything you can to keep up your energy, hahaha.

Seriously, since she's started crawling I'm exhausted.

DD is working on walking now too, so sleep is very restless. That happens a lot in this age. Some big physical milestones ahead (crawling, pulling up, cruising, walking) makes for difficult sleep.

You're going to start chasing quite a bit and get used to hanging out on the floor. Don't expect to just sit down on the couch to interact with your baby anymore, it's playtime! This is something DH hasn't grasped yet. He wants DD to sit on the couch with him in his arms while he watches tv or mulls around online. Doesn't work that way anymore! And forget about nak-ing. At least with my DD, she's a wiggly worm until it's done and she can go again!

You will appreciate the sleepy snuggles more because it won't happen as often.

[lifeguard]

Be prepared to ignore people when it comes to feeding your child - EVERYONE will have an opinion on how you are doing it.

Also, if you are doing BLW be prepared to have others constantly freak out because dc is "going to choke!!!" Ugh.

I found 6-12 harder than 0-6, but also a LOT of fun.

[Blueone]

Love this thread! My son will be 6 months on the 11th. He's been trying to crawl and all. It's not the same anymore as it is. He wants someone on the floor with him even if he's not interacting, but if you leave he gets so fussy. He wants to be sitting all the time to and is wobbly when excited so I have to still be on the watch in case he tips and wants back up. He's going to keep me sooo busy.

[wookie]

Prepare to vacuum your carpets and/or sweep your floors multiple times a day. The baby will find some thing you don't want her to eat even then but atleast you'd have tried.

[mamamillet]

"You're going to start chasing quite a bit and get used to hanging out on the floor. Don't expect to just sit down on the couch to interact with your baby anymore, it's playtime! This is something DH hasn't grasped yet. He wants DD to sit on the couch with him in his arms while he watches tv or mulls around online. Doesn't work that way anymore! " Same here!
You have gotten some great responses! 6-12 is soooo busy. I have gotten more attached to a nap schedule. Before, dd could sleep whenever/wherever but not anymore and bad naps mean bad nights here!

[sparklebean]

[LadyCatherine185]

6-9 mos was really rough for us. SO much going on developmentally, and the start of teething, combined with an ear infection, bad cold, and the flu. Yeah, it was rough. He did start crawling at 6 months, pulling up and cruising at 8 months, and first steps around 9.5 months. Oh, and that was our worst sleep period. A good night was only waking once an hour. Most nights he woke every 15-30 minutes. He was fighting sleep worse than ever.. screamed anytime he thought we were trying to put him to sleep. Naps were all over the place. I think I had a little PPD, I was a mess. We went for a LOT of drives for sanity.

Scared yet?

The good news is, around 9 months things slowly started getting better. Our turning point was a 'vacation' trip with my DH's family, including Liam's 5 cousins ages 6 and under. We didn't have our rocking chair (previously the only way to get him to sleep was to wrap him up and hold him very tight and rock him while he screamed) and we had to find a new way to put him to sleep. So the first night, I nursed DS on the bed, and then DH walked him around the room. He was asleep in 2 minutes, no tears. It was amazing. Liam loved playing with his cousins, he got WORN OUT! Lots of outside time as well. He even took his first steps during that trip. I learned a lot about Liam during that trip. He needs lots of interaction/stimulation during certain parts of the day. He needs outside time. He needs "excersize." He goes to sleep easier for his Daddy. He needs a routine to the day.

Things got better from there. His naps became longer and more predictable. I was able to nurse him in bed and he'd go to sleep. I could NAP WITH HIM! He didn't fight going to sleep every night. He started sleeping 1-2 hour stretches, and even a 3 hour stretch every now and then. He was HAPPIER! He started walking full time around 10.5/11 months and has just been a much more pleasant kid since then. He is busy busy, into everything, makes a mess, just all over the place in general. But, HAPPY. Now, around 12 months we hit another sleep regression (molars) and it didn't get better until about a month ago... and then this last week it has gotten bad again. But, we're almost done with teeth, so I see a light at the end of the tunnel!

I agree with the other PP's about babyproofing as much as you can, and letting them explore their environment. My mantra is-- as long as he is not hurting himself or anyone else, I'm ok with whatever he is doing.

[elmh23]

Baby proof your house now. Between 6-12 months, kids get crazy mobile and will destroy your house. And some of them figure out odd things, like how to open bottles of cleaning supplies (ds did this when he was 8ish months old and thankfully it was vinegar!)

[jessaroo]

Yes, baby proof ahead of time. Once they begin moving they just get faster and love picking up the teeniest piece of junk off of the floor.

[Beauchamp]

Originally Posted by JMJ

Prepare to start loosing support for your AP lifestyle. Pediatricians, parents, and friends may start making comments (if they haven't already) that imply that your baby is still breast feeding too much, not eating enough "real food," that she needs to be more independent, that she's too heavy to carry around, and that she's old enough now to sleep in her own bed in her own room and CIO to sleep. They may have been supportive before but think that AP is something only for newborns.

This is already happening, especially with food and sleep. I think I would cave if I didn't have affirmation that I was doing ok from this forum.

[blumooned]

Great ideas!