Sample Daily Routine for a 6-Month-Old Bottle-Fed Baby
This blog was written in paid partnership with Dr. Brown's.
*Note: I am not a lactation consultant, infant feeding specialist, or pediatrician. The information contained in this post is based upon my training and experience as a pediatric occupational therapist and my own personal research and experience. Please seek out help from a qualified infant professional (pediatrician, speech-language pathologist, or occupational therapist) if you have specific questions or concerns about your baby's feeding.
Congratulations on your 6-month-old! You have made it halfway through a full year and you should be very proud of yourself. While life with a new baby is full of snuggles, playful moments, and so much love, it can also be extremely challenging and exhausting. You are not alone if you are feeling both sets of emotions.
You may or may not be settling into a routine by now (it's okay if you're not there yet!), but either way, there are a lot of changes on the horizon at 6 months old. Let's dive into more about feeding a 6-month-old baby and a sample daily routine when it comes to feedings, sleep, solids and more.
Breastmilk and/or infant formula continues to remain the sole source of nutrition at 6 months old, regardless of when and the volume of solids your baby is eating. A 6-month-old baby should be eating solids once per day — the specific meal or time of day is up to you, just try your best to space it out at least one hour apart from a bottle so that they are hungry enough (but not hangry!) to be interested in eating.
*Note: Even when your baby is eating three solid meals per day (which happens around 9-10 months old), the frequency and/or volume of breast/bottle-feedings does not change much until closer to 1 year of age. The frequency between feedings may increase closer to 8-10 months, but breastmilk and/or formula continues to provide your baby (almost) all the nutrients they need to thrive! (Infants fed exclusively with breastmilk do need an outside source of iron after 6 months of age, which they can get from solid foods.)
| Average number of bottle-feeding (breastmilk and/or formula) sessions per 24 hours at 6 months old | 4-6 feedings per day (4-8 oz/bottle) |
| Total ounces of breastmilk and/or formula per 24 hours at 6 months old | 24-32 oz |
*The above numbers can vary from baby to baby. Always consult your baby's pediatric provider to ensure they are following their unique growth curve.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/formula-feeding/how-much-how-often.html
Around 6-months old, many babies start to become more efficient at feeding. They now may finish their bottles more quickly. If you are currently using a Level 1 Slow Flow Nipple and you feel like it's still working, then no need to switch. If you feel, however, that your baby is getting frustrated and wants to drink a bit more quickly, you can size up to a Level 2 Medium Flow Nipple or Level 3 Medium-Fast Flow.
Either way, continue to practice both pace-feeding and responsive feeding — take breaks every couple of ounces and watch for cues that your baby may be full, such as turning their head away, closing their mouth or generally showing disinterest in the bottle. It's normal and okay for babies to not take the exact same amount of formula or breastmilk in their bottle each time they eat.
6-month-old baby sample routine with three naps per day:
- 6:30-7:30 a.m.: Wake up and give 5-ounce bottle
- 8:00 a.m.: Play
- 9:00-10:15 a.m.: Nap one
- 10:30 a.m.: Give 4-ounce bottle
- 11:00 a.m.: Play
- 11:30 a.m.: Solids Meal
- 12:45-1:45 p.m.: Nap two
- 1:45 p.m.: Give 5-ounce bottle
- 2:00 p.m.: Play
- 3:15 p.m.: *Optional* 4-ounce bottle (if baby is showing hunger cues)
- 3:45-4:30 p.m.: Nap three
- 5:00 p.m.: Give 4-ounce bottle
- 6:00 p.m.: Bath
- 7:15 p.m.: Give 5-ounce bottle
- 7:00 p.m.: Bedtime
*Six bottles with 4-5 ounces of formula or breastmilk each
*One meal of solid foods
*Three naps
6-month-old baby sample routine with two naps per day:
- 6:30-7:30 a.m.: Wake up and give 6-ounce Bottle
- 8:00 a.m.: Play
- 8:30 a.m.: Solids Meal
- 9:30-11:15 a.m.: Nap one
- 11:15 a.m.: Give 6-ounce bottle
- 11:45 a.m.: Play
- 2:00 p.m.: Give 6-ounce bottle
- 2:30-4:00 p.m.: Nap two
- 4:30 p.m.: Give 6-ounce bottle
- 4:45 p.m.: Play
- 6:00 p.m.: Bath
- 7:00 p.m.: Give 6-ounce
- 7:30 p.m.: Bedtime
*Five bottles with 6 oz of formula or breastmilk each
*One meal of solid foods
*Two naps (The transition from three to two naps happens anywhere between 6-9 months. Shift bedtime earlier when dropping a nap to accommodate for lost sleep.
DO's for bottle-feeding a 6-month-old baby
- Continue to offer a bottle approximately every two to four hours during the day. This means you may need to wake them up from a nap at times (painful, I know!). Consistent daytime feedings will help your baby become full during the day, which allows for better sleep at night. Your baby typically no longer needs a night feed at this age, though it is normal for many babies to still eat one or two times overnight.
- Encourage your baby to begin to attempt to hold their own bottle. This is a great skill for them to learn AND allows you to have one hand free! You can encourage this skill by presenting the bottle up at their mouth height and pausing to see if your baby will attempt to reach for it with one or both hands. You can then help them guide it to their mouth. This takes practice and consistency for them to learn.
DON'Ts for bottle-feeding a 6-month-old baby:
- Do not prop bottles for your baby. This is when you lean the bottle against a pillow or some other object or item so that they can drink hands-free. Though tempting, this is unsafe because your baby has little to no control over the milk flowing into their mouth and increases the risk of choking, spitting up and drinking more than their body needs.
- Do not intentionally decrease the number of bottle-feeding sessions or ounces per bottle just because your baby is eating more solids. Continue to offer the same amount of breastmilk and/or formula that you were before they started solid foods and follow your baby’s lead on the amount they need in each bottle. The eventual decrease of breastmilk/formula intake, as solid intake increases, is a gradual decline and varies greatly from baby to baby.
Your baby will not follow a perfect schedule every day, but working to establish a consistent daily routine helps both you and your baby thrive. You are doing a great job!
Jessica Rapp Irwin, OTR/L, is a pediatric occupational therapist, childhood routine expert and lover of all things child development. She is the founder of Rooted in Routine, an online parenting education community and platform, to help parents learn simple, easy to implement routines for optimal child development for babies and young kids. She is passionate about educating parents on NORMAL, HEALTHY development, which is often simpler than we think. Jessica's approach is largely rooted in going back to the basics to help you establish solid, age-appropriate routines for your child for things like eating, play and sleep. She believes this is the most important foundation you can provide for your child - and she wants to help you do just that!
Learn more about Jessica here and follow her on Instagram to connect.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or health concern. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.