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2–6 Months: Everyday Care & Injury PreventionYoung Babies: 2-6 Months

Introduction

Your young baby is changing quickly and so is the care you provide every day!

On this page, you’ll find information on your young baby’s sleeping cues and patterns, how to clean your baby’s gums, and recommended health checkups.

The risk of injury goes up as babies grow and develop – learn which areas need your attention at this age.

Sleeping

Sleep patterns

Follow your baby’s cues by letting them sleep and eat when they need to. They’ll soon develop their own sleeping and feeding patterns. You do not need to wake your baby to feed as long as they are healthy, gaining enough weight and growing. Your health care provider will let you know if there is a reason to wake your baby to feed.

Young babies usually sleep:

  • 3–4 hours at a time and sometimes as little as 2 hours at a time
  • a total of 14–17 hours a day for the first 3 months, then after that 12–16 hours for infants 4–12 months old

Babies’ sleep patterns stay about the same until they’re around 5–6 months old. Some babies may start sleeping longer at night by the time they’re 3 months old. Every baby is unique, however, some babies are not ready to sleep longer at night until they’re at least 6 months old.

By understanding and responding to your baby’s waking and sleeping cues and patterns, you can help them learn good sleeping habits early. Learn more about waking and sleeping.

Back to sleep, tummy to play

Always place your baby on their back to go to sleep.

Give them tummy time to play when they’re awake and you’re with them.

Learning to fall asleep on their own

Whenever you can, put your baby in their crib, cradle or bassinet when they’re sleepy but still awake. Cuddle or feed your baby until they’re close to falling asleep and then put them down. This will help them learn to fall asleep on their own. Babies learn from experiencing things over and over. When they go to sleep and wake up in the same place, they learn that this is where they sleep. Your baby is also starting to learn to self-soothe. Learn more about self-soothing.

If your baby uses a soother

Check it regularly. Throw it away if it’s cracked, has a hole or is torn. Replace the soother at least every 2 months.

“It’s a good idea to have someone other than ‘you’ put your baby to sleep on occasion. This ensures that the baby doesn’t only rely on you to fall asleep.”

~Katherine, mom of two children

Safe sleep

Put your baby on their back to sleep in their own crib, cradle or bassinet. Move your baby from a cradle or bassinet to a crib when they roll over or reach the maximum weight recommended by the cradle or bassinet manufacturer, whichever comes first.

Follow all of the recommendations for safe sleep until your baby is 1 year old. This helps reduce the risk of SIDS and prevent other sleep-related injuries and deaths. Learn more about safe sleep.

Visible through the narrow spaces between the crib bars, a young baby in a sleeper is sleeping on their back. The crib is free from clutter.

If you’ve been swaddling your baby, remember to stop if your baby:

  • no longer needs swaddling to settle or calm them
  • is able to roll over
  • has wiggled out of a swaddle—usually between 2–3 months old

Learn more about swaddling.

Head shape

Flat areas on the back or side of your baby’s head can develop until they’re more mobile. To help prevent flat areas, keep giving your baby tummy time every day when they’re awake and limit the amount of time your baby spends in a car seat, stroller or swing. Tummy time helps with your baby’s development and makes their body stronger so that they can learn to roll, sit and crawl. Learn more about head shape and tummy time.

If you have concerns about your baby’s head shape, talk with your health care provider. Your health care provider may refer you for other services or recommend a special helmet to improve your baby’s head shape.

Young baby lying on their tummy on a blanket on the floor, reaching for a toy. Parent is also on their stomach, facing the baby with an expressive face.

Crying

Crying will peak when your baby is about 2 months old and then gradually decrease. Between 2–4 months, your baby’s cry will change depending on what they need.

Sometimes no matter what you do, your baby may keep crying. Continue to try and soothe your baby to help them settle. If your baby cannot stop crying and you need some time to calm yourself, put your baby in a safe place, and take a short break. Have a cup of tea, take some deep breaths or walk around your home.

When you feel calmer, try again to soothe your baby. Holding them when you’re frustrated or angry can lead to shaking them. Never shake your baby. Learn more about the Crying Plan.

“I had my mom, my grandparents, brother and sister who made it easier. If [my baby] could not stop crying for me when she was little, they would hold her or take her for a walk.”

~Nikki, parent

Take a break, don’t shake

Never shake your baby for any reason. Even a few seconds of shaking can cause blindness, hearing loss, life-long health problems or even death.

Teeth and mouth

Cleaning your baby's gums

Clean your baby’s gums, even before they get their teeth.

  • Clean the gums with a soft, clean, damp washcloth morning and night.
  • Once teeth appear, brush them twice a day, especially at bedtime. Use a small, soft-bristled baby toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste the size of a grain of rice to help prevent tooth decay. Gum cleaners are not recommended at this age.

Teething

Baby’s teeth usually start coming in at around 6 months old, although some babies may get their first teeth earlier or later. Teething may be uncomfortable and your baby will need lots of love and comfort from you.

To provide your baby comfort, you can:

  • Gently rub their gums with your clean finger.
  • Give them a cold, clean cloth to chew on.
  • Give them a solid teething ring that can be cooled in the fridge to chew on.

Items that are not safe to give to your baby for teething relief are:

  • Biscuits
  • Rings filled with fluid
  • Raw vegetables
  • Fruit
  • Teething products such as numbing gels

Learn more about how to help your baby when they’re teething.

No teething necklaces, bracelets or anklets

Any kind of jewellery on babies is a choking and strangulation hazard. Teething necklaces can break and your baby could choke on the small pieces. Necklaces around your baby’s neck can also catch on furniture, hooks or other objects and can strangle your baby.

Health checkups

Watch your baby closely for signs of illness

Watch your young baby more closely for signs of illness such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, rash, cough and ear infection. Learn more about common health concerns & things to watch for.

Go to the Emergency Department NOW if your baby is under 3 months and has an underarm temperature that is lower than 36.5 °C (97.8 °F) or higher than 37.5 °C (99.5 °F).

Call Health Link at 811 or your health care provider NOW if your baby is between 3−6 months and has an underarm temperature higher than 37.5 °C (99.5 °F).

Well child clinic visits

Your baby will have their routine immunizations at their well child clinic visit. Immunizations are scheduled when your baby is 2, 4 and 6 months old. During your immunization visit, your public health nurse will also check things such as your baby’s growth, how they’re feeding, and answer any questions you have. Learn more about public health nurses.

If your child has not been immunized or their immunizations are not up to date, talk with your public health nurse about how to get back on schedule. Learn more about immunizations.

To find a community or public health centre near you, call Health Link at 811 or visit Alberta Health Services – Know Your Options.

Public health nurse recording the weight of a young baby, who is wearing a diaper and lying on their back on a scale.Public health nurse meeting with parent and young baby.

Preventing injuries

The risk of injury goes up as babies grow and develop. Babies between 2–6 months move from kicking and squirming to rolling and sitting, and explore and play by putting things in their mouths. There‘s a lot you can do to help keep your baby safe.

Here are some areas that need attention to keep your baby safe from injuries for their age and stage of development:

Learn more about preventing injuries in the early years.

Caregiver buckling young baby into rear-facing car seat. Shoulder harnesses are lying flat against baby.Caregiver holding onto young baby while giving them a bath in clean, plain (without soap) water.

Protect your baby from falls

Falls are the leading cause of injury to babies and children. Keep one hand on your baby when they’re on any raised surface. Being at your baby’s side is the best way to prevent falls.

Be safe around water

Never leave your baby unattended in or around water.