Postpartum with a newborn after 6 months: what to expect and how to thrive
Reaching the 6‑month postpartum milestone is a big deal. Your baby is becoming more social and mobile, your routine may be taking shape (even if sleep is still a work in progress), and your body and mind continue to adjust. This guide offers practical, evidence‑based tips to support your health and your baby’s development from 6 to 12 months postpartum—warmly, step by step.
Your body at 6 months postpartum
By now, many early physical changes have settled, but it’s common to still notice shifts in energy, hormones, and recovery.
Periods: Menstruation may have returned, especially if you’re not exclusively breastfeeding. Cycles can be irregular at first. Very heavy bleeding (soaking a pad in under an hour), large clots, or severe pain warrant a call to your clinician.
Hair and skin: Postpartum hair shedding often peaks around 3–6 months and typically improves by 6–12 months. Gentle hair care and balanced nutrition help; speak to your clinician if shedding is severe or accompanied by fatigue or cold intolerance (possible thyroid issues). [American Academy of Dermatology]
Pelvic floor and core: Leaking urine with cough/sneeze, pelvic heaviness, or a gap down the midline of your abdomen (diastasis recti) can persist. These can improve with targeted exercises, and many benefit from pelvic floor physical therapy.
A gentle pelvic floor and core routine (5–10 minutes/day)
Step 1: Posture and breath. Sit or lie comfortably. Inhale through your nose, letting your belly and ribs expand; exhale slowly through pursed lips.
Step 2: Pelvic floor “lift and let go.” On an exhale, gently lift the pelvic floor as if stopping gas and urine. Hold 3–5 seconds; fully relax 5–10 seconds. Repeat 8–10 times. Avoid holding your breath or clenching glutes.
Step 3: Deep core activation. On an exhale, imagine drawing your hip bones toward each other and the navel gently toward the spine without flattening your back. Hold 3–5 seconds; relax. Repeat 8–10 times.
Step 4: Functional moves. Add heel slides, bridges, or wall sits while maintaining pelvic floor and core engagement, 6–10 reps.
If you notice bulging at the abdomen, pelvic pressure, pain, or leaking that doesn’t improve after a few weeks, ask for a referral to a pelvic floor physical therapist.
Sexual health and comfort
Libido often fluctuates; fatigue, hormones, and birth recovery all play a role. If intercourse is uncomfortable, try extended foreplay, water‑based lubricant, and positions with more control. Breastfeeding‑related vaginal dryness can improve with non‑hormonal lubricants or, if needed, a low‑dose vaginal estrogen prescribed by your clinician (compatible with breastfeeding). Persistent pain deserves evaluation.
Mood and mental health
Many parents feel more confident by 6 months, but postpartum depression or anxiety can persist or emerge up to a year after birth. Signs include persistent sadness, irritability, racing thoughts, intrusive worries, loss of pleasure, or sleep disturbance not explained by baby care. If you have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, seek urgent help.
Quick self‑check (5 minutes):
Step 1: Ask yourself: Over the last 2 weeks, how often have I felt down, hopeless, or had little interest in things? How often have I felt on edge or unable to control my worries?
Step 2: Use a screening tool such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) or PHQ‑9/ GAD‑7 (your clinic can provide them).
Step 3: If your score is elevated or symptoms last more than 2 weeks, contact your clinician. Evidence‑based treatments—counseling, support groups, and when appropriate, medication safe in lactation—are effective.
Also check in on the basics: nourishment, hydration, movement, sunlight, and connection. Even 10–15 minutes outdoors, a short stretch, or a supportive text can shift the day.
Feeding your baby at 6–12 months
Breastmilk or formula remains your baby’s primary nutrition through the first year. Around 6 months, most babies are developmentally ready to start solids while continuing milk feeds.
Readiness signs for solids
Sits with minimal support; good head/neck control; opens mouth for food; brings objects to mouth; diminished tongue‑thrust; shows interest in what you eat.
Starting solids: a step‑by‑step plan
Step 1: Begin with 1–2 teaspoons once daily. Prioritize iron‑ and zinc‑rich foods (fortified infant cereal, pureed meats/beans, lentils, tofu). Offer after or between milk feeds; let baby lead the pace.
Step 2: Progress textures. Move from smooth purees to mashed, then soft finger foods as skills develop. Examples: mashed sweet potato, avocado, soft scrambled egg, ripe banana pieces, well‑cooked vegetables cut into soft strips.
Step 3: Introduce allergens early and often. Peanut, egg, dairy, wheat, tree nuts (as thin butters or powders), fish, and soy can be introduced one at a time in small amounts, starting as soon as solids begin, to help reduce allergy risk. Avoid whole nuts and thick globs; always supervise. If your baby has severe eczema or prior reactions, discuss a plan with your pediatrician before introducing peanut or egg.
Step 4: Keep milk the mainstay. Offer breastmilk or formula on demand; most exclusively breastfed infants take roughly 24–32 ounces/day across 24 hours. Solids are for learning at first—appetite will gradually increase.
Step 5: Vitamin D and iron. Continue 400 IU/day vitamin D for breastfed infants. Some babies need additional iron—ask at the 6‑ or 9‑month visit.
Step 6: Safety. Avoid honey and unpasteurized foods until age 1. Cut round foods (grapes, cherry tomatoes) into quarters lengthwise; cook and soften hard foods. Practice sitting upright in a high chair with harness. Offer open cup sips of water at meals.
Breastfeeding, pumping, and work
If you’re pumping at work, aim to pump about as often as your baby feeds—usually every 3–4 hours. A sample 8‑hour workday: pump around 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., plus a short session before leaving or upon arrival home. Label and refrigerate or freeze milk promptly; follow safe storage times (refrigerator up to 4 days; freezer 6–12 months depending on freezer type). If supply dips with more solids, add a short evening or morning pump to signal your body to make a bit more.
Sleep for baby and you
From 6–12 months, most babies sleep about 12–16 hours per 24 hours (including 2–3 naps). Developmental leaps (rolling, sitting, crawling, teething) can temporarily disrupt sleep.
Build a steady routine
Step 1: Daytime rhythm. Aim for consistent nap windows and plenty of light/activity in the morning, calmer play in the hour before bedtime.
Step 2: Wind‑down sequence. Choose a 20–30 minute routine: bath, pajamas, feeding, two books, song, lights out. Keep the order the same.
Step 3: Safe sleep environment. Place baby on their back on a firm, flat surface with a fitted sheet—no pillows, blankets, bumpers, or stuffed animals. If baby rolls, let them stay in the new position, but always start on the back.
Step 4: Night wakings. Brief, consistent responses help. You may choose responsive settling, “pick up/put down,” or graduated checks (e.g., wait 2–5–10 minutes before brief reassurance). Evidence shows behavioral sleep strategies can improve infant sleep and parental mood without harming attachment.
Remember, there’s no one “right” way—choose what fits your family and values. If sleep feels unmanageable, a pediatrician, lactation professional, or sleep‑trained clinician can help.
Health visits and vaccines
Baby: The 6‑ and 9‑month well visits review growth, development, feeding, and safety. Vaccines at 6 months typically include doses of DTaP, Hib, IPV, PCV, HepB (depending on prior schedule), and influenza if in season. COVID‑19 vaccines are recommended for children starting at 6 months. Ask about fluoride if your water is not fluoridated; begin brushing at the first tooth with a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste.
You: Keep your own health on the calendar. If you haven’t had a comprehensive postpartum visit or primary care check, schedule one. Vaccines such as influenza and COVID‑19 are recommended and safe during breastfeeding. If you did not receive Tdap during pregnancy, a dose postpartum protects your baby; MMR or varicella can be given if you’re non‑immune.
Movement and exercise
Regular physical activity supports mood, sleep, and strength. Aim for gradual progress: brisk walks, low‑impact cardio, body‑weight strength, and mobility work. If you had a cesarean, significant tearing, or pelvic floor symptoms, progress thoughtfully and consider guidance from a pelvic floor PT. Stop and seek advice if you experience vaginal heaviness, leaking that worsens with activity, sharp pelvic/back pain, or doming along the midline of your abdomen.
Family planning and contraception
Fertility can return before your first period. The lactational amenorrhea method (LAM) becomes less reliable after 6 months or if feeds are infrequent/with long overnight stretches. Effective options compatible with breastfeeding include copper or hormonal IUDs, the etonogestrel implant, progestin‑only pills, and condoms. Combined estrogen‑containing methods are generally acceptable for many breastfeeding parents after milk supply is established; discuss individual risks and benefits with your clinician.
Home safety as baby becomes mobile
With rolling, scooting, and crawling, babyproofing matters. Secure furniture and TVs to walls; use outlet covers and stair gates; keep cords and small objects out of reach; store medications and cleaning products locked and high; set water heater to 120°F (49°C). Keep car seats rear‑facing as long as possible within height/weight limits. Supervise meals and baths closely; never leave baby unattended on high surfaces.
When to call your clinician
Call urgently for: thoughts of self‑harm or harming your baby; chest pain or trouble breathing; severe headache with vision changes; fever with breast redness and pain (possible mastitis) not improving within 24 hours; heavy vaginal bleeding; calf pain/swelling. Make a routine appointment if you have persistent pelvic pain, incontinence, painful sex, new or worsening anxiety or depression, severe fatigue, hair loss with other thyroid‑like symptoms, or concerns about your baby’s feeding, growth, or development.
A gentle plan for the next few months
Week 1: Set one realistic self‑care goal (a 10‑minute walk, a daily stretch) and choose two iron‑rich starter foods to offer this week.
Week 2: Establish a simple bedtime routine and stick to consistent nap windows. Note baby’s sleepy cues.
Week 3: Introduce one new common allergen in a safe form; repeat several times this week. Continue vitamin D.
Week 4: Review home safety and secure one new area as baby’s mobility increases.
Ongoing: Keep up your pelvic floor/core routine 5–10 minutes most days; schedule your own checkup; block time on your calendar for something that refuels you—connection, rest, movement, or creativity.
You’re doing important work. Six months in, you know your baby better than anyone. Small, consistent steps will keep supporting both of you as you grow together.
Sources
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Optimizing Postpartum Care. 2018. https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2018/05/optimizing-postpartum-care
World Health Organization (WHO). Infant and young child feeding: exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months; continued breastfeeding up to 2 years and beyond. https://www.who.int/health-topics/breastfeeding
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Starting Solid Foods. HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Switching-To-Solid-Foods.aspx
NIAID Addendum Guidelines for the Prevention of Peanut Allergy in the United States. 2017. https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/guidelines-clinicians-and-patients-food-allergy
AAP. Infant Sleep: 12–16 hours for 4–12 months. (AASM Consensus, endorsed by AAP). https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/healthy-active-living-for-families/sleep/infant-sleep
AAP. 2022 Safe Sleep Policy. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/150/1/e2022057990/188265
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