At six months old, babies’ diets change to become less reliant on milk. So how do the experts advise pharmacy teams help parents at this transitional phase?

Q: If a baby aged 6-12 months wakes in the night, is she hungry? Should she be given milk to settle her back to sleep?

A: ”The key to sleep is getting babies to selfsettle without falling asleep on the breast or bottle,” says Sara Patience, health visitor and registered nutritionist specialising in child nutrition. “When babies wake at night, they look for the thing that puts them to sleep and if that’s food, that’s what they’ll want. A good trick is to reduce the night feed by either reducing the amount in the bottle or minutes at the breast every few nights until baby gets used to not having it.”

Q: What is the best way to persuade a baby to start drinking from a cup?

A: Tanya Thomas, BSc (Hons) RD freelance paediatric dietitian, says: “Introduce a cup from around six months of age onwards. Encourage an open cup or a free-flow cup without a valve so that baby learns to sip rather than suck – this is better for their teeth. It is sometimes a good idea to try using the cup in the day rather than the night time at first. It may take several attempts to introduce a cup. Parents and carers need to persevere and may need support. They should also be prepared for some mess!”

Q: How do follow-on milks differ from cows’ milk?

A: “Follow-on milks can be given from six months,” says Boots UK nutritionist, Vicky Pennington. “They contain higher levels of key nutrients such as vitamin D and iron than cows’ milk. In comparison, babies cannot be given cows’ milk until they are at least 12 months old because it’s too low in iron and too high in salt. Follow-on milks are milk drinks and are not a substitute for breast milk for babies under six months of age.”

Q: If a nine-month-old baby is eating three meals a day, how much milk should he be drinking?

A: Dr Emma Derbyshire, independent nutrition consultant and founder of Nutritional Insight Ltd, says: “Three bottles of about 150-200ml each time, in the morning, before, or after their nap and before bed.”