6 to 12 months
Older baby.
A place for practical questions as everyday life changes: food, play, a safer home and the arrangements that help the whole family.
Read a short guide or find a practical tool for this stage.
Browse the resourcesFrom Supporting Mums, founded by Jens, mum of two. Practical ideas and trusted signposts, not medical advice or a checklist of what your child should be doing. Choose the part that fits your family today.
01 · Introducing solid foods
Organise your questions about first foods
NHS guidance places the introduction of solid foods at around six months, alongside readiness signs. Use the official guidance for the how-to, and this space to organise what you want to ask or prepare.
A practical place to begin
- Read the NHS first-foods guidance, including food preparation, allergies and safety, before planning what to offer.
- Write down questions for your health visitor, especially if your baby has individual health needs or was born prematurely.
- Plan the practical jobs around meals: shopping, preparation, clearing up and who can help.
The family meal planner is an adult organising tool, not an infant menu or feeding plan. This guide does not assess readiness or replace feeding advice.
A printable that may help
Official guidance & specialist support
02 · Moving & a safer home
A fresh look at the spaces your baby uses
As the ways your baby explores change, it is useful to revisit the practical arrangements at home. A to-do list can help you organise changes, but it is not a substitute for current safety guidance.
A practical place to begin
- Read the NHS baby and toddler safety guidance and product instructions relevant to your home.
- List the changes you need to make, who will do them and anything you need professional help to check.
- Revisit the plan when you stay somewhere else or your baby’s access to a room changes.
Do not use an age label or a ticked checklist as proof that a room or product is safe.
A printable that may help
Official guidance & specialist support
03 · Sleep & changing routines
Keep the plan flexible when nights change
A change in nights can affect the whole next day. It can help to review household expectations and practical support rather than making the baby’s sleep another task to complete.
A practical place to begin
- Choose which optional commitments or household jobs can move after a difficult night.
- If somebody is helping, agree one useful task they can take over without you coordinating every step.
- Keep questions about sleep or feeding for your health visitor and use current safer-sleep guidance.
There is no sleep-training programme here, and no promise of sleeping through. The older-child bedtime printable is not intended for babies.
A printable that may help
Official guidance & specialist support
04 · Play, books & early communication
A little play with what interests them
You can build a small collection of familiar books and suitable play materials without constantly adding something new. Let shared attention matter more than completing an activity.
A practical place to begin
- Put a few age-appropriate options within the space where you spend time together.
- Name or talk about what you are doing in everyday moments, in the language or languages comfortable for your family.
- Try the library for books and current family activities rather than feeling you need to buy every resource.
Follow age and safety guidance for materials. If you have concerns about your child’s development or communication, speak with your health visitor.
Official guidance & specialist support
05 · Childcare & time apart
A useful handover for someone caring for your baby
Whether care comes from family, a childminder or a nursery, a clear conversation can make the practical details easier to share. Keep the information specific to your baby and the arrangement you are making.
A practical place to begin
- Ask how the carer or setting approaches settling-in, updates and questions from parents.
- Share current care information through the setting’s agreed process, including any professional care instructions.
- Agree collection, contact and backup arrangements, and write down anything that needs following up.
A handover supports communication; it does not replace a provider’s safeguarding, consent or care procedures.
A printable that may help
Official guidance & specialist support
Guidance links checked 6 September 2026. NHS links are to NHS.uk unless otherwise labelled; local care arrangements may differ. Check with your own maternity team, health visitor or GP for individual advice.