After sharing the first meal milestone and taking pictures of your messy-mouthed munchkin beginning solids, you’re left wondering what to do next.
When should your child start eating three meals a day, and how much solid food should you give them each day? What is the ideal proportion of solid food to formula or breast milk, and should they both be served at the same time?
Find out the answers to these queries and some basic advice on how to establish a general feeding schedule for your infant.
How often and at what times should I feed baby solids?
There isn’t a “perfect” time of day to feed your kid; you should feed them whenever suits you. When your milk supply is at its lowest (usually late afternoon or early evening), if you’re breastfeeding, you may provide food. However, babies that wake up with big eyes and enthusiasm may be delighted to try solid food for breakfast.
When your baby is ready to eat, you’ll know it fast because she will open her mouth wide and happily take bits (or palm and gumming finger foods on her own) instead of fussily turning her head away. Don’t push feedings; instead, pay attention to the cues. You may always try again later.
For the first month or so, start with one meal a day and work your way up to two (try one in the morning and one in the evening). You can work your way up to three substantial meals a day with a snack or two in between as your baby gets older and closer to toddlerhood.
Feeding Schedules for Bottles
Studies reveal that there is no set “normal” for the number of bottles and volume of milk consumed each day. Pay attention to your baby’s lead. If they are developing normally, urinating and defecating as predicted, and seeming healthy overall, they are probably getting all the nutrition they require, even if it isn’t quite as much as listed here.
How much should the baby eat table
While general serving size guidelines might be useful, keep in mind that each infant is unique. It is quite typical for your young child to devour food one day (maybe even consuming seconds or thirds) and then seal her little mouth tight the next.
If your sweetie’s appetite fluctuates or if her meal selections don’t quite correspond with the suggested portions, try not to stress.
It’s not enjoyable for you or your baby to force her to eat when she doesn’t want to, and it can eventually make it more difficult for her to recognize her body’s natural hunger and fullness cues.
Rather, just focus on providing your child with a range of nutrient-dense foods in serving sizes that are appropriate for their age, and let them take it from there. Your new nosher can absorb whatever it is her body craves.
Over the day or week, she will get everything she needs if you’re providing balanced selections.
Conversely, though? Have faith in your instincts. If your baby doesn’t seem to be gaining weight as she should, seems uncomfortable or abnormally fussy after eating, or you feel that she has a feeding problem, speak with the paediatrician. You can work things out together and improve the quality of mealtimes.
Sample baby feeding schedules
The goal of your baby’s early solids should be to ease her into the family mealtime routine. She should ideally eat when everyone else is there at the table.
Just remember that until your baby is one, the majority of her nutrients should still come from breast milk or formula, so keep that in mind when planning her meals.
Depending on which meals are most convenient for you, you can begin by having simply one or two substantial meals per day.
For example, if your adorable child attends daycare and you would like to be the one to give her solid food, serve breakfast and dinner. Start with breakfast and continue with dinner if it’s too difficult to get it in before her nighttime milk feeding.
You can move to three meals after your baby reaches eight or nine months old and begins to consume a wider variety of foods (and eventually stops napping altogether, saving you more time throughout the day).
You can see how solids can fit into your baby’s day with the help of some sample schedules below, but keep in mind that every child (and every family!) is unique. Until your child reaches toddlerhood, her schedule might not be steady or predictable. Nonetheless, you may discover that an average day resembles this:
A sample feeding regimen for infants aged four to six months
This schedule is based on the assumption that your 4- to 6-month-old is spoon-feeding purées and taking three naps (some 6-month-olds may only take two naps).
In the event that your family chooses to wean your child baby-led, solids (such as soft, gummable finger foods) shouldn’t be introduced until about six months, at which point they will probably be better capable of feeding themselves.
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7:00 a.m.: Get up and nurse or use a bottle (6 to 8 ounces of formula or breast milk).
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Breakfast: 1 to 4 teaspoons of infant cereal and 1 to 4 tablespoons of mashed banana at 7:45 a.m.
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Nap from 8:45 to 10:45 a.m.
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10:45 a.m.: Get up and nurse or use a bottle (6 to 8 ounces of formula or breast milk).
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12 p.m.: Breastfeed or use a bottle with 6 to 8 ounces of formula or breast milk.
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12:30–2:30 p.m.: Take a nap
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2:30 p.m.: Breastfeed or use a bottle (6 to 8 ounces of formula or breast milk).
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From 4:30 to 5:00 p.m.: Take a nap
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5:00 p.m: Breastfeed or use a bottle (6 to 8 ounces of formula or breast milk).
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5:45 PM: Dinner (1–4 tablespoons each of puréed peas and mashed sweet potato).
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6:45 PM: Formula or breast milk in a bottle (6 to 8 ounces)
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Bedtime is 7:00 PM.
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A sample feeding regimen for infants aged seven to nine months
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This timetable is based on the assumption that your 7–9-month-old child naps twice a day (some 7–month-olds may still require three naps).
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7:00 a.m.: Get up and nurse or use a bottle (6 to 8 ounces of formula or breast milk).
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7:45 a.m.: Breakfast consisting of 1/4 slice of whole grain bread, 2 to 3 teaspoons of plain Greek yogurt, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of thinly sliced strawberries
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Nap between 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
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11:30 a.m.: Breastfeed or use a bottle (6 to 8 ounces of formula or breast milk).
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12:15 p.m.: Lunch consisting of 1/4 to 1/2 whole grain pita slices, 2 to 3 tablespoons mashed or sliced avocado, and 1/4 to 1/2 crumbled or sliced hard-boiled egg
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1:45 p.m. (Bottle or nurse) 6 to 8 ounces of formula or breast milk
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2:00–4:00 p.m.: Take a nap
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4 p.m.: Breastfeed or use a bottle with 6 to 8 ounces of formula or breast milk.
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5:45 p.m: Dinner
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7:00 p.m: Nurse or bottle
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7:30 p.m: Bed
How to encourage good eating habits
It has been demonstrated that the ritual of approaching the table, taking a seat, stopping to chat between bites, and savoring delicious meals with one another benefits kids well into adulthood.
Make an effort to share at least one meal a day with your family that consists of delectable, nutritious cuisine, lots of water, and positive chatter. Put off the most somber conversations till later.
By following these guidelines from the beginning, you may help your baby establish positive eating habits and a strong sense of self-worth as she gets older.
If you are worried about your baby’s dietary requirements or feeding habits, consult a doctor or a nutritionist.
Although each child is unique, solid food should start to become the child’s main source of nutrition from the age of 12 months. Consider sporadically timing some breastfeeds during the day to encourage baby to become hungry and interested in table food if, by the time baby is nine months old, he or she shows no interest in trying solid foods or even sitting at the table for meals. As with anything, modify these rules to suit your child’s needs, lifestyle, and circumstances. When a baby grows and develops, it’s natural and acceptable for them to nurse more or less frequently than those specified above. To discuss your unique requirements, concerns, or circumstances, speak with your child’s pediatrician, lactation consultant, or feeding therapist.