Parental concerns often centre around whether their child is receiving enough breast milk, formula, or solid food. This can cause confusion because varying amounts of food are needed for babies based on their age, body weight, and hunger.
One of the most crucial things you can do is follow your baby’s hunger and fullness cues when guiding feedings, rather than following a rigid schedule or giving them a set amount of food, unless your baby’s pediatrician instructs you otherwise.
Learn about the recommended feeding times for babies by reading on. For easy reference, we’ve included a helpful infant feeding chart. However, for personalized advice on feeding your child from infancy to toddlerhood, speak with your pediatrician.
Newborn and Baby Feeding Chart
Although every baby’s feeding requirements may vary slightly depending on their weight, age, and other variables, the majority will adhere to a regular schedule. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that infants should be fed whenever they appear hungry.1.
This occurs frequently in the first few months of life, as newborns typically eat every two to three hours. Babies will feed every three to four hours by the time they are two months old, and by the time they are six months old, they will nurse every four to five hours.
Feeding Schedule for Newborns
All of a newborn’s nutritional needs should come from breast milk or infant formula. This is an approximate summary of how newborns typically eat.
Breast Milk
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that most babies feed every two to three hours and consume one to two ounces of breast milk each time. This amount rises to 2 to 3 ounces every feeding when your baby turns 2 weeks old.
It’s more harder to gauge your baby’s milk consumption if you’re nursing them straight from the breast, but if you’re pumping and bottle-feeding, you can practically see how much milk your baby is ingesting at each meal. That’s alright, too.
Attempt to measure their intake by observing their excretion. If your child wets their diaper two or three times a day in the first few days and then five or six times a day, you can tell they are eating enough.
Formula
During the first week of formula feeding, a baby will typically take one to two ounces per meal; by the end of the first month, this amount will have progressively increased to three to four ounces per feeding. Compared to nursing babies, formula-fed babies often have a regular eating pattern and eat every three to four hours.3.
According to Amy Lynn Stockhausen, MD, an associate professor of general pediatrics and adolescent health at the University of Wisconsin School of health and Public Health, you should try to give your baby 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of body weight each day. However, once more, it’s crucial to pay attention to your baby’s cues rather than merely providing them with a set quantity of formula.
1 to 3 Month Old Feeding Schedule
What is a good amount to feed a 3-month-old? And what about one- or two-month-old babies? This is what to anticipate: Your baby’s appetite will peak between one and three months, and they’ll start to express their hunger more openly. A two-month-old baby will typically eat four to five ounces every three to four hours, according to the AAP.
If you are feeding formula, you may wish to find a formula that has 2′-FL HMO added to it. These human milk oligosaccharides are present in breast milk by nature, and studies have shown that they function as a prebiotic to assist the development of the immune system and gut health.
Because of this, some experts believe that adding HMOs to baby formula is a promising advancement in infant nutrition.
4 to 6 Month Old Feeding Schedule
Around six months of age, most newborns are prepared to begin solid foods, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Six But since every baby is unique, it’s possible that your child will follow a somewhat different timeline. How can you therefore tell when your child is ready?
The following are some indicators that a baby is ready to eat solid foods: • Developing the grasping ability
• Improving neck and head control
• Losing the reflexive tongue-thrust that forces food out of their mouth on autopilot
Never start solids with a baby younger than 4 months old because they do not yet have the requisite skills. When your child is first introduced to solids, try feeding them one to two tablespoons twice a day.7.
Recall that your baby’s main source of nutrition for the whole first year of life is still breast milk or formula, even after solids are introduced.7. In fact, at 4 months old, babies should still consume 4 to 6 ounces of liquid per meal. The AAP states that after they are six months old, infants can consume up to eight ounces every four or five hours.
6 to 9 Month Old Feeding Schedule
According to Natalie Muth, MD, RDN, co-author of The Picky Eater Project, a baby should still receive almost all of their calories from breast milk or formula when they are 6 to 9 months old. At this age, a formula-fed baby typically consumes no more than 32 ounces of formula per day.
At this age, your breastfed baby’s nursing schedule may change because of growth spurts or the need for additional comfort.8 That’s why it’s still crucial to pay attention to hunger cues rather than rigid timetables and restrictions. The CDC advises providing breast milk before feeding your child a meal if you discover that they aren’t breastfeeding as frequently after starting solids.
Don’t worry about forcing your baby to eat solid food mouthful after bite because they are still getting the majority of their calories from breast milk or formula. You can feed your child anytime you sit down to eat; at this stage, the purpose of solids is more ritual and exposure than nourishment.
9 to 12 Month Old Feeding Schedule
Babies should still be fed seven to eight ounces of liquid every feeding at this age. In a 24-hour period, they often consume up to 32 ounces of formula. “By 9 to 12 months, about half of your baby’s calories should come from food and the other half from breast milk or formula,” according to Dr. Muth.
Give your growing baby some baby-friendly bites from your plate; they’ve learnt that eating tastes nice and have an exploratory palate. Feed them more if they ask for it, but don’t get upset if they refuse food.
Additionally, since babies like to play with their meals, think about dipping veggies or whole-grain crackers into yogurt or oatmeal. Just be sure that the food is prepared safely with no small particles for choking.
Feeding Schedule After 12 Months
According to Dr. Muth, your infant should be eating mostly finely diced table food after turning one year old. Serve whole milk in a sippy cup with meals and snacks to satisfy their calcium needs.
It’s crucial to remember that toddlers don’t need to drink milk to get their recommended 700 mg of calcium per day, as stated in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans.12
Since your child will be more receptive to new experiences at this age and will be more hungry, it can also be beneficial to aim for a fixed meal and snack routine. Always get advice from a medical professional if you have questions regarding your baby’s feeding schedule.