Age-by-age guide to feeding your baby

Reviewed by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board
Last updated: September 2004

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Age: Birth to 4 months

Feeding behavior
• Rooting reflex helps your baby turn toward a nipple to find nourishment

What to feed
• Breast milk or formula ONLY

How much per day
• See How to Tell if Your Baby's Getting Enough Breast Milk
• See How to Tell How Much Formula Your Baby Needs

Feeding tip
• Your baby's digestive tract is still developing, which is why solid food is off limits for now.

Age: 4 to 6 months

Signs of readiness for solid food
Your baby probably won't do all these things — they're just clues to watch for.
• Can hold head up
• Sits well in highchair
• Makes chewing motions
• Shows significant weight gain (birth weight has doubled)
• Shows interest in food
• Can close mouth around a spoon
• Can move food from front to back of mouth
• Can move tongue back and forth, but is losing tendency to push food out with tongue
• Seems hungry after 8 to 10 feedings of breast milk or 40 oz. of formula in a day
• Is teething

What to feed
• Breast milk or formula, PLUS
• Semi-liquid iron-fortified rice cereal, THEN
• Other grain cereals like oats or barley

How much per day
• Begin with about 1 teaspoon dry rice cereal mixed with 4 to 5 teaspoons breast milk or formula (it'll be very runny).
• Gradually thicken consistency and increase to 1 tablespoon dry cereal mixed with breast milk or formula, twice a day.

Feeding tips
• If your baby won't eat the cereal on the first try, offer it again in a few days.
• Get more detailed tips on how to introduce solids.

Age: 6 to 8 months

Signs of readiness for solid food
• Same as 4 to 6 months

What to feed
• Breast milk or formula, PLUS
• Iron-fortified cereals (rice, barley, oats)
• Pureed or strained fruits (banana, pears, applesauce, peaches)
• Pureed or strained vegetables (avocado, well-cooked carrots, squash, and sweet potato)

How much per day
• 3 to 9 tablespoons cereal, in 2 to 3 feedings
• 1 teaspoon fruit, gradually increased to ¼ to ½ cup in 2 to 3 feedings
• 1 teaspoon vegetables, gradually increased to ¼ to ½ cup in 2 to 3 feedings

Feeding tips
• Introduce new foods one at a time, with at least three days in between to make sure your baby's not allergic.
• Get more detailed tips on how to introduce solids.

Age: 8 to 10 months

Signs of readiness for solid and finger foods
• Same as 6 to 8 months, PLUS
• Picks up objects with thumb and forefinger (pincer grasp)
• Can transfer items from one hand to the other
• Puts everything in his mouth
• Moves jaw in a chewing motion

What to feed
• Breast milk or formula, PLUS
• Small amounts of soft pasteurized cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese (but no cows' milk until age 1)
• Iron-fortified cereals (rice, barley, wheat, oats, mixed cereals)
• Mashed fruits and vegetables (bananas, peaches, pears, avocados, cooked carrots, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes)
• Finger foods (lightly toasted bagels, cut up; small pieces of ripe banana; well-cooked spiral pasta; teething crackers; low-sugar O-shaped cereal)
• Small amounts of protein (egg yolk, pureed meats and poultry; tofu; well-cooked and mashed beans with soft skins like lentils, split peas, pintos, black beans)
• Non-citrus juice (apple or pear)

How much per day
• ¼ to 1/3 cup dairy (or ½ oz. cheese)
• ¼ to ½ cup iron-fortified cereal
• ¼ to ½ cup fruit
• ¼ to ½ cup vegetables
• 1/8 to ¼ cup protein foods
• 3 to 4 oz. non-citrus juices

Feeding tip
• Introduce new foods one at a time, with at least three days in between to make sure your baby's not allergic.

Age: 10 to 12 months

Signs of readiness for additional solid food
• Same as 8 to 10 months, PLUS
• Swallows food more easily
• Has more teeth
• No longer pushes food out with tongue
• Is trying to use a spoon

What to feed
• Breast milk or formula PLUS
• Soft pasteurized cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese (but no cows' milk until age 1)
• Iron-fortified cereals (rice, barley, wheat, oats, mixed cereals)
• Fruit cut into cubes or strips, or mashed
• Bite-size, soft-cooked vegetables (peas, carrots)
• Combo foods (macaroni and cheese, casseroles)
• Protein (egg yolk, pureed or finely ground meats and poultry, tofu, well-cooked and mashed beans)
• Finger foods (lightly toasted bread or bagels, small pieces of ripe banana, spiral pasta, teething crackers, low-sugar O-shaped cereal)
• Non-citrus juice

How much per day
• 1/3 cup dairy (or ½ oz. cheese)
• ¼ to ½ cup iron-fortified cereal
• ¼ to ½ cup fruit
• ¼ to ½ cup vegetables
• 1/8 to ¼ cup combo foods
• 1/8 to ¼ cup protein foods
• 3 to 4 oz. non-citrus juices

Feeding tip
• Introduce new foods one at a time, with at least three days in between to make sure your baby's not allergic.

Age-by-age guide to feeding your toddler

Reviewed by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board
Last updated: September 2004

e-mail
print bc.omniture.queueAttachment("toolBox_33001660_767c_4c67_9ff8_99d86a5a6e0b", 12, {prop36:'Print:Age-by-age guide to feeding your toddler'});

Age: 12 to 18 months

Signs of readiness for self-feeding
• Can start to use a spoon himself (though proficiency will take a while!)

What to feed
• Whole milk
• Other dairy (soft pasteurized cheese, full-fat yogurt and cottage cheese)
• Same food as family, mashed or chopped into bite-size pieces
• Iron-fortified cereals (rice, barley, wheat, oats, mixed cereals)
• Other grains (whole wheat bread, pasta, rice)
• New fruits: melon, papaya, apricot, grapefruit (citrus is now okay)
• New vegetables: broccoli and cauliflower "trees"
• Protein (eggs; cut-up or ground meat, poultry, boneless fish; tofu; beans; thinly spread smooth peanut butter)
• Citrus and non-citrus juice
• Honey is now okay

How much per day
• 2 to 3 servings dairy (1 serving = ½ cup milk, ½ to 1 oz. cheese, 1/3 to ½ cup yogurt or cottage cheese)
• 4 to 6 servings cereals and other grains (1 serving = ¼ to 1/3 cup cereal, ¼ cup pasta or rice, ¼ to ½ slice bread or bagel)
• ¼ to ½ cup fruit
• ¼ to ½ cup vegetables
• 2 servings protein (1 serving = 2 tablespoons ground or two 1-inch cubes meat, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; ¼ cup tofu or cooked beans; 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter)
• 3 to 4 oz. juice

Feeding tips
• Introduce new foods one at a time, with at least three days in between to make sure your child's not allergic.
• Choking hazards are still a danger. Learn more about foods to watch out for.

Age: 18 to 24 months

Feeding skills to look for
• Self-feeding
• Food phrases like "more" and "all done"

What to feed
• Whole milk
• Other dairy (natural hard cheese, soft pasteurized cheese, full-fat yogurt and cottage cheese, pudding)
• Iron-fortified cereals (rice, barley, wheat, oat, mixed cereals)
• Other grains (whole wheat bread and crackers, cut-up bagels, pretzels, rice cakes, ready-to-eat cereals, pasta, rice)
• Fruit, cooked, canned or fresh, cut up or sliced (apples, bananas, peaches, strawberries, pears, cherries, grapes, plums, oranges, grapefruit)
• Dried fruit, soaked until soft so it won't pose a choking hazard (apples, apricots, peaches, pears, dates, pitted prunes, raisins)
• Vegetables, cooked and mashed or diced (carrots, green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, yams, potatoes, peas)
• Protein (eggs; cut-up or ground meat, poultry, boneless fish; tofu; beans; smooth peanut butter)
• Combo foods like macaroni and cheese, casseroles
• Fruit and vegetable juices

How much per day
• 2 to 3 servings dairy (1 serving = ½ cup milk; ½ to 1 oz. cheese; 1/3 to ½ cup yogurt or cottage cheese; ¼ cup pudding)
• 6 servings grains (1 serving = ¼ to ½ slice bread or bagel; 1 or 2 crackers; ¼ cup pasta or rice; 1/3 to ½ cup cooked or ready-to-eat cereal)
• 2 to 3 servings fruit (1 serving = ¼ cup cooked or canned, ½ piece fresh; 1/8 cup dried; ¼ to ½ cup juice)
• 2 to 3 servings vegetables (1 serving = 1 to 2 tablespoons)
• 2 servings protein (1 serving = 2 tablespoons ground or two 1-inch cubes meat, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; ¼ cup tofu or cooked beans; 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter)

Feeding tips
• Introduce new foods one at a time, with at least three days in between to make sure your child's not allergic.
• Choking hazards are still a danger. Learn more about foods to watch out for.

Age: 24 to 36 months

Feeding skills to look for
• Self-feeding
• Eagerness to make own food choices

What to feed
• Low-fat milk
• Other dairy (diced or grated cheese; low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, pudding)
• Iron-fortified cereals (rice, barley, wheat, oats, mixed cereals)
• Other grains (whole wheat bread and crackers, cut-up bagels, pretzels, rice cakes, ready-to-eat cereal, pasta, rice)
• Fruits, sliced fresh or canned
• Dried fruit, soaked until soft so it won't pose a choking hazard (apples, apricots, peaches, pears, dates, pitted prunes, raisins)
• Vegetables, cooked and cut up
• Protein (eggs; cut-up or ground meat, poultry, boneless fish; tofu; beans; smooth peanut butter)
• Combo foods like macaroni and cheese, casseroles
• Fruit and vegetable juices

How much per day
One serving for a child this age is about ¼ the size of an adult serving.
• 2 to 3 servings dairy (1 serving = ½ cup milk; ½ to ¾ oz. cheese; ½ cup yogurt; ¼ to ¼ cup cottage cheese; ¼ cup pudding)
• 6 servings grains (1 serving = ½ slice bread or bagel; 1 or 2 crackers; ¼ to ½ cup pasta or rice; 1/3 to ½ cup cooked or ready-to-eat cereal)
• 2 to 3 servings fruit (1 serving = ¼ cup cooked or canned, ½ piece fresh, or ¼ to ½ cup juice)
• 2 to 3 servings vegetables (1 serving = 2 to 3 tablespoons)
• 2 servings protein (1 serving = 2 tablespoons ground or two 1-inch cubes meat, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; ¼ cup tofu or cooked beans; 1 tablespoon peanut butter)

Feeding tips
• Introduce new foods one at a time, with at least three days in between to make sure your child's not allergic.
• Choking hazards are still a danger. Learn more about foods to watch out for.
• Your child may seem to eat less than before — that's perfectly normal at this stage. If you wonder whether he's getting enough calories, use this guideline: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that your child get about 40 calories a day for every inch of height.