Use this guide to find out what and how
much to feed your child in the first year. The amounts are meant as rough
guidelines only, so don't worry if your little one eats a bit more or less than
shown. It's a good idea to discuss your solid feeding plan with your child’s
doctor before getting started. Always listen to your doctor first. *These are only suggestions.
You don't have to
introduce foods to your child in any special order. If you want to give your
baby a taste of tofu at age 6 months, go ahead, even though it's not listed on
our chart until age 8 months. And while cereal is a traditional first food in
the United States, it's just fine to start with mashed fruits or vegetables
instead.
Feeding behavior
·
Rooting reflex helps your baby turn
toward a nipple to find nourishment
What to feed
·
Breast milk or formula ONLY
Feeding tip
·
Your baby's digestive tract is still
developing, so solid food is off-limits for now.
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) and weighs about 13 pounds or more
·
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
·
Pureed food (like sweet potatoes,
squash, apples, bananas, peaches, or pears) or semi-liquid iron-fortified
cereal
How much per day
·
Begin with about 1 teaspoon pureed
food or cereal. Mix cereal with 4 to 5 teaspoons breast milk or formula (it'll
be very runny).
·
Increase to 1 tablespoon of pureed
food, or 1 tablespoon of cereal mixed with breast milk or formula, twice a day.
If giving cereal, gradually thicken the consistency by using less liquid.
Feeding tips
·
If your baby won't eat what you're
offering on the first try, offer it again in a few days.
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
·
Pureed or strained fruits (banana,
pears, applesauce, peaches)
·
Pureed or strained vegetables
(avocado, well-cooked carrots, squash, and sweet potato)
·
Pureed meat (chicken, pork, beef)
·
Pureed tofu
·
Small amounts of unsweetened yogurt
(but no cows' milk until age 1)
·
Pureed legumes (black beans,
chickpeas, edamame, fava beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, and kidney beans)
·
Iron-fortified cereal (oats, barley)
How much per day
·
1 teaspoon fruit, gradually increased
to 1/4 to 1/2 cup in 2 or 3 feedings
·
1 teaspoon vegetables, gradually
increased to 1/4 to 1/2 cup in 2 or 3 feedings
·
3 to 9 tablespoons cereal, in 2 or 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.
Signs of readiness
for solid and finger foods
·
Same as 6 to 8 months, PLUS
·
Picks up objects with thumb and
forefinger
·
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 and cottage cheese
·
Mashed fruits and vegetables
(bananas, peaches, pears, avocados, cooked carrots, squash, potatoes, sweet
potatoes)
·
Finger foods (small pieces of
ripe banana; scrambled eggs; well-cooked and cut up yellow squash, peas, and
potatoes; well-cooked spiral pasta; teething crackers; low-sugar O-shaped
cereal; lightly toasted bagels, cut up)
·
Small amounts of protein (eggs;
pureed meats, poultry, and boneless fish; tofu; well-cooked and mashed beans
with soft skins like lentils, split peas, pintos, black beans)
·
Iron-fortified cereal (barley, wheat,
oats, mixed cereals)
How much per day
·
1/4 to 1/3 cup dairy (or 1/2 oz.
cheese)
·
1/4 to 1/2 cup iron-fortified cereal
·
1/4 to 1/2 cup fruit
·
1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetables
·
1/8 to 1/4 cup protein foods
Feeding tip
·
Introduce new foods one at a time,
with at least three days in between to make sure your baby's not allergic.
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)
·
Fruit cut into cubes or strips, or
mashed
·
Bite-size, soft-cooked vegetables
(peas, carrots)
·
Combo foods (macaroni and cheese,
casseroles)
·
Protein (egg; pureed or finely ground
meats, poultry, and boneless fish; tofu; well-cooked and mashed beans)
·
Finger foods (lightly toasted bread
or bagels, small pieces of ripe banana; scrambled eggs; well-cooked and cut up
yellow squash, peas, and potatoes; spiral pasta; teething crackers; low-sugar
O-shaped cereal; )
·
Iron-fortified cereals (barley,
wheat, oats, mixed cereals)
How much per day
·
1/3 cup dairy (or 1/2 oz. cheese)
·
1/4 to 1/2 cup iron-fortified cereal
·
1/4 to 1/2 cup fruit
·
1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetables
·
1/8 to 1/4 cup combo foods
·
1/8 to 1/4 cup protein foods
Feeding tip
·
Introduce new foods one at a time,
with at least three days in between to make sure your baby's not allergic.
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