For their first six months or so, babies get all the nutrients they need to thrive from breast milk and/or formula. Considering how dizzying those early days are, it’s a big relief knowing that — at least when it comes to feeding your baby — you’re pretty much covered.
But that’s exactly why making the transition to solids can feel so daunting. Although breast milk and/or formula will continue to be the main sources of your child’s nutrition through the first 12 months, you’ll gradually be serving up more and more nutrients in the form of solid foods.
As a result, you may be feeling the pressure to decide which foods to serve your baby and make sure she’s eating them, too — something that’s not always easy to do if your little one has a less-than-stellar appetite.
How much should babies eat?
When it comes to solid foods, some babies eat all the time, some eat very little most of the time and others eat like a mouse one day and a horse the next. Some babies are varied and adventurous eaters (maniacs for meat, voracious for veggies), others are particularly picky.
When presented with a wide variety of wholesome foods and allowed to follow their appetites, almost all healthy babies eat as much as they need to grow and thrive. As long as your little one is growing at a healthy rate, along her personal growth curve — and your doctor will let you know if she isn’t — she’s likely getting all the nutrition she needs.
Don’t worry about keeping a running tab, or cramming a certain number of servings of each food group into your baby’s mouth every day. Not only is that a sure way to drive yourself crazy, it’s bound to set the stage for food squabbles in the high chair and, later, at the table.
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Instead, take a big-picture view — whether your little one is eating enough over the course of a few days, for example, rather than whether she’s eating enough at one meal. As you introduce more and more foods into your baby’s repertoire, resist the urge to push, measure or count servings, and instead aim for a mix of good-for-baby-foods.
How much should a 0- to 6-month-old baby eat?
In the first six months, breast milk and/or formula will provide all of your child's nutritional needs.
During that time, some babies eat more than others, while some little ones are grazers, content with eating less, more often. In general, however, babies drink more — and go longer stretches without eating — the older they get, increasing their amounts of liquid by about 1 ounce each month until they reach about 7 to 8 ounces of breast milk or formula per feeding.
Still, don’t stress about the numbers. A baby who is growing at a healthy rate is likely getting enough to eat.
Every child is different, but a feeding schedule for a newborn to 6-month-old baby may look something like this:
- Newborns tend to eat 2 to 3 ounces of breast milk or formula at a time every two to three hours a day (though it may be hard to know how many ounces your baby is eating if you’re breastfeeding).
- 1-month-olds may be eating about 3 to 4 ounces every two to four hours a day.
- 2-month-olds may consume 4 to 5 ounces of breast milk or formula every three to four hours a day.
- 3-month-olds may consume about 4 to 5 ounces of breast milk or formula every three to four hours.
- 4-month-olds usually consume 4 to 6 ounces of breast milk or formula every four to five hours a day. (Experts generally recommend waiting until 6 months to start solids, but if your pediatrician says your child is ready to start sampling solid foods around the 4-month mark, stick to 1 tablespoon no more than twice a day.)
- 5-month-olds may be eating 6 to 7 ounces of breast milk or formula every four to five hours a day.
- 6-month-olds can eat 7 to 8 ounces of breast milk or formula every four to five hours a day, as well as 1 to 9 tablespoons of solids such as cereals, fruits and vegetables.
If you're opting to start solids through a baby-led weaning approach, you'll introduce these foods after the 6-month mark in the form of soft, gummable finger foods instead of purées.
How much should a 7- to 12-month-old baby eat?
By the time babies are 7 months old, many little ones are developmentally ready to sleep through the night without a feeding. (Of course, the decision to drop night feedings is entirely up to you, and you should always get the green light from your pediatrician before you start night weaning.)
Between 7 months and 1 year, babies are still getting the vast majority of their calories and nutrients from breast milk and/or formula, but they’ll also be trying their hands — and later, pincer grasps — at solids.
Here’s a breakdown of what your little one might eat from age 7 months to 1 year. Keep in mind that diets and frequency vary from baby to baby.
- 7- and 8-month-olds may be eating about 24 to 36 ounces of breast milk or formula each day (four to six nursing sessions, if you're breastfeeding), plus 4 to 9 tablespoons of cereal, fruit and vegetables daily as well as 1 to 6 tablespoons of meat/proteins.
- 9- to 10-month-olds may be eating about 24 to 30 ounces of breast milk and/or formula a day (three to five nursing sessions, if you're breastfeeding), along with 1/4 to 1/2 cup each of grains, fruit, vegetables, dairy products and meat/protein foods.
- 11-month-olds may be taking 16 to 24 ounces a day of breast milk or formula a day (three to five nursing sessions, if you're breastfeeding), though their diet will include more solids: 1/4 to 1/2 cup each of grains, fruit, vegetables, dairy products and meat/protein foods.
- 12-month-olds may be taking up to 24 ounces a day of breast milk or formula (three to five nursing sessions, if you're breastfeeding), though many will start weaning from the bottle or breast around now and start drinking cow’s milk. In addition, they'll eat 1/4 to 1/2 cup each of grains, fruit, vegetables, dairy products and meat/protein foods.
What are the most important nutrients in a baby’s diet?
There’s no such thing as an “unimportant” nutrient — but some will play a bigger role in your baby’s diet than others. Here are the nutrients that your growing baby needs to thrive. (When serving the foods below, make sure to offer them in age-appropriate preparations, introduce just one new food at a time and watch closely for signs of an allergic reaction when baby first samples common allergens like nuts, dairy and wheat.)
- Protein. Baby’s still getting most of the protein she needs from breast milk and/or formula. But since that picture may change once those first birthday candles are blown out, now’s a good time for your little one to start sampling other protein-packed foods, including eggs, meat, chicken, fish and tofu. Calcium-rich foods (especially whole milk cottage cheese and ricotta), and some grains can also provide protein.
- Calcium. Both breast milk and formula provide all the calcium your baby needs for the first year. Baby-friendly, calcium-rich foods such as whole milk cheese (cheddar, muenster, Havarti, baby Swiss, Colby or Monterey Jack, for example) and whole milk yogurt, ricotta and cottage cheese are yummy, nutritious additions. Plus, they also add protein.
- Whole grains and complex carbohydrates. These high chair favorites will add essential vitamins and minerals, as well as some protein, to baby’s daily intake. Good options, as they’re introduced, include whole-grain bread, whole-grain cereal (baby cereal for spoon-feeding, bite-size cereal for self-feeding), whole-grain pasta (bite-size is typically a big hit), brown rice or quinoa, lentils, beans and peas.
- Vitamins A, B, C and E. These four vitamins boost your baby from top to bottom, promoting healthy brain and nerve development, as well as proper functioning and development of the eyes, skin and immune system. The secret to getting them into your little one’s diet: Feed her the rainbow! Carrots and sweet potatoes are loaded with vitamin A; green veggies, bananas and beans are packed with B vitamins; tomatoes, strawberries and cantaloupe are full of C; and cereal and grains are rich in E.
- High-fat foods. Babies who get most of their calories from breast milk and/or formula get all the fat and cholesterol they need. As they switch to a more varied diet and spend less time breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, it’s important to make sure that fat and cholesterol intake don’t dip too low. That’s why most dairy products you serve baby (cottage cheese, yogurt, hard cheese) should be full-fat or made from whole milk. You can also add a healthy dose of fat by serving avocado, or cooking with canola or olive oil.
- Iron. Bottle-fed babies get their full share of iron from fortified formula, but breastfed babies need another source. Starting when your baby is 4 months old, ask your pediatrician if you should give her a liquid iron supplement until you start adding iron-rich solids to her diet. Fortified baby cereal can fit the bill easily, and additional iron can come from iron-rich foods such as meat, egg yolks, wheat germ, whole grain breads and cereals, cooked dried peas and other legumes as they are introduced into the diet.
- Omega-3 fatty acids. Part of the family of essential fatty acids, omega-3s (including DHA), are vital for your infant’s growth, vision and optimal brain development — more than living up to their headline-making reputation as baby brain food. These fabulous fats are served up naturally in breast milk, but also are used to enrich some formulas and baby foods. Once baby’s eating repertoire expands, you can add other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish (like salmon), grass-fed meat, tofu, flaxseed, canola oil and DHA-enriched yogurt, cereal and eggs.
- Fluids. During the first six months of life, virtually all of a baby’s fluids come from bottle or breast — no supplementary water is usually needed. But once baby starts solids around 6 months of age, small amounts will start to come from other sources, including sips of water with meals, and juicy fruits and vegetables. As formula or breast milk intake begins to decrease, it’s important to be sure that the total fluid intake doesn’t. In hot weather, it should increase, so offer water when temperatures soar.
Remember, don’t worry about serving sizes or numbers of servings. Instead, provide a variety of good-for-baby foods and a fun, relaxed mealtime atmosphere. Then sit back and watch the healthy eating happen… and a future of healthy eating habits take shape.
What should you do if you think your baby’s not eating enough?
As long as your little one is continuing to grow at a healthy rate — read: along her own personal growth curve (not those of your friends’ babies), which your pediatrician will measure using a growth chart — she’s probably getting enough to eat.
Still, if you suspect your baby isn’t eating enough, talk to your child’s doctor, who can evaluate her further or refer you to a nutritionist or feeding center.
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