6 month baby solid food chart

Baby formula feeding chart: How much formula by weight and age

Is your baby getting too much or too little formula? It's an important question that worries many new parents, especially those with newborns. When deciding how much formula to give your baby, it's important to watch their hunger cues as well as looking at guidelines based on age and weight. In general, before they're eating solids, babies need 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of body weight each day.

These guidelines are for babies who are exclusively formula-fed for the first 4 to 6 months, and then fed a combination of formula and solids up to age 1. If your baby is getting a combination of breast milk and formula, talk to their doctor for separate advice.

Your pediatrician can tell you where your baby falls on the growth charts, make sure they're growing steadily on their own growth curve, and help you ensure that they're getting a healthy amount of formula. If you're ever worried about your baby's growth, behavior, or development, talk with their doctor.

How much formula for a newborn

For the first few days, offer your newborn 1 to 2 ounces of formula every 2 or 3 hours. (At first, newborns may only take a half ounce of formula at a time.)

After the first few days, give your newborn 2 to 3 ounces of formula every 3 to 4 hours.

Initially it's best to feed your formula-fed newborn on demand, whenever they show signs that they're hungry. Because your little one can't tell you when they want a bottle, you'll need to learn to read their hunger cues. Crying is often a late sign of hunger, so if you can, try to catch the earlier signs that it's time for a feeding.

Here are some hunger cues to watch for:

Smacking or licking their lips
Rooting (moving their jaw, mouth, or head in search of food)
Putting their hands to their mouth
Opening their mouth
Fussiness
Sucking on things
Becoming more alert
Crying

As time passes, your newborn will begin to develop a fairly regular feeding schedule. You'll become familiar with their cues and needs, and knowing when and how much to feed them will be much easier.

Formula feeding chart by weight

During the first 4 to 6 months, when your baby isn't eating solid foods, here's a simple rule of thumb: Offer 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of body weight every 24 hours, with a maximum of about 32 ounces.

Weight	Ounces of formula
6 pounds	15 fl oz every 24 hours
7 pounds	17.5 fl oz every 24 hours
8 pounds	20 fl oz every 24 hours
9 pounds	22.5 fl oz every 24 hours
10 pounds	25 fl oz every 24 hours
11 pounds	27.5 fl oz every 24 hours
12 pounds	30 fl oz every 24 hours

These numbers aren't rigid rules. They offer a rough estimate for what your baby may need. Some babies will grow well while taking less than the recommended amount, while others consistently need more. Your baby's daily feedings will also vary according to their individual needs – in other words, they may want a bit more on some days and a bit less on others.

Formula feeding chart by age

Here are typical amounts per day based on age:

Age	Ounces of formula
Full-term newborn	2 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours
1 month old	3 to 4 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours
2 month old	4 to 5 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours
3 month old	4 to 6 ounces per bottle every 3 to 4 hours
4 month old	4 to 6 ounces per bottle, 4 to 6 times a day
5 month old	4 to 6 ounces per bottle, 4 to 6 times a day
6 month old	6 to 8 ounces per bottle, 4 to 5 times a day
7 month old	6 to 8 ounces per bottle, 3 to 5 times a day

From 8 months old until their first birthday, you can expect your baby to have 7 to 8 ounces per bottle, 3 to 4 times a day.

As your baby gets older – and their tummy gets bigger – they'll drink fewer bottles a day with more formula in each. It's important not to overfeed your baby so they'll stay at a healthy weight. Your baby shouldn't have more than 32 ounces of formula in 24 hours.

When they reach their first birthday, they can stop drinking formula and transition to cow's milk in a bottle, sippy cup, straw cup, or open cup. Limit your toddler to 16 to 24 ounces (2 to 2.5 cups) a day of whole milk, so they have room for other healthy foods.

Signs that your baby's getting enough formula

Here are signs that your baby's getting all the formula they need:

Steady weight gain. They continue to gain weight after their first 10 days and follow a healthy growth curve during their first year. (Most babies lose up to 7 to 10 percent of their birth weight in the first few days and then regain it by the time they're about 2 weeks old.)
Happy baby. They seem relaxed and satisfied after a feeding.
Wet diapers. They wet two to three diapers a day in the first few days after birth. Over the next few days, the amount should increase to at least five to six wet diapers a day.

Signs your baby's getting too much formula

Babies are usually good at eating the amount they need, but bottle-fed babies can drink too much at times. Here are the signs that they're getting too much formula:

Vomiting after a feeding may be a sign that your baby had too much. (Spitting up is normal, vomiting isn't.)
Tummy pain after a feeding can also be a sign of overfeeding. If your baby draws up their legs or their tummy seems tense, they may be in pain. (See other possible reasons for stomach pain in babies.)

If your baby seems to want to eat all the time, even after finishing a bottle, talk to your pediatrician. Using a pacifier may help soothe their need to suck.

Formula-feeding tips

In general, babies eat when they're hungry and stop when they're full, so resist the temptation to encourage your baby to finish each bottle. Overfeeding during infancy can contribute to obesity later in life.
Don't respond to your baby's every cry with a bottle. They may be crying because their diaper is wet, they're cold or hot, they need to be burped, or they want to be close to you. (Learn more about why babies cry, and how to soothe them.)
Your baby may be hungrier than usual during growth spurts. These typically occur 10 to 14 days after birth and around 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months of age.

Read more:

Formula Feeding Problem Solver
How to safely store and use formula

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How much should my baby eat? A guide to baby food portions

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Wondering how much to feed your baby? This can be hard to figure out, especially when you're starting solids and most of your baby's food ends up on your little one or the floor. It's also difficult to determine how much an 8-month-old (or older baby) should eat – babies this age are more interested in solid foods but still get most of their nutrition from breast milk or formula. This visual guide to baby food portions can help you figure out how much your baby should eat at every stage.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

How much should my baby eat?

Do you worry that your baby is eating too little or too much? Your baby will self-regulate her food intake based on what their body needs, so let their appetite be your guide.

It's helpful to have a reference point, however. Here are photos of how much solid food a baby typically eats in a day. You can also ask your baby's doctor for feeding advice.

This visual guide shows:

Portions for infants who are new to solids (typically 4 to 6 months)
Two sample meals for a younger baby (6 to 8 months)
Three sample meals and two snacks for an older baby (8 to 12 months) from a menu developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

Your little one may eat less or more than what's shown here. Your job is to provide a variety of healthy foods at regular intervals without pressure, and their job is to decide what and how much to eat.

Photo credit: iStock.com / UntitledImages

Watch for signs your baby is full

Lots of factors – including activity level, growth spurts or plateaus, illness, and teething – will affect your baby's appetite, which can vary daily.

End feeding when they signal that they're done. Signs of being full include:

Turning their head away
Refusing to open their mouth for another bite after they've swallowed (resist the urge to encourage your baby to have one last spoonful)
Leaning back in their chair
Playing with the spoon or food rather than eating

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

How much a 4- to 6-month-old should eat

When your baby is developmentally ready for solids, typically around 4 to 6 months, talk to their doctor about introducing solid foods. The first bites are mostly about them getting used to the idea of having something different in their mouth.

Start with a very small amount, 1 to 2 teaspoons, of a single-ingredient puree.

Gradually increase to 1 to 2 tablespoons of food once a day.
Follow your baby's fullness cues.

Popular first foods include pureed mango, banana, chicken, turkey, beef, peas, sweet potatoes, and infant cereal. It's up to you what food to start with, but wait 3 to 5 days between introducing each new food to make sure your baby doesn't have an allergic reaction or food intolerance. (And remember, no cow's milk or honey until age 1.)

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

How much a 6- to 8-month-old should eat

As your little one gets more comfortable with solids, you can increase the frequency of meals and variety of food.

Transition from one to two meals a day, typically by 8 months.
Over time, add a second food to each meal. The photo above is an example of a meal with two foods.
Once you've worked up to two meals with two foods each, aim for a balance of proteins, vegetables, fruits, and grains in their daily diet.
Whenever you introduce a new food, start with a very small amount, a teaspoon or two, to allow your baby to get used to its flavor and texture.
Start with a soupy consistency. Gradually add more texture as their eating skills improve.

Expect their intake of breast milk or formula to go down. They'll start drinking less of it as they eat more solid foods. Provide healthy options at mealtimes, and let them choose how much to eat.

Note: The jars in all photos are standard 4-ounce baby food jars.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

Breakfast for a younger baby (6 to 8 months)

Cereal and fruit make an easy combination for a morning meal.

Grain: Iron-fortified, whole-grain infant cereal is a popular first grain. At 6 months, a typical daily portion of infant cereal mixed with breast milk or formula might be 2 to 3 tablespoons, increasing to 4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup) by 8 months. (It's best to avoid rice cereal, though.)

Fruit: Babies love the natural sweetness of fruits like pears, apples, berries, prunes, and stone fruits. Between 6 and 8 months, a baby will typically transition from about 2 to 3 tablespoons of fruit puree a day to 4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup) of mashed or minced fruit.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

Dinner for a younger baby (6 to 8 months)

If you serve a grain and fruit in the morning, consider offering a protein-rich food and vegetable later in the day. Your child may eat more or less than the amounts shown.

Protein: A baby might transition from eating 1 to 2 tablespoons of meat puree at 6 months to 2 to 4 tablespoons at 8 months, for example. Other good protein sources include cheese, unsweetened plain whole-milk yogurt, tofu, beans, and lentils.

Vegetables: Between 6 and 8 months, a baby will typically transition from about 2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetable puree a day to 4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup). Try classic favorites like carrots, spinach, or butternut squash, as well as less traditional first foods such as parsnips, beets, or asparagus.

As your child's eating skills improve, gradually add more texture by dicing or mincing foods.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

How much an 8- to 12-month-old should eat

By 8 months or so, your baby is likely getting the hang of eating and needs to eat more calories to support their growing body. But since their little belly can't hold a lot of food, they'll need to eat more often. Every baby is different, but this may be a good time to try offering a third solid food meal.

During this period:

Continue to give your baby breast milk or formula.
Add morning and afternoon snacks. (Some babies this age are happy with breast milk or formula as their snack, while others gravitate toward solid foods. ) Once you've added a third meal and snacks, your baby will be eating or drinking something about every two to three hours.

Continue to aim for a mix of proteins, vegetables, fruits, and grains.
Introduce coarser and chunkier textures, for example, by dicing or mincing food instead of pureeing it, and graduate to soft finger foods as your baby's eating skills improve.
Avoid foods with added sugars. Check the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods, and try to steer clear of foods that list 1 gram or more of "Added Sugars."
Provide healthy options, and let your baby choose how much to eat.

To visualize daily portions for an 8- to 12-month-old, check out the following photos of a typical day's menu for a baby this age, developed by the AAP.

Your child may eat more or less than these amounts. If you're concerned about how much your baby is eating, talk to their doctor for advice.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

Breakfast for an older baby (8 to 12 months)

The AAP sample menu for a baby 8 to 12 months features a breakfast consisting of:

4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup) whole-grain infant cereal mixed with formula or breast milk
4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup) diced fruit

Note: This is an example. Your baby may eat different foods and amounts.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

Morning snack for an older baby (8 to 12 months)

The AAP sample menu for a baby 8 to 12 months features a morning snack consisting of:

4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) diced cheese or cooked vegetables

Note: This is an example of a morning snack, which babies typically add sometime between 8 and 12 months. Your baby may eat different foods and amounts.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

Lunch for an older baby (8 to 12 months)

The AAP sample menu for a baby 8 to 12 months features a lunch consisting of:

4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup) unsweetened plain whole-milk yogurt or cottage cheese, or minced meat
4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup) diced or mashed yellow or orange vegetable

Note: This is an example. Your baby may eat different foods and amounts.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

Afternoon snack for an older baby (8 to 12 months)

The AAP sample menu for a baby 8 to 12 months features an afternoon snack consisting of:

4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) diced fruit or unsweetened plain whole-milk yogurt
1 whole-grain teething biscuit or cracker

Note: This is an example of an afternoon snack, which babies typically add sometime between 8 and 12 months. Your baby may eat different foods and amounts.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

Dinner for older baby (8 to 12 months)

The AAP sample menu for a baby 8 to 12 months features a dinner consisting of:

4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) minced or ground poultry or meat, or diced tofu
4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2) cup diced, cooked green vegetable
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) noodles, pasta, rice, or potato
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) diced fruit

Note: This is an example. Your baby may eat different foods and amounts.

Photo credit: Karla Martin for BabyCenter

How much should my baby drink once they start eating solids?

Breast milk or formula will fully meet your child's hydration needs until they're about 6 months old. They may start drinking less as solid foods become a bigger part of their diet. Here are typical daily amounts by age – your baby's intake may be different, however.

6 to 8 months: 24 to 32 ounces of formula, or continued breastfeeding on demand

8 to 12 months: 24 ounces of formula, or continued breastfeeding on demand

Water: You can offer your baby water once they start eating solids, but let them self-regulate how much they drink. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends giving babies who are 6 to 12 months old 4 to 6 ounces of water a day, but what your baby decides to drink may vary. They may drink more on a hot day, for example.

Avoid juice: Juice isn't recommended for babies younger than 12 months.

Photo credit: iStock.com / SDI Productions

Your baby has the final say

Keep in mind that these portions are an estimate. The truth is, every baby is different, and there's no set amount of food that's appropriate for every baby at every stage.

If you're worried about whether your baby is eating enough – or too much – the best advice is to look for and respond to signs that your baby is full.

Your baby's doctor will chart their weight gain at regular intervals. If the doctor sees a consistent growth curve and doesn't have other concerns, your baby is most likely eating the right amount of food.

Hungry for more?

Age-by-age guide to feeding your baby

The 10 best foods for babies

The worst foods for babies

Using spices and seasoning in baby food

Sources

BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

AAP. 2021. Starting solid foods. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren. org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Starting-Solid-Foods.aspx [Accessed February 2022]

AAP. 2021. Sample menu for an 8 to 12 month old. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Sample-One-Day-Menu-for-an-8-to-12-Month-Old.aspx [Accessed February 2022]

CDC. 2020. How much and how often to feed. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/InfantandToddlerNutrition/foods-and-drinks/how-much-and-how-often.html [Accessed February 2022]

Stanford University. Undated. Feeding guide for the first year. Stanford Children's Health and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford. https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=feeding-guide-for-the-first-year-90-P02209 [Accessed February 2022]

USDA. 2020. ChooseMyPlate.gov. U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/ [Accessed February 2022]

USDA. 2020. Infant nutrition and feeding. U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://wicworks.fns.usda.gov/resources/infant-nutrition-and-feeding-guide [Accessed February 2022]

USDA and DHHS. 2020. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://DietaryGuidelines.gov [Accessed February 2022]

Elizabeth Dougherty

Elizabeth Dougherty is a veteran parenting writer and editor who's been contributing to BabyCenter since 2015. She's an intrepid traveler, devoted yogi, and longtime resident of Silicon Valley, where she lives with her husband and son.

Complementary foods at 6 months | Useful tips from the Tyoma brand

Pediatricians around the world, including experts from the World Health Organization, unanimously believe that the introduction of complementary foods should be carried out in the interval of 4-6 months.

Early introduction of complementary foods (up to 4 months). fraught with the development of allergic reactions and indigestion.

Late introduction of complementary foods, from 7 months, can lead to a deficiency in the child's diet of essential nutrients, an iron deficiency state at the age of 9-10 months, eating disorders, delayed development of chewing skills and swallowing of thick foods.

With the normal development of the child and the absence of signs of iron deficiency anemia, complementary foods can be introduced from 6 months. This applies to both formula-fed and breast-fed babies.

Signs that a baby is ready to breastfeed include

Absence of the spoon-ejection reflex
the presence of a bright food interest in the baby to the food of adults

It is important to remember that a child’s lack of teeth and the ability to sit are not signs of a baby’s unpreparedness for eating thick food.

It is very important to understand the main goals of the introduction of complementary foods:

Provide the child with the necessary nutrients.
Develop a child's food interest, introduce him to new tastes.

In no case should the introduction of complementary foods be of a violent nature, since this will not only not contribute to the development of a child’s food interest, but can also lead to a complete refusal of the baby from complementary foods, which will destroy the main goals of complementary foods.

How to start introducing complementary foods at 6 months of age?

The first product of complementary foods, regardless of the start date of the introduction of complementary foods and the type of feeding of the baby (breast or artificial), should be energy-intensive foods: porridge, or vegetable puree.

If the child has a liquefied or unstable stool, and there is also a lack of body weight, then it is better to choose porridge as the first complementary food. After 3-4 days from the beginning of the introduction of porridge, butter can be gradually added to it (up to 5 g per serving of porridge in 150 g)

If the child has a tendency to constipation, then it is better to choose vegetable marrow puree as the first complementary food, which can have a mild laxative effect on the child's stool. Starting from the 3-4th day of the introduction of vegetable puree, vegetable oil can be gradually added to it (up to 5 g per serving of vegetables in 150 g)

What products are better to give preference to at 6 months?

Kashi

The first cereals can be buckwheat, rice or corn. They must be dairy-free and can be diluted with water or breast milk, or the mixture that the baby eats. Later, you can introduce oatmeal and millet porridge

Vegetables

The first vegetable puree can be zucchini, broccoli, or cauliflower. Later, kohlrabi, potatoes, green beans, white cabbage, green peas, celery can be introduced into the diet.

Fruit

The third type of complementary foods can be fruit puree from apples, pears or bananas. Later, you can introduce mashed apricot, peach. For starters, fruit puree may not be given to the child separately, but it is better to mix it with cereal or vegetables so that the child does not begin to prefer the sweet taste of fruits. When the amount of fruit puree reaches 50 g or more, it can also be given separately, for example, after the child has eaten porridge or cottage cheese.

Juices

Juices should not be the first feeding, in addition, they can not be introduced into the baby's first year of life at all, given their sweet taste and low nutritional value.

Basic rules for the introduction of complementary foods from 6 months

A faster introduction of the main complementary foods into the child's diet compared to their introduction from 4 or 5 months, namely, bringing the amount of one product to the age volume can be carried out in 5-7 days.
Introduction of complementary foods before breastfeeding or formula.
Feeding the child is carried out not at the request of the child, but at the request of the mother. What it means: you should try to introduce complementary foods regularly and at the same time, allocating for this conditionally time for the future breakfast, lunch and dinner (afternoon snack).

How to start the introduction of a new product?

The introduction of a new product should be gradual.

On day 2 - 3 tsp. (15 g)
On day 3 - 6 tsp. (30 g)
Day 4 - 50 g
Day 5 - 100 g
On the 7th day - 150 g

Important!

If on the 5-7th day of the introduction of a new product, the baby still cannot eat 100-150 ml of porridge or puree at once, then this amount can be divided into 2 doses, for example, give 100 ml of porridge in the morning and 50 ml in the evening.

From the second week of the introduction of a new product, one milk feeding can be completely replaced with complementary foods.

Approximate weekly feeding schedule

If we start complementary foods with vegetable puree, then the schedule might look something like this:

Morning feeding (6:00 am): breast milk or infant formula 180-200 ml
Breakfast (10:00): breast milk or infant formula 180-200 ml
Lunch (14:00): broccoli 10-150 grams. Supplementing with breast milk or infant formula
Afternoon snack (18:00): breast milk or infant formula 180-200 ml
Night feeding (22:00): breast milk or infant formula 180-200 ml

2 weeks

From the second week, you need to start introducing dairy-free porridge.

Morning feeding (6:00 am): breast milk or infant formula 180-200 ml
Breakfast (10:00): porridge 10-150 g, supplemented with breast milk or infant formula
Lunch (14:00): Broccoli 150 grams. Vegetable oil 5 g Supplementary feeding with breast milk or infant formula up to 50 ml
Afternoon snack (18:00): breast milk or infant formula 180-200 ml
Night feeding (22:00): breast milk or infant formula

3 week

From the third week, you need to start introducing meat puree, which is most convenient to add to vegetable puree

Morning feeding (6:00 am): breast milk or infant formula 180-200 ml
Breakfast (10:00): porridge 150 g, supplemented with breast milk or infant formula
Lunch (14:00): Broccoli 150 grams. Vegetable oil 5 g Meat puree 5-20 g Supplementation with breast milk or infant formula up to 50 ml
Afternoon snack (18:00): breast milk or infant formula 180-200 ml
Night feeding (22:00): breast milk or infant formula

4 week

From the fourth week, you can introduce fruit puree, which is most convenient to add to porridge

Morning feeding (6:00 am): breast milk or infant formula 180-200 ml
Breakfast (10:00): porridge 150 g, fruit puree up to 50 g
Lunch (14:00): Broccoli 150 grams. Vegetable oil 5 g Meat puree 20 g Supplementation with breast milk or infant formula
Afternoon snack (18:00): breast milk or infant formula 180-200 ml
Night feeding (22:00): breast milk or infant formula

From the fifth week, you can begin to introduce the second type of porridge, which is most convenient to start adding to the first type, gradually displacing its amount.

From the sixth week, you can enter another type of vegetable puree. And so on.

By 7 months two milk feedings can be completely replaced with complementary foods.

Introduction of complementary foods at 6 months with breastfeeding and artificial feeding

Confused about different feeding patterns? We'll break it all down and tell you how to proceed.

Source: Pexels

Complementary foods at 6 months with artificial feeding

In Soviet times, it was believed that complementary foods should be started already from three to four months. Modern doctors do not agree with this position and believe that the most optimal time to start complementary foods is 6 months.

There are also recommendations that it is better to start complementary foods with artificial feeding from 4 months. But this opinion is increasingly being criticized, because it has been proven that the baby's body may not be ready to assimilate new food. Therefore, it is better not to rush with complementary foods, of course, if there are no special indications, for example, insufficient birth weight.

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The World Health Organization recommends that all healthy babies, regardless of what type of feeding they are on, should begin complementary foods at 6 months of age.

Therefore, we advise you not to rush things and not pay attention to the marketing moves of baby food manufacturers, who claim that it can be consumed from 4 months.

Source: Pexels

Complementary foods at 6 months while breastfeeding

As we have already written, most modern pediatricians tend to start introducing complementary foods at 6 months. This does not mean that with the onset of the 23rd week of a baby’s life, you should run to the store and urgently start feeding him something. It's more like the end of the month. In this matter, it is best to look at the signs of readiness of a particular child, which we will talk about later, on the recommendations of a personal pediatrician.

Don't miss it

Of course, you shouldn't drag it out either. Experienced mothers will say that complementary foods are directly related to teaching the child to chew, and if you miss this moment, you will have to suffer for a long time in the future.

It is important to consider that breastfeeding is maintained once complementary foods are introduced. It is only supplemented by products that contain the necessary vitamins and minerals necessary for the growth of the child.

Source: Pexels

How to start complementary foods

Even pediatricians did not find an answer to the question of how to introduce complementary foods at 6 months correctly. Some people think that complementary foods should start with mashed vegetables. Others insist that there is nothing better than porridge. The famous doctor Komarovsky, for example, generally writes that kefir is closest in composition to breast milk, which means it’s worth starting with it. His recommendations are close to Soviet protocols, but are not often found among modern pediatricians.

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Of course, it is best to consult your personal pediatrician, especially if you trust his opinion. After all, only he knows about the features of your particular baby and can recommend, for example, a hypoallergenic menu.

If we talk about general recommendations, they are as follows: if the child has a lack of weight, then it is better to start complementary foods with cereals, and if there are no problems or, on the contrary, there is excess weight, then in this case it is worth choosing vegetable puree.

Source: Pexels

Signs of Weaning Readiness

The baby has doubled its birth weight.
Baby can eat from a spoon and does not try to push food out with his tongue.
The child shows interest in food and actively observes how adults eat.

Do not miss

Important! Starting complementary foods is not only a medical issue, but also a psychological one. It lays the foundation for proper eating behavior in the future. Therefore, do not rush your child, do not try to strictly follow the scheme and in no case force him to eat. Your task is to offer the baby food, introduce him to new tastes and try again and again. If a product does not work, it is better to put it aside and return after a while. Forget about timelines. The main thing is that all participants in the process have fun.

Source: Pexels

Complementary feeding schedule from 6 months by day

The scheme is based on WHO recommendations for children from 6 months.

1 week

Weaning foods should be started with a puree of one of the hypoallergenic vegetables. It can be broccoli, zucchini or cauliflower. You can make your own puree, or you can buy ready-made in the store.

If you are going to cook, keep in mind that vegetables should be chosen without pesticides. It is better not to use frozen vegetables, they could be thawed several times during transportation, which means that they have lost all the vitamins.

If you buy ready-made mashed potatoes, remember that you can store it in the refrigerator for no more than a day.

On the first day start entering the vegetable in the amount of three grams. Then increase the volume incrementally: 3-10-20-40-80-100 grams. When you reach full volume, you can move on to the next week. Do not forget that after each meal with complementary foods, the baby must be supplemented with breast milk or an adapted milk formula. At the end of the first week, you should also start adding half a teaspoon of vegetable oil to the puree to improve digestion.

Source: Pexels

A meal schedule might look like this:

Morning feed (6:00 am): breast milk or second stage infant formula (adapted best) 200 grams.
Breakfast (10:00): breast milk or formula 2 200 grams.
Lunch (14:00): broccoli 3-100 grams. Supplementing with breast milk or second stage infant formula.
Afternoon snack (18:00): breast milk or infant formula second stage 200 grams.
Night feeding (22:00): breast milk or formula 2 200 grams.

Week 2

A second vegetable can be added from the second week. For example, if in the first week the child tried zucchini, now he can be offered cauliflower. At the same time, the amount of the main vegetable decreases, and the volume of the injected product increases. In this case, the baby should be fed with the second vegetable after the main one. Everything happens in proportion: 3-90 grams, 10-70, 30-100, 50-50, 100. That is, at the beginning of the week you will give a new product in the amount of 3 grams, and at the end already 100. On the last day, the first vegetable is completely replaced by the second.

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Week 3

During the third week, you should alternate vegetables already introduced, for example, one day - zucchini, the other - cauliflower.
This week it is worth starting to introduce dairy-free porridge. It can be buckwheat, corn or rice porridge. It is administered during the second meal, that is, breakfast. It’s worth starting with 3 grams and proceeding according to the scheme: 3-10-20-40-80-150. From the third day, it is worth adding half a teaspoon of butter to the porridge.

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Week 4

In the fourth week, a second type of porridge is added to complementary foods. For example, if last week you gave your baby buckwheat, now you can offer corn porridge. The scheme for replacing our tested one with the one you are introducing this week looks like this: 3-150 grams, 10-140, 30-120, 70-80, 150. The amount of vegetable puree for lunch also increases and is brought up to 150 grams.

Week 5

In the fifth week, the yolk is introduced for breakfast. It can be either a chicken egg or a quail egg. Starting from crumbs, bring the volume to ¼. At the same time, cereals alternate every day, just like vegetable puree.

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Week 6

This is an important week for complementary foods as it introduces your baby to meat for lunch. For this, you can choose mashed turkey or rabbit. The scheme is as follows: 3-10-20-30 grams. That is, more than 30 grams of meat should not be given, this can be a strong burden on the kidneys. Vegetables and porridge alternate. The yolk is given every other day.

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Week 7

The baby's menu is expanding more and more, and at the seventh week it completely resembles a full-fledged adult diet. After all, now you can offer him fruit puree for an afternoon snack. The choice here is quite large - apple puree, pear, prunes. Start with 10 grams and work up to 60 grams by the end of the week.

Week 8

At the eighth week, the child is introduced to the third type of dairy-free porridge. For example, if before that he had already tried buckwheat and corn, he should be offered rice. The volume of porridge starts from 10 grams and is brought up to 150 by replacing the main one with an additional one.

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Week 9

Starting from the ninth week, the baby can be given baby cottage cheese for an afternoon snack along with fruit puree. Start giving 3 grams and work your way up to 40 grams.

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