Food by month baby

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

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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.

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Baby teeth chart: What order do teeth come in?

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Teething chart: Which baby teeth come in first?

As you can see from the teething chart above and the illustration below, it's usually the two front teeth on the bottom (the lower central incisors) that come in first.

Even before your baby was born, tooth buds were developing under their gums. Babies typically sprout a tooth between 6 and 12 months, but it's perfectly normal for your baby's first tooth to show up at 3 months – or after their first birthday. (Some babies are even born with teeth!) It's also fine if your child's teeth come in or fall out in a different order than what's outlined here.

Lower central incisors: 6 to 10 months

Teething begins. Your baby's gums may be swollen and red where the teeth are coming through, and your little one may have other teething symptoms. The two middle teeth on the bottom (lower central incisors) are usually the first to erupt, often at about the same time.

Fast fact: Girls usually get their teeth before boys do.

Upper central incisors: 8 to 12 months

Upper middle teeth (the upper central incisors) emerge.

Fast fact: Baby teeth, or primary teeth, have wavy edges that smooth out with use.

Upper lateral incisors: 9 to 13 months

Top teeth right next to the middle teeth (lateral incisors) appear, giving your baby a row of what look like four little Tic Tacs.

Fast fact: Teeth usually emerge in pairs – one on the right and one on the left.

Lower lateral incisors: 10 to 16 months

The lateral incisors appear on the bottom. Now your baby can flash quite the toothy smile.

Fast fact: Baby teeth hold space for permanent teeth developing under the gums.

Upper first molars: 13 to 19 months

Your child's first molars – the wider teeth toward the back of the mouth – erupt on the top. They won't have much to do until the ones on the bottom show up.

Fast fact: Baby teeth are whiter and smaller than permanent teeth.

Lower first molars: 14 to 18 months

The companion molars on the bottom emerge. Now your toddler can really do some serious chewing.

Fast fact: Sometimes the first molars on the top and bottom will erupt on one side before they erupt on the other side.

Upper canines: 16 to 22 months

Also called a cuspid, the upper canine fills the gap between the incisors and first molars.

Fast fact: These teeth are sometimes called dog teeth.

Lower canines: 17 to 23 months

The lower cuspids appear.

Lower second molars: 23 to 31 months

The second molars, or very back teeth, emerge on the bottom.

Upper second molars: 25 to 33 months

The final teeth – the rear molars on the top – work their way in.

By age 3, most kids have a full set of 20 baby teeth and can give you a brilliant grin.

Growth of jaw and facial bones: Ages 4 to 6

The bones in your child's face and jaw grow and develop, creating space between the baby teeth for permanent teeth to come in.

Tooth loss: Ages 6 to 12

Photo credit: Thinkstock

Your child starts losing teeth. During these years, their grin features both baby teeth and permanent teeth as one type starts to replace the other.

Your child's teeth can fall out in any order, but baby teeth are often lost in the same order they arrived. If your child's baby teeth came in later, they may lose them later too.

The middle teeth are usually the first to go (at 6 to 7 years), followed by the ones on either side (at 7 to 8 years). The molars can be lost any time after that but will likely fall out between 9 and 12 years. The bottom canines will probably fall out between 9 and 12 years, and the top canines will come out between 10 and 12 years.

A full set: Age 13

Photo credit: iStock.com / PeopleImages

Your child will probably have all 28 permanent adult teeth at around age 13. (Their four wisdom teeth will come in when they're 17 to 21 years old.)

If you have any concerns about your child's teeth, talk to your child's dentist.

Learn more:

Taking care of your baby's gums and teeth

How to handle tooth accidents

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Karisa Ding

Karisa Ding is a freelance health writer and editor with expertise in preconception, pregnancy, and parenting content. A mother of two, Ding finds great joy in supporting new and expectant parents by providing information they need for the life-changing journey ahead. Ding lives in San Francisco with her family.

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what can be given and how often to feed

You can't even imagine how much feeding a baby for months affects the baby growing up healthy and happy.

It is up to the pediatrician to determine exactly how to feed the little one. But it is also useful for a young mother to be able to independently understand all the nuances.

Monthly feeding schedule for children under one year old

A child should be accustomed to a monthly feeding schedule almost immediately, at the very beginning of his life. Such a daily routine is understood as a specific meal plan when the baby eats food at approximately the same time. It will be convenient for parents and useful for their toddler.

Thanks to this, the little man grows up healthy, strong, disciplined and easily adapts to society. Well, a mother who has accustomed her child to a clear diet can plan her day more freely and allocate time for herself and good rest.

Top 3 things to keep in mind when scheduling your baby's feeding by months:

Individual approach, namely the biological rhythms of your little one. Make compromises: your breastfeeding schedule should not be at odds with the needs of the baby, but it should also be comfortable for the mother.
Flexibility. Simply put, the daily routine, which was relevant in the first weeks of life, can be gradually adjusted in a way that will be more correct and beneficial for the growing toddler.
Sequence. Take your time: any changes should be smooth and consistent. If you suddenly change the time of eating, it will be difficult for the baby to adapt to this.

Keep in mind that the optimal interval between meals is 2-3 hours. As you grow and develop, you will gradually reduce the number of meals and increase the interval between them, as well as wean the baby from nighttime snacking.

To ensure that meals are as enjoyable as possible and that the little man can fully concentrate on food, make sure that he has cozy clothes for newborns. She will give the little one the desired comfort and convenience, so it will be easier for you to accustom your child to the correct daily routine.

In Demi's online store you will find a large selection of baby clothes for newborns made of knitwear, a high-quality natural fabric that your baby will definitely like.

For your convenience, we have prepared a monthly feeding chart for your baby. You can focus on it, making up the daily routine of the little sun.

Age	Meals	Time
0-3 months	First	6:00-6:30
	Second	9:00
	Third	12:00
	Fourth	15:00
	Fifth	18:00
	Sixth	21:00
	Seventh	24:00 or 2:00

3-6 months	First	6:00-6:30
	Second	9:30
	Third	13:00
	Fourth	16:30
	Fifth	20:00
	Sixth	23:30 or 2:00

6-9 months	First	6:00-6:30
	Second	10:00
	Third	14:00
	Fourth	18:00
	Fifth	22:00 or 1:00

9-12 months	First	7:00
	Second	11:30
	Third	16:00
	Fourth	19:00
	Fifth	24:00 or 2:00

If you prefer to give food on demand, pay attention to the behavior of the little sun. If he cries or screams, this may be a sign that the baby is hungry.

Feeding a baby for months on artificial feeding

When you are breastfeeding your baby, your diet may be looser. But if complementary foods are used in the diet or in the complete absence of lactation, it is preferable to artificially feed the child for months strictly according to the regimen.

Our table will help you navigate:

Age	Number of meals	Mix volume
First week	7-10	700 ml
Up to 2 months	7-8	750 ml
From 2 to 4 months.	6-7	800 ml

For babies older than 4 months, you can additionally introduce other food in pureed form. It is advisable to do this when the little man does not mind trying it or shows signs of hunger.

At the same time, do not forget that in fact the digestive system is not completely formed until 2 years old, so do not rush to completely transfer your child to a semi-solid diet.

Monthly formula mothers should discuss this with their pediatrician to avoid health problems.

TM Demi wishes all the little ones a quick adaptation to the right diet. Grow healthy!

Proper nutrition of the child from birth to year

Baby nutrition, Diet

Mother's milk is an ideal food that allows you to ensure the full development of the baby during the first half of the year. This is the main food of a monthly baby, and the next 6 months too. At this age, babies do not need to introduce additional fluid in the form of water, herbal teas, teas or juices. All needs will be met by breast milk. With it, the crumbs receive all the necessary, biologically active and nutrients. Mother's milk is ideally adapted to the peculiarities of digestion and metabolism of each child. It contains in the right amount not only carbohydrates, fats, protein, but also such important substances as carnitine, taurine, inositol, polyamines, which are needed for the formation and development of the baby's nervous system and retinal photoreceptors.

Author: Assistant of the Department of Pediatrics №1 Andrey Pyshnik

Sometimes there is a need for artificial feeding of a child. This happens if a woman, for one reason or another, cannot breastfeed (a complete lack of milk, a serious illness of the baby or the mother herself) or simply does not want to do this. Artificial - this is feeding, in which the baby completely eats the milk formula or the proportion of breast milk is less than 1/5 of the daily volume of food. In this case, you need to choose the most useful formula for the baby.

Diet

The main food for a child from 1 to 3 months is only breast milk. No other products should be given until 5-6 months. The baby quickly grows up, his first teeth begin to erupt. So the body signals that a new food needs to be introduced into the child's diet - complementary foods. In addition, after 6 months, the baby becomes more mobile, so its energy needs increase. Mother's milk can no longer provide them, so the child must receive additional nutrition.

When introducing complementary foods, it is important to adhere to the following rules:

New foods should be given when the baby is active, during breakfast or lunch with other family members.
The baby should be in an upright position on a special highchair or on the mother's lap during feeding.
Give food from a spoon.
Each new product should be introduced from a small portion (1 teaspoon), gradually brought to the desired age volume over 5-7 days.
Give complementary foods after a short period of breast milk (or formula if artificial baby).
To keep the mother lactating, the baby should be breastfed after complementary feeding.
When introducing a new weaning meal, make sure it has only one ingredient to avoid unpleasant side effects. Give it a few days in a row.
If your baby refuses solid foods, do not force feed him. It is better to try to give another product that differs from the previous one in texture and taste.
The food should be homogeneous, freshly prepared, at a temperature of 36-37 °C.
Do not add salt and spices to complementary foods.
If there are signs of intolerance to the product (eating disorders, allergies), its administration must be discontinued.

Complementary foods, if artificial feeding of the child is introduced, should be given from 5 months of age, natural - from 6 months.

6 months. Iron-enriched cereals (buckwheat, rice, corn) are given for signs of anemia, fruit and vegetable purees. They should be given 1-2 times a day, the volume gradually increases. Porridges from several cereals can be introduced when the baby has already met each of them separately. You can add fruits and vegetables to them. It is forbidden to use cereals for adults for complementary foods.
6-9 months. Meat is introduced: chicken, beef, rabbit, lean pork, turkey. First, it should be given in crushed form, starting with 5 grams, and over time it can be in pieces. Children under one year should not be given sausages and other sausages, as they contain a lot of salt. At this age, cottage cheese is also introduced. It is important to remember that you should not give two new products at the same time, it is important that the baby first gets used to one well.
Egg yolk is introduced at 7 months of age. At first it is given in the amount of 1/8, with a gradual increase to half by 10-12 months.
At 8-10 months, breastfeeding complementary foods include the introduction of fish puree (from 10 grams).
9-12 months. The child may actively try larger pieces of food.
After 12 months, the baby can be given egg white, but it is important to remember that it often provokes allergies. Therefore, if you make up the optimal nutrition for children, the menu should not contain it until a year old.

When complementary foods are introduced, fruits are best given after vegetables, because often, after tasting the sweet taste, children refuse vegetables. You can mix several ingredients if the baby is well accustomed to each separately. You can not enter spicy, spicy vegetables and fruits.

How often should I give complementary foods? A child at 8 months should be given 3 times a day, at 9-11 months - 4 times. From 12 months you can use a drinking cup.

Diet

The duration of breastfeeding is approximately 15-20 minutes. More often in the first 5 minutes, the baby sucks out the maximum part of the required volume of milk. Then he sucks more slowly, maybe dozing a little. Therefore, you should ensure that the baby is actively sucking, if he falls asleep, wake him up and continue feeding.

The World Health Organization recommends that proper nutrition for children under 1 year of age be provided on demand. But this also needs to be approached wisely. Babies have a natural sucking reflex, so you don't need to breastfeed every time he cries. After all, the baby will take it reflexively. Try to analyze the behavior of your baby in order to gradually develop the optimal diet for an infant that is convenient for you. Approximately you will have to feed the baby every 2.5-3 hours. If after eating he is active and energetic, then this is quite enough. The approximate frequency of feeding children 1-3 months - 7 times a day, 3-5 months - 6 times, and after 5 months the child eats five times.

The amount of milk consumed per day depends on age. The first 3 days from birth is 40-200 grams, after 7 days - about 400 grams per day, at the end of 2 weeks - 500 grams, at the end of 1 month - about 600 grams, at 2 months - 800 grams. Then, up to a year, the total daily volume of food should not exceed 1 liter.

Peculiarities of a 1-year-old baby's nutrition

To get all the nutrients necessary for the body, a one-year-old baby should continue feeding with breast milk or an adapted formula, gradually expanding the diet. An obligatory component of food should always be fruits and vegetables.

Feeding should be done at a frequency of 5 times a day. Please note, when developing a child's nutrition per year, the menu must necessarily contain eggs, fish and meat dishes, cottage cheese and sour-milk products, fats, grains, vegetables and fruits. It is advisable to introduce vegetable and butter into the diet as a dressing for cereals, mashed potatoes, salads. Spreads and margarines are strictly prohibited!

A small amount of sugar should be included in the diet (about 35 grams). Consider the content of the products to select the appropriate "sweets". For example, you can try to enter: marmalade, dried fruits, natural honey, various cookies. Fast foods are strictly prohibited, as they contain many different flavors, dyes, preservatives and other harmful substances that contribute to the allergization of the body. As a result, there is a problem of excess weight and all kinds of endocrine disorders.

A child's nutrition per year should contribute to the formation of the correct behavior of the baby during meals. He should eat regularly, 4-5 times a day, without all sorts of snacks. At this age, strong tea should be avoided, as such drinks tend to flush out iron from the body. The amount of food should be appropriate for the weight and age of the child.

Sources: