How much food for 4 month old baby
How Often and How Much Should Your Baby Eat?
By: Sanjeev Jain, MD, FAAP
One of the most common questions new parents have is how often their baby should eat. The best answer is surprisingly simple: in general, babies should be fed whenever they seem hungry.
How do I know when my baby is hungry?
For babies born
prematurely or with certain medical conditions, scheduled feedings advised by your pediatrician are best. But for most healthy, full-term infants, parents can look to their baby rather than the clock for hunger cues. This is called feeding on demand, or
responsive feeding.
Hunger cues
A hungry baby often will cry. But it's best to watch for hunger cues before the baby starts crying, which is a late sign of hunger and can make it hard for them to settle down and eat.
Some other typical hunger cues in babies:
Licking lips
Sticking tongue out
Rooting (moving jaw and mouth or head in search of breast)
Putting his/her hand to mouth repeatedly
Opening her mouth
Fussiness
Sucking on everything around
It is important to realize, however, that every time your baby cries or sucks it is not necessarily because he or she is hungry. Babies suck not only for hunger, but also for comfort; it can be hard at first for parents to tell the difference. Sometimes, your baby just needs to be cuddled or changed.
General guidelines for baby feeding
It is important to remember all babies are different―some like to snack more often, and others drink more at one time and go longer between feedings. However, most babies will drink more and go longer between feedings as they get bigger and their tummies can hold more milk:
Most newborns eat every 2 to 3 hours, or 8 to 12 times every 24 hours. Babies might only take in half ounce per feeding for the first day or two of life, but after that will usually drink 1 to 2 ounces at each feeding. This amount increases to 2 to 3 ounces by 2 weeks of age.
At about 2 months of age, babies usually take 4 to 5 ounces per feeding every 3 to 4 hours.
At 4 months, babies usually take 4 to 6 ounces per feeding.
At 6 months, babies may be taking up to 8 ounces every 4 to 5 hours.
Most babies will increase the amount of formula they drink by an average of 1 ounce each month before leveling off at about 7 to 8 ounces per feeding. Solid foods should be started at about 6 months old.
Concerns about overfeeding or underfeeding your baby
Too full?
Babies are usually pretty good at eating the right amount, but they can sometimes take in more than they need. Infants who are bottle feeding may be more likely to overfeed, because drinking from a bottle may take less effort than breastfeeding.
Overfed babies can have stomach pains, gas, spit up or vomit and be at higher risk for obesity later in life. It's better to offer less, since you can always give more if your baby wants it. This also gives babies time to realize when they're full.
If you are concerned your baby wants to eat
all the time―even when he or she is full―talk with your pediatrician.
Pacifiers may be used after feeding to help sooth healthy-weight babies who like to suck for comfort, rather than nutrition. For babies who are breastfed, it's best to wait to offer pacifiers until around 3 to 4 weeks of age, when breastfeeding is well-established.
Trouble gaining weight?
Most babies will double their birth weight by 5 months of age and triple their birth weight by their first birthday. If your baby is having trouble gaining weight, don't wait too long between feeding―even if it means waking your baby. Be sure to talk with your pediatrician about how often and how much to feed your baby.
How do I know if my baby is getting enough to eat?
Daily diapers
A newborn's
diaper is a good indicator of whether he or she is getting enough to eat. In the first few days after birth, a baby should have 2 to 3 wet diapers each day. After the first 4 to 5 days, a baby should have at least 5 to 6 wet diapers a day. Stool frequency is more variable and depends whether your baby is
breastfed or formula fed.
Growth charts
During regular health check-ups, your pediatrician will check your baby's weight and plot it on a growth chart. Your baby's progress on the growth chart is one way to tell whether or not they are getting enough food. Babies who stay in healthy growth percentile ranges are probably getting a healthy amount of food during feedings.
Remember
Talk with your pediatrician if you have any questions or concerns about your baby getting the right amount to eat.
More information:
- Making Sure Your Baby is Getting Enough Milk
- Amount and Schedule of Formula Feedings
- Is Your Baby Hungry or Full? Responsive Feeding Explained (Video)
- Remedies for Spitty Babies
- Ask the Pediatrician: With the baby formula shortage, what should I do if I can't find any?
- Ask the Pediatrician: How should we feed our baby if we're running low on money?
-
Airplane Choo Choo: A Feeding Guide for Children (National Dairy Council)
About Dr.
Jain:
Sanjeev Jain, MD, FAAP, is a Clinical Associate Professor of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Within the American Academy of Pediatrics, he is a member of the Section on International Child Health and the Wisconsin State Chapter.
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
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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Diet for a child aged 4
Your baby is already 4 months old. He has noticeably grown up, become more active, is interested in objects that fall into his field of vision, carefully examines and reaches for them.
The emotional reactions of the child have become much richer: he joyfully smiles at all the people whom he often sees more and more often, makes various sounds.
Are you still breastfeeding or have you switched to formula or formula feeding? The child is actively growing, and only with breast milk or infant formula, he can no longer always get all the necessary nutrients. And that means it's time to think about complementary foods.
Optimal time to start its introduction is between 4 and 6 months, regardless of whether the baby is receiving breast milk or formula. This is the time when children respond best to new foods. Up to 4 months, the child is not yet ready to perceive and digest any other food. And with the late introduction of complementary foods - after 6 months, children already have significant deficiencies of individual nutrients and, first of all, micronutrients (minerals, vitamins, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, etc.). In addition, toddlers at this age often refuse new foods, they have delayed development of chewing skills for thick foods, and inadequate eating habits are formed.
It is important to know that, no matter how strange it may seem at first glance, with a delayed appointment of complementary foods, allergic reactions more often occur on them.
When is it advisable to introduce complementary foods as early as 4 months, and when can you wait until 5.5 or even 6 months? To resolve this issue, be sure to consult a pediatrician.
The optimal time to start introducing complementary foods to a healthy baby is between 5 and 5.5 months of age.
The World Health Organization recommends that breastfed babies should be introduced to complementary foods from 6 months of age. From the point of view of domestic pediatricians, which is based on the big
practical experience and scientific research, this is possible only in cases where the child was born at term, without malnutrition (because in these cases the mineral reserves are very small), he is healthy, grows and develops well. In addition, the mother must also be healthy, eat well and use either specialized enriched foods for pregnant and lactating women, or vitamin and mineral complexes in courses.
Such restrictions are associated with the depletion of iron stores even in an absolutely healthy child by 5-5.5 months of age and a significant increase in the risk of anemia in the absence of complementary foods rich or fortified with iron. There are other deficits as well.
The first complementary food product can be vegetable puree or porridge, fruit puree is better to give the baby later - after tasty sweet fruits, children usually eat vegetable puree and cereals worse, often refuse them altogether.
Where is the best place to start? In cases where the child has a tendency to constipation or he puts on weight too quickly, preference should be given to vegetables. With a high probability of developing anemia, unstable stools and small weight gain - from baby cereals enriched with micronutrients. And if you started the introduction of complementary foods with cereals, then the second product will be vegetables and vice versa.
If the first complementary foods are introduced at 6 months, it must be baby porridge enriched with iron and other minerals and vitamins, the intake of which with breast milk is no longer enough.
Another important complementary food product is mashed meat. It contains iron, which is easily absorbed. And adding meat to vegetables improves the absorption of iron from them. It is advisable to introduce meat puree to a child at the age of 6 months. Only the daily use of children's enriched porridge and meat puree can satisfy the needs of babies in iron, zinc and other micronutrients.
But it is better to introduce juices later, when the child already receives the main complementary foods - vegetables, cereals, meat and fruits. After all, complementary foods are needed so that the baby receives all the substances necessary for growth and development, and there are very few in their juices, including vitamins and minerals.
Juices should not be given between feedings, but after the child has eaten porridge or vegetables with meat puree, as well as for an afternoon snack. The habit of drinking juice between meals leads to frequent snacking in the future, a love of sweets is instilled, children have more tooth decay and an increased risk of obesity.
With the start of the introduction of complementary foods, the child is gradually transferred to the 5-time feeding regimen.
Complementary feeding rules:
- preference should be given to baby products of industrial production, they are made from environmentally friendly raw materials, have a guaranteed composition and degree of grinding
- Complementary foods should be offered to the baby by spoon at the start of feeding, before breastfeeding (formula feeding)
- the volume of the product increases gradually, starting with ½ - 1 spoon, and in 7 - 10 days we bring it to the age norm, subsequent products within the same group (cereals from other cereals or new vegetables) can be introduced faster, in 5 - 7 days
- start introduction with monocomponent products
- it is undesirable to give a new product in the afternoon, it is important to follow how the child reacts to it
- do not introduce new products in the event of acute illnesses, and before and immediately after prophylactic vaccination (should be abstained for several days)
When introducing a new type of complementary food, first try one product, gradually increasing its amount, and then gradually "dilute" this product with a new one.
For example, vegetable complementary foods can be started with a teaspoon of zucchini puree. During the week, give the baby only this product, gradually increasing its volume. After a week, add a teaspoon of mashed broccoli or cauliflower to the zucchini puree and continue to increase the total volume every day. Vegetable puree from three types of vegetables will be optimal. The portion should correspond to the age norm. Over time, you can replace the introduced vegetables with others faster.
After the introduction of one vegetable (bringing its volume to the required amount), you can proceed to the intake of porridge, and diversify the vegetable diet later.
If the child did not like the dish, for example, broccoli, do not give up on your plan and continue to offer this vegetable in a small amount - 1-2 spoons daily, you can not even once, but 2-3 times before meals, and after 7 - 10, and sometimes 15 days, the baby will get used to the new taste. This diversifies the diet, will help to form the right taste habits in the baby.
Spoon-feed with patience and care. Forced feeding is unacceptable!
In the diet of healthy children, porridge is usually introduced after vegetables (with the exception of healthy breastfed children, when complementary foods are introduced from 6 months). It is better to start with dairy-free gluten-free cereals - buckwheat, corn, rice. At the same time, it is important to use porridge for baby food of industrial production, which contains a complex of vitamins and minerals. In addition, it is already ready for use, you just need to dilute it with breast milk or the mixture that the baby receives.
Children suffering from food allergies are introduced complementary foods at 5-5.5 months. The rules for the introduction of products are the same as for healthy children, in all cases it is introduced slowly and begins with hypoallergenic products. Be sure to take into account individual tolerance. The difference is only in the correction of the diet, taking into account the identified allergens.
From meat products, preference should first be given to mashed turkey and rabbit.
Diets for different age periods
explain how to make a diet, it is better on several examples that will help to navigate the menu for your child.
From 5 months, the volume of one feeding is on average 200 ml.
Option 1.
I feeding
6 hours
Breast milk or VHI*
200 ml
II feeding
10 hours
Dairy-free porridge**
Supplementation with breast milk or VHI*
150 g
50 ml
III feeding
14 hours
Vegetable puree
Meat puree Vegetable oil
Supplemental breast milk or VHI*
150 g
5 - 30 g
1 tsp
30 ml
IV feeding
18 hours
Fruit puree
Breast milk or VHI*
60 g
140 ml
| I feeding | Breast milk or VHI* | 200 ml |
| II feeding | Dairy-free porridge** | 150 g |
| III feeding | Vegetable puree | 150 g |
| IV feeding | Fruit puree | 40 g |
| V feeding | Breast milk or VHI* | 200 ml |
* - children's dairy mixture
** - diluted with breast milk or DMS
Option 3.
An approximate daily diet for a baby at 6.5 months on breastfeeding, if complementary foods were started from 6 months:
| I feeding | Breast milk | |
| II feeding | Dairy-free porridge** | 100 g |
| III feeding | Vegetable puree | 100 g |
| IV feeding | Breast milk |
|
| V feeding | Breast milk |
|
** - diluted with breast milk
Up to 7 months, increase the volume of porridge and vegetable puree to 150 g and introduce fruit puree.
How much should a child eat from birth to one year old?
Children's appetites vary: some prefer to eat more often, while others refuse to eat even when it's time to feed. However, there are general rules and recommendations for the frequency and amount of infant feeding. We will figure out how much a child should eat in order to avoid malnutrition or overfeeding, how to improve the baby’s appetite and find out that he is hungry, and also dispel some myths about nutrition up to a year. Pediatrician Ekaterina Borisovna Bulavina acts as an expert on the topic.
— Ekaterina Borisovna, how does a child's appetite change with age?
— Appetite is a concept independent of age. A child is already born with an excellent appetite, and over time, only the amount of food eaten changes. Appetite depends primarily on the state of health of the child, the degree of maturity and growth phase, as well as on the type of feeding, genetic characteristics.
Intensively growing baby eats with great desire; during periods of growth retardation, his appetite is somewhat reduced. But it is important to remember that refusal to eat can be caused by health problems, so a visit to the doctor in such cases should not be postponed.
Causes of loss of appetite in infants:
| Pediatrician's help is required if the child's refusal to eat is accompanied by:
|
— How to restore a child's appetite?
- Most often, the appetite returns on its own, as soon as the irritating factor ceases to act on the child. If the baby has recently been vaccinated or the loss of appetite is associated with teething, then active intervention by the mother is not required. If the child is healthy and simply does not like the offered food, the taste of milk or formula, then you can try to improve his appetite. The surest way is to let the baby get hungry. Active games, long walks in the fresh air, observance of time intervals between meals, lack of snacks usually lead to the proper result: the child quite willingly eats the offered dish. At five or six months, the baby is already ready to show interest in food - during this period, active eating behavior should be developed. Let him watch the table setting, watch adults eat, play with a spoon and a plate, try new types of food (this is the so-called pedagogical complementary foods).
Such an active interest only contributes to a good appetite.
— Is there a difference in appetite between breastfed and formula-fed babies?
— There is no significant dependence of appetite on the type of feeding. Both on breastfeeding and on artificial nutrition, there are little ones and babies with a good appetite. Babies on the breast may ask to eat more often, as milk is digested faster and easier, and then it seems that the baby is hungry. Children on the mixture well withstand the prescribed intervals between feedings, and appetite has nothing to do with it.
- How can I calculate the norm of food for an infant? How much should a baby eat at 2 months, 6 months and 8 months? How much should a child eat at 1 year old?
— Special formulas are used to calculate nutrition for children up to 10 days of age. Further, the amount of food is calculated taking into account the weight of the baby.
Monthly infant food intake
- from 10 days to 6 weeks of age - 1/5 of body weight
- from 6 weeks to 4 months - 1/6 of body weight
- from 4 to 6 months - 1/7 of body weight
- from 6 to 8 months - 1/8 of body weight
- from 8 to 12 months - 1/9 of body weight
a child of three months of age should not exceed 850 ml per day, for a four-month-old - 900 ml per day, after five months - 1 liter per day, regardless of weight, based on which the amount of food is calculated.
— How often should a child be fed?
— A breastfed baby is fed on demand, there is a special schedule for a formula-fed baby. Depending on age, the frequency of feeding changes downwards:
- 1-3 months - meals 7 times a day, with 3 hour intervals between meals. Sometimes feeding is allowed 6 times a day with an increase in the night interval.
- 3-6 months - meals 6 times a day at intervals of 3.5 hours.
- 6-12 months - meals 5 times a day with daily intervals up to 4 hours, night break 6-8 hours.
— Why is overeating dangerous?
- It is almost impossible to overeat while breastfed, but formula-fed babies sometimes suffer from this. The problem usually lies in an unsuitable nipple, through which the child sucks out the prescribed portion too quickly: the satiety signal does not have time to reach the food center. The baby asks for more, and mom happily offers an addition. As a result, the resulting portion exceeds the volume of the stomach, its walls are overstretched, excess nutrition is regurgitated, the first problems with the gastrointestinal tract appear, and improper eating behavior is formed.
Habitual regurgitation leads to gastroesophageal reflux disease, and heavy feeding leads to weight gain. Measures taken by the mother during and after feeding will help minimize the manifestations of reflux.
Signs that the child is overeating
- regurgitation
- abdominal pain
- Frequent abundant stool
- Pathologically high weights
Signs that the child is not indifferent to
9001
The pediatrician should be contacted immediately if the child:
- refuses any offered food, water;
- shows signs of disease;
- loses weight;
- gives out dry wrinkled skin, little saliva, cries without tears;
- has infrequent stools, infrequent urination;
- regularly does not eat the prescribed norm;
- asks for more food, does not eat;
- does not sleep well, often wakes up and cries;
- often spit up, he is troubled by abdominal pain, problems with stool;
- lethargic, lags behind peers in psychomotor development.
— Do I need to supplement my baby at night?
- Night feedings are vital for a child up to 6 months of age, and should not be weaned earlier, unless the child himself sleeps peacefully all night.
The child of the first months of life is not able to endure a long break in feeding. From the age of six months, you can try to wean the baby from eating at night, but the optimal age for this is after a year.
— When to introduce complementary foods and how to combine them with infant formula and breast milk? What proportions would you like to maintain?
- Complementary food is always offered to the baby before or instead of breast milk or formula. Complementary foods start with small portions, so the required amount of food per feeding is supplemented with breast milk or formula. Gradually, the frequency of introduction of complementary foods and its volume increase, displacing milk feedings:
- 4-6 months - 1 feeding with complementary foods and 5 feedings with breast milk or formula;
- 5-7 months - 2 complementary feedings;
- 8-10 months - 3 complementary feedings;
- after 1 year - 1-2 milk feedings, all other meals should contain complementary foods.
— How does a child's appetite change after the first year of life?
— After a year, physiological changes occur in the body, which largely determine the eating behavior and nutritional needs. The period of intensive growth ends, the child enters the phase of stabilization of mass growth indicators. Consequently, the energy requirement is somewhat reduced relative to the needs of a rapidly growing six to ten month old baby. Parents often notice that a child just a couple of months ago ate much more willingly.
The spectrum of activity after a year is higher: the baby masters the process of walking, constantly explores something, it is difficult for him to concentrate on one thing and sit still. He is often distracted, including from the process of eating, often snacking on the go. And it seems that the child eats little and reluctantly at the main meals. But if you sum up all the snacks, then in the end you get a completely sufficient daily amount of food, divided into microportions.
Yes, parents often notice a decrease in appetite in children after a year. However, this is due to the physiology of their growth and maturation.
— Ekaterina Borisovna, please comment on the myths around the appetite and nutrition of babies.
1. The baby is crying, which means he is hungry
— This misconception concerns more natural feeding. Sleepless nights with frequent awakenings, restless intermittent sleep during the day - in such a situation, the mother tries to feed on demand, each time offering a breast, but the baby sucks a little and quits, continuing to cry. At this moment, the mother convinces herself that she does not have enough milk, the child is hungry - and runs to the store for the mixture.
In fact, the baby may cry for various reasons: colic, headache, full diaper, uncomfortable clothes. And before you feed, as soon as he began to cry, you should try to eliminate all other causes of discomfort. The mother's delusion that there is a shortage of milk is the most common reason for switching to artificial feeding.
2. Feeding according to the regimen is better because the child has time to get hungry
— Each child is an individual, and a well-functioning feeding regimen for one baby may not be suitable for another. The child may want to eat half an hour earlier, and an hour earlier (or later) than the due date. This does not mean that he has to cry all this hour if the feeding time has not yet come and the mother is trying to keep the regimen. While the mother maintains the prescribed interval, the child experiences stress, which negatively affects his development and eating habits. If the child often asks for food, it may be worth reconsidering his diet. It's best to ask your pediatrician about this.
3. In the case of on-demand feeding, having become accustomed to calming down at the breast, the baby will then all the time seize stress breasts as soon as they are hungry. But if the mother tries to feed the baby more so that he sleeps longer, she does him a disservice: this is how the body gets used to making reserves, because the next feeding is not soon.
4. The baby lacks nutrients, and the sooner complementary foods are started, the better
— Indeed, earlier apple juice was introduced into the child's diet almost from two months. But it has long been scientifically proven that there is no benefit from this. Modern ideas about the timing and products of the first complementary foods are based on numerous studies. And the young mother should follow exactly them, and not grandmother's advice on the benefits of semolina in two months.
5. The baby puts on weight “incorrectly”
— I often hear about well-fed babies that they are “thin”, but the neighbor's children, for example, weigh ten kilograms at five months. Whether weight gain and height correspond to physiological norms can only be assessed by a pediatrician using special centile tables. And it is wrong to draw premature conclusions only on the basis of a visual examination of the child and its comparison with others.
- To summarize. How to understand that the baby is full?
- Observe his behavior. As saturation increases, swallowing movements become less frequent, replaced by sucking. A well-fed baby himself stops sucking at the breast or bottle. If the feeding is delayed and the mother doubts whether the child has eaten, it is worth trying to take the breast - a well-fed baby easily releases it from his mouth, a hungry baby is naughty, makes search movements with his fingers.
It is worth remembering that the breast for a child is not only a source of nutrition, but also a means of comfort, a guarantee of safety. Babies can hang at the breast for a long time, and this does not always mean that they are hungry. If the mother is in doubt, you can try to calm the child in another way. A well-fed baby will most likely fall asleep, a hungry baby will insistently demand a breast and calm down only when he receives it again. After saturation, the child usually falls asleep or continues to stay awake in a good mood, smiles at his mother, and coos.
