Nine month old baby feeding schedule

9- and 10-month-old feeding schedules

Wondering how to fit all those meals, snacks, and bottles or nursing sessions into your baby's day? Your 9-or 10-month-old still needs plenty of breast milk or formula, and they're also getting more adventurous with their solid foods. If you started with purees, you can begin transitioning toward finger foods. If you're baby-led weaning, continue expanding their palate by offering new flavors and textures. Here's how to set up a feeding schedule that works for your baby and your family.

By now your 9- or 10-month-old has settled into a steady routine of sleeping, playing, and eating. But it can be confusing at times to know how to organize their feeding schedule. Your baby is old enough to eat more solids and explore new finger foods, but young enough that they still need plenty of formula or breast milk.

Between the bottles and nursing and the solid food meals, it can feel like you're constantly feeding your baby. As you're sorting out your baby's feeding schedule, it can be a big help to see what other parents are doing. Below, you'll find several sample schedules modeled on those of real BabyCenter parents and reviewed by a pediatrician on our Medical Advisory Board.

As you're creating a schedule for your baby, keep in mind that at 9 and 10 months most babies need solid foods three times a day, plus a healthy snack, and about 24 to 32 ounces of breast milk or formula in a 24-hour period.

Breastfed babies will likely nurse three or four times per day. Formula-fed babies may drink 7- to 8-ounce bottles three or four times per day. (Get specific tips on how to tell whether your baby is getting enough breast milk or formula.)

By now, your baby will likely be eating a variety of foods and taking an active role at mealtimes by self-feeding and drinking from a sippy, straw, or open cup. That means your mealtime options are expanding, since you can offer your baby more new and exciting foods to try.

You can make life simpler now and feed your baby what you're eating – just make sure it's age appropriate. Don't give your baby foods that could be choking hazards, foods with a lot of salt or added sugar, honey, or anything that's raw or unpasteurized. And if you haven't yet, be sure to introduce high-allergy foods to your baby, too.

If you're baby-led weaning, your baby has already been feeding themself finger foods. Keep giving your baby a variety of foods and expand their palate by offering new textures and flavors.

In addition to breast milk or formula, your baby may be ready to eat as much as half a cup per day of fruits, veggies, proteins, and carbohydrates. (If you're not sure how much solid food your baby needs, check out our visual guide.)

Sample 9-month-old schedule

6:30 a.m.: Wake up and drink a 7- to 8-ounce bottle of formula.

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8 a.m.: Playtime.

9 a.m.: Breakfast – small pieces of cheese, ham, fresh fruit, veggies, and O-shaped cereal or eggs.

9:30 a. m.: Playtime.

10 a.m.: 7- to 8-ounce bottle, then a nap.

12 p.m.: Lunch – small pieces of cheese, meat, fresh veggies, fruit, noodles, soup, cut up veggie burger, ground meat, and so on.

12:45 p.m.: Playtime.

1:30 p.m.: Snack – Greek yogurt with fruit, pieces of cheese, and whole grain crackers with nut butter.

3 p.m.: Naptime and another 7- or 8-ounce bottle.

6 p.m.: Dinner – same as lunch.

6:30 p.m.: Playtime.

7:30 p.m.: Bedtime routine and another 7- or 8-ounce bottle of formula, then bed.

Sample 10-month-old schedule

8:30 a.m.: Wake up and nurse for 10 to 15 minutes.

8:45 a.m.: Playtime.

9:30 a.m.: Breakfast – scrambled eggs, strips of French toast, and yogurt.

10 a.m.: Naptime.

12 p. m.: Lunch – baked sweet potato fries, shredded chicken, hummus, and mashed avocado – followed by a short nursing session.

1 p.m.: Playtime.

2 p.m.: Snack – O-shaped cereal, yogurt, whole grain crackers, piece of whole wheat toast with nut butter, fruit.

3:30 p.m.: Nurse for 10 to 15 minutes, then naptime.

5 p.m.: Dinner – steamed broccoli, leftover chicken from lunch, baked apple slices, and spiral pasta.

6 p.m.: Playtime.

7 p.m.: Nurse for 10 to 15 minutes, then bedtime routine and bed.

Meal ideas for 9- and 10-month-olds

As your 9- or 10-month-old starts eating regular, small meals and even a snack or two throughout the day, you might be wondering how to keep their menu interesting and their diet full of nutritious foods.

Some yummy (and age-appropriate) foods to try serving your baby at 9 and 10 months include small bits of tofu and cheese, soft spiral pasta, shreds of chicken and turkey, soft beans, and cubes of roasted peaches or squash.

Aim for a protein, carbohydrate, fruit and veggie serving at each meal to help you put together a simple breakfast, lunch, or dinner for your baby. Here are some options to get you started.

Breakfast:

Pieces of scrambled egg
O-shaped cereal
Mashed or pureed pears and squash
Oatmeal with mashed banana
Roasted sweet potato
Greek yogurt with fruit

Lunch:

Steamed peas
Pieces of whole-grain toast
Applesauce
Smashed pinto beans
Strips of ripe avocado
Whole grain crackers
Steamed carrots
Pasta
Chicken noodle soup

Dinner:

Ground beef, chicken, or turkey
Roasted sweet potatoes
Pieces of whole grain bread with nut butter
Tofu
Soft spiral pasta
Yogurt with peach puree

Snacks:

Pieces of fruit
Cereal
Smashed avocado
Yogurt
Homemade muffin
Whole grain crackers with hummus

Learn more:

Your 9-month-old's growth and development
Your 10-month-old's growth and development
Recipes for babies 6 to 12 months old

What and When Can Babies Eat at 9 Months?

What food is healthy for a nine-month-old?

A nine-month-old baby is growing rapidly, and complex brain development is taking place. A well-balanced, nutritional diet that fills their belly is critical at this time. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a nine-month-old should be eating a wide variety of foods. If babies are eating cereal, it should be fortified. This will provide the nutrients that they need.

It’s great to include a rainbow of foods in a nine-month-old’s diet. Their food should be colorful, fresh, and tantalizing. Encourage them to try fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and meats. Wait until they have turned one year old before introducing honey, as it may contain the bacteria that can cause botulism. Along the same lines, unpasteurized drinks or foods can contain E. coli and cause severe intestinal problems.

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What solid foods can a baby eat?

Food for 9-month-olds can be tricky. Many babies at this age are ready to try eating food with their hands. Finger food should be small and soft enough to pick up easily and chew without risk of choking.

At this age, babies’ chewing abilities haven’t yet fully matured. They may not use their teeth yet, instead using their tongue to mash up their food. Some safe options for nine-month-old babies include:

Soft fruits (e.g., bananas and peaches)
Bread (without the crust)
Dry cereal
Avocado
Peas
Green beans and cooked beans
Tofu
Meat and fish
Sweet potato
Pasta

When offering nine-month-old babies food (especially finger food), size is important. Pieces should be large enough to pick up but small enough that the baby won’t choke. Try to aim for cubes about a third of an inch in size. This is just a little bit bigger than a standard pea.

How much should a 9-month-old eat?

A nine-month-old feeding schedule is not much different than when they were first born. They are still on an on-demand schedule. This basically means that parents should look for signs indicating when the baby is hungry and when they’re full. They might eat a different combination of solid foods, breast milk, and formula every day, depending on their mood.

How much formula is good for a nine-month-old?

Babies at nine months old still require breast milk and/or formula every day as part of their regular diet. Breast milk and formula contain high levels of nutrients that are necessary for proper growth. Cow milk can be introduced when babies get a bit older.

Babies should eat at least five to six times per day to meet their nutritional requirements. As they begin to eat more solid foods, the amount of formula or breast milk needed will likely decrease in frequency and amount.

Sample menu for a nine-month-old baby

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests the following menu and feeding schedule for 9-month-old babies.

Breakfast

¼–½ cup cereal or mashed egg

¼–½ cup fruit, diced (if the child is self-feeding)

4–6 ounces formula or breast milk

Snack

4–6 ounces breast milk, formula, or water

¼ cup diced cheese or cooked vegetables

Lunch

¼–½ cup yogurt, cottage cheese, or meat

¼–½ cup yellow or orange vegetables

4–6 ounces formula or breast milk

Snack

One teething biscuit or cracker

¼ cup yogurt or diced fruit

Water

Dinner

¼ cup diced poultry, meat, or tofu

¼–½ cup green vegetables

¼ cup noodles, pasta, rice, or potatoes

¼ cup fruit

4–6 ounces formula or breast milk

Before bedtime

6–8 ounces formula, breast milk, or water

A nine-month-old baby’s nutritional needs aren’t much different from the nutrients that adults need too. Over the course of a day, offer a 9-month-old foods of different colors. Here are some colorful examples:

Green — green beans, peas, spinach, zucchini, and asparagus
Orange — cantaloupe and sweet potatoes
Yellow — peppers, squash, and bananas
Red, blue, and purple — beans, cooked tomatoes, red peppers, and smashed berries

These different foods can also be a great diet for new parents to follow when breastfeeding and trying to get back in shape after delivery. This is an exciting time for parents and babies. It’s fun to watch babies explore new things, including textures and tastes.

WHO recommendations for the introduction of complementary foods

08.08.2019

Readiness of the child to complementary foods According to the WHO recommendation, existing for 2018, it is optimal to introduce complementary foods to an infant at 6-8 months. Until six months, the baby's gastrointestinal tract is still not sufficiently formed, all the necessary enzymes are not produced for the assimilation of food other than mother's milk or formula. And by 9-10 months, the child can already form stable stereotypes of eating only liquid food, and overcoming them will be painful and difficult for the baby.

Thus, WHO defines the following signs of a child's readiness for the introduction of complementary foods: the maturity of the digestive system; extinction of the solid food ejection reflex; the appearance of the first teeth, making it possible to chew; the readiness of the baby to be stable in an upright position; emotional readiness for new tastes and sensations.

Complementary feeding system WHO has developed recommendations for three complementary feeding options: cereals, vegetables, and meat.

Fruit complementary foods are not recommended for cereals and vegetables. This is due to the fact that up to 8-9 months the gastrointestinal tract of the baby is not ready for the absorption of raw fruits and fruit juices. It is vegetables and cereals that will populate the intestines with the necessary bacteria for the absorption of fruits.

Kefir, according to the WHO, is not considered complementary foods because it is not a solid food. The WHO complementary feeding scheme includes kefir only as an additional food from 8 months. The introduction of cow's milk is recommended by WHO only from 12 months.

Any complementary feeding scheme assumes that portions of complementary foods will systematically increase from half a teaspoon to 100-200 g. The first dishes for complementary foods are prepared exclusively with one-component. Each next component is introduced only after complete addiction to the previous one (6-7 days).

Product sequence

The following sequence of introduction of complementary foods is proposed.

Vegetables at 6 months.
Porridges on the water (oatmeal, buckwheat, corn) at 6.5 - 7 months.
Fruit puree, yolk at 8 months.
Milk porridge at 8-9 months.
Meat puree at 9 months.
Meat by-products at 9-10 months.
Kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt at 9-10 months.
Fish at 10 months.
Juice at 10-12 months.
Berry puree at 12 months.
Meat broths at 12 months.

The introduction of vegetable oil (olive, sunflower) in puree and porridge is allowed from 6 months: a scheme with 1 drop with a gradual increase to a volume of 1 teaspoon. The introduction of butter begins at 7 months: the scheme is from 1 g to 10 g in porridge.

For formula-fed babies, the first feeding schedule is similar, with a few exceptions. For these babies, it is better to introduce complementary foods from 5 months, because the milk mixture does not give the small body all the “building material”. The introduction of complementary foods differs only in terms: vegetable purees and cereals are introduced a month earlier.

First cereals

If the child's weight is significantly less than normal, WHO recommends starting complementary foods with non-dairy cereals. For babies, cereals are prepared only with non-dairy, unsalted, semi-liquid, absolutely homogeneous in consistency. The first cereals are prepared from cereal flour (the sorted and washed cereals are carefully ground and crushed).

The following sequence of introduction of cereals is proposed: buckwheat, rice, corn, oatmeal, semolina. It is recommended to cook semolina porridge only once a week, because it contains practically no nutrients, but it is rich in gluten, which can cause problems in the intestines. Proportion for the preparation of the first porridge: 5 g of cereal flour per 100 ml of water. After slightly cooling the finished porridge, chop again. In the finished porridge, you can add 1-2 drops of vegetable oil or a little expressed breast milk.

From 9 months, the baby's nutrition system involves multicomponent cereals, from products already well known to the child. You can already add vegetables and fruits familiar to the baby to cereals. At 9 months, it is allowed to cook barley and millet porridge for babies. And by 10-11 months, cereals on the water will be a great addition to meat and fish meatballs and steam cutlets.

Vegetable food

The first purees are made from one vegetable.

The sequence of introducing vegetables into complementary foods for babies suggests the following order: zucchini, cauliflower, pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, green peas, beets. These vegetables are introduced within 6-9baby months. After 1 year, you can give your child cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes, sweet peppers, white cabbage. After preparing the puree, make sure that the mass is completely homogeneous, there are no fibers and small particles, the consistency is semi-liquid. Don't salt. Add 1-2 drops of vegetable oil or expressed milk.

If the child refuses vegetable complementary foods, cancel this product for 1-2 weeks. Try to temporarily replace it with another and return to it after a while.

Meat supplements

From 9 months old, the first meat purees are recommended for babies. The first courses are recommended to be prepared from lean meats: rabbit; quail; turkey; chicken.

Complementary foods for a 6-month-old baby are recommended to be introduced in the morning. This will allow you to track the child's reaction to an unfamiliar product before a night's sleep: is there a rash, intestinal disorders, anxiety in the baby, profuse regurgitation. It is better to give vegetables or porridge first, and then saturate with breast milk or formula. Gradually, porridge and a vegetable dish will replace one full meal. The dish must be warm and freshly cooked. Gradually, by the age of 1, your baby will develop taste preferences. You will know what dishes he eats with pleasure. In the meantime, try to fully expand the child's diet with products necessary for growth and development.

Be healthy!!!

Baby menu at 9 months

6-12 months

Article

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Although breast milk or formula remains the mainstay of an infant's diet at this age, a 9-month-old baby's menu becomes more varied with new complementary foods. The correct diet of the child is the basis of his harmonious development, good health and good mood. But how to organize a diet, what can be given at this age and how much should a child eat at one meal?

8 min. for reading Feb. 17, 2022

The correct diet for a nine-month-old baby includes 5 meals: a day, the baby receives liquid food twice and thick food three times. This is due to the fact that mashed potatoes and cereals take longer to digest than milk, so they give the baby a longer energy supply. Feeding is usually carried out at intervals of 4 hours. If the baby asks to eat 2-3 hours after liquid food, offer her a baby snack, fruit or vegetable (in small pieces or in the form of a puree).

9-month-old baby menu: what to eat

Your 9-month-old baby's daily diet includes many healthy foods and drinks that provide essential nutrients such as vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and minerals . In addition to milk and infant formula, the following foods can be given to a child:

Pureed fruits and vegetables (apple, pear, cauliflower, etc.)
Fruit juices and compotes without sugar.
Meat in various forms.
Fish.
Porridges from various cereals.
Chicken or quail egg yolk.
Children's fresh cottage cheese.
Children's low-fat kefir.
Children's cookies, croutons, bread.

Read also: The baby refuses new products

According to WHO recommendations, by the 9th month, all of the above products should already be on the menu. If something from the food is still unfamiliar to your child, it is recommended to gradually add it to the diet.

Start with smaller portions and see how your child reacts to the new food. If there is no allergic reaction to the product, you can increase the volume and add it to new dishes. New complementary foods are recommended to be introduced at intervals of 5-7 days. An indicative table for one day will help to create an optimal diet for health. It also shows how much formula or milk the baby should eat per day.

* infant formula.
**Dairy-free porridge should be diluted with breast milk or infant formula given to the baby. Milk porridge is diluted with water.

I feeding 6 hours	Breast milk or medicated formula for infants with cow's milk protein intolerance	200 ml
II feeding 10 hours	Dairy-free porridge*	180 g
	Vegetable oil<	about 1 tsp
	Fruit puree (apple, pear)	70 g
III feeding 14 hours	Vegetable puree or pureed soup	180 g
	Vegetable oil	about 1 tsp.
	Meat puree (rabbit, turkey)	50 g
	Fruit juice	70 g
IV feeding 18 hours	Fruit puree	50 g
	Vegetable puree or dairy-free porridge	180 g
	Vegetable oil	about 1 tsp.
	Meat puree	50 g
V feeding 22 hours	Breast milk or medicated formula for infants with cow's milk protein intolerance	200 ml

*dairy-free porridge should be bred with breast milk or it is safe for children with allergies to cow's milk proteins.

** you can eat porridge or vegetables, so you can eat grass - porridge with vegetables.

1st day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Buckwheat porridge with pumpkin, juice
Lunch	Pumpkin steam cutlets, veal puree
Snack	Rusks or baby biscuits, yoghurt
Dinner	Cauliflower puree
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

2nd day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Oatmeal, berry juice
Lunch	Steamed fish, rice, fruit compote
Snack	Vegetable puree
Dinner	Vegetable puree
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

3rd day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Semolina porridge, quail egg yolk
Lunch	Steamed zucchini, boiled veal, apple compote
Snack	Pumpkin and apple puree
Dinner	Curd casserole with carrots
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

Fourth day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Rice porridge, fruit puree
Lunch	Mashed potatoes or turkey meatball soup
Snack	Carrot-apple juice
Dinner	Kefir
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

5th day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Oatmeal and apple puree
Lunch	Cream soup with chicken and vegetables
Snack	Carrot juice
Dinner	Cauliflower puree, crackers or bread
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

6.

Sixth day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Rice porridge, half yolk (chicken egg)
Lunch	Vegetable soup with chicken breast, juice
Snack	Baked apple
Dinner	Spinach mashed potatoes
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

Seventh day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Millet porridge, croutons
Lunch	Steamed chicken cutlets, vegetable puree
Snack	Apple juice
Dinner	Curd with fruits
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

Parents need to gradually accustom their child to eating thick food, because now he is moving to a new level of development: more teeth appear, so the baby can now chew food. If this is not done in a timely manner, a baby may refuse solid food in a year. Changing the consistency of dishes favorably affects the development of the digestive system.

No need to grind fish and potatoes in a blender - just put the food on a plate and mash well with a fork. Meat can be offered in the form of meatballs to develop chewing skills. It can be turkey, rabbit, veal, beef, chicken. The norm of meat for one meal is 60-70 g.

It is quite normal if at first large pieces in the dish cause discontent or even a gag reflex in the child - he will soon get used to it. Sometimes it happens the other way around - the baby willingly tries the pieces, but refuses pureed food. Treat your baby with apple slices, bread, crackers or baby snacks. But the meat is still better to grind thoroughly.

At this age, consumption of mother's milk or adapted formula decreases. There are only two feedings per day - in the morning and in the evening. Everything else is "adult" food. Ideally, the baby should sleep through the night and get up at 06:00-07:00. If the little one wakes up at night, it is already possible to gradually wean him from feeding at night (provided that he is gaining weight normally). You can consult with your pediatrician about this.

Please note that uneaten food (already cooked) must not be stored and reheated. It is also not recommended to add sugar and salt to the dish.

If you give your child ready-made baby puree, we recommend that you do not feed him immediately from a jar, but pour the right amount onto a plate. In this case, the rest can be stored in the refrigerator for another 24 hours.

Find out more: Baby Portion

Pay attention to the quality of food you cook: appearance, smell and expiration date. It is better to use seasonal vegetables and fruits, and shop in trusted places.

Wash food thoroughly under running water before cooking. You can also use special children's products for washing fruits and vegetables.

All products must be brought to full readiness, and then carefully crushed to the desired consistency, so that the baby can comfortably chew small pieces. After eating, wash the dishes with a special detergent.

How to properly feed a 9-month-old baby if he refuses food and does not eat the foods you suggest?

Poor appetite is one of the indicators of a baby's health. The problem may concern the digestive tract, glucose levels, central nervous system. The feeling of hunger appears when the level of sugar in the blood decreases. But for this you need to take breaks between meals. Also, the smell of food affects the appetite - it causes the release of gastric juice.

How to regain your appetite:

observe the diet;
develop a delicious menu for a 9 month old baby;
Serve dishes beautifully and set the table;
ventilate the room before eating;
let the baby use cutlery.

See also: The baby does not eat well, how to feed?

In order for the baby to eat willingly, he must be in a good mood. Try to avoid stressful and nervous situations, feed him in a calm, comfortable atmosphere.

If the baby refuses to eat or eats very slowly, do not rush or force him to eat. Also, do not force the little one to eat foods that he refuses. Otherwise, in the future, he will have a negative attitude towards the feeding process, refuse to eat any food at all. He can even feel sick and vomit only with one kind of food.

Important

Games and cartoons during meals do not really improve appetite. On the contrary, in this way you only teach the baby to eat without noticing the dishes.

With the help of our tips, you can create a menu for a child at 9 months for every day, which will meet the requirements of a healthy diet and preferences of the baby

1. What should not be given to a child at 9 months?

It is not recommended to give cow's milk until the age of one. It contains too much calcium, which overloads the kidneys, and protein, which is poorly digested.