The information below is not a given. Don’t feel as though
your baby must stick to this timetable, trust your baby to take as
much solid food as he or she requires.
Remember up to its first birthday baby’s most important source
of nutrition is Breast Milk or Formula.
These pages are provided as information only, be guided by your
paediatrician regarding when to start replacing nursing or bottle
feeding with solid food – remembering what was said above
ALL BABIES ARE INDIVIDUALS. We offer ideas.
This menu and sample schedule below indicates ideas for solid foods
only. It does not account for, nor does it list, total daily
Breast Milk or Formula intake.
Our research shows that many moms supplement with formula as their
milk supply may be low – research shows that there are various
reasons for this but this is not the time or place to discuss this
issue. Whatever the reason for supplementing we congratulate those
moms that continue to breast feed their baby while supplementing.
Your baby will thank you for it in the long run. You will be thankful
that you did so!
Unless your paediatrician has spotted a medical condition remember
your baby knows best
As always, you should feed your baby according to his or her cues
and needs! Always consult your pediatrician if you are worried
that your baby is not receiving proper amounts of either milk or
solid foods.
Babies 0 - 3 Months of Age
Breakfast
Breast Milk and/or Formula
Lunch
Breast Milk and/or Formula
Snack or Dinner
Breast Milk and/or Formula
In this age and stage, most infants are hungry continually and thus
are fed "around the clock" and on demand. The best
way to feed your infant is as often they demand
The current recommendations indicate that breast milk and/or
formula should be baby's main source of nutrition until at least 6 months of
age! Earlier introduction of solid foods may have certain risk factors;
consult your paediatrician!
4)6-8 months:
Feeding Hints:
Don’t rush your baby, it has the rest of its life to eat solids!
Begin with a tablespoon size portion but you’ll find that baby
will only manage about half of that amount on its very first try.
Do not try to force baby to eat the full amount. As always baby knows
best!
Like many parents you may find that baby will push the food away
on their first few tries, but this is normal and one of babies ways
of telling you it is not yet ready for solids. As baby becomes accustomed
to eating solids gradually increase the portion sizes.
Early Morning Waking
Breast Milk and/or Formula
Breakfast
Breast Milk and/or Formula
Infant Cereal (Optional) - 1 food cube
Fruit or Vegetable (Optional) - 1 food cube
- serve mixed into the cereal or separately
Lunch
Breast Milk and/or Formula
Infant Cereal (Optional) - 1 food cube - serve
mixed into the cereal or separately
Fruit or Vegetable (Optional) - 1 or 2 food
cubes of each or mix the cubes together; for example, apples
and carrots are Yummy together!
Snack or Dinner
Breast Milk and/or Formula
Fruit or Vegetable (Optional) - 1 food cube
Before Bedtime Feeding
Breast Milk and/or Formula
Is my baby eating enough food? How
much solid food a baby will be eating depends on a variety of different
things.
A baby who began solid foods at 4 months of age will be eating more
solid foods than the baby who began to eat solid foods at 6 months
old.
A baby who is eating soft diced foods as beginner foods may seem
to eat less than the baby who is being spoon-fed purées.
Another influence to how much solid foods a baby will be eating is
simply the individual baby's appetite! As with adults, some babies
will eat more than other due to their individual appetites.
Babies 8-11 months:
Early Morning Waking
Breast Milk and/or Formula
Breakfast
Breast Milk and/or Formula
Infant Cereal - 1 food cube
Fruit or Vegetable - 2 or 3 food cubes
Dairy (Optional) - Yogurt - 1 or 2 food cube
sized portions (or about 2 tablespoons)
Lunch
Breast Milk and/or Formula
Infant Cereal or Other Grain - (Optional) (i.e.
pasta, rice) - 1 or 2 food cubes
Meat/Meat-Protein Alternate -(Optional) 1 or 2 food
cubes
Fruit or Vegetable - 2 or 3 food cubes of each or mix the cubes together
with the Grain
Example: Rice mixed with Peas served with Pear Sauce on the side
Dairy (Optional) - Yogurt or Cheeses
*A Lunch of Fruits, Veggies and a Protein without
grains is an option. A Lunch of a Grain with
Fruits and Veggies without a protein is also an option.
Dinner
Breast Milk and/or Formula
Grain (i.e. pasta, rice) - 1 or 2 food cubes
Meat/Meat Alternate - (Optional)- 1 food cube
Fruit and/or Vegetable - 2 or 3 food cubes of each or mix the cubes
together
Example: Tofu mixed with Avocado served with Applesauce & Blueberries
on the side
Dairy - Yogurt or Cheeses (Optional)
Snack
Formula, Breast Milk, or Diluted Fruit Juice (no more than 4 oz of
juice per day if at all!!)
Bread/Crackers/Homemade Nutritious Baby Cookies
Soft Cooked Vegetable or Soft Ripe (cooked if needed) Fruit Dices
Cheese Cubes
Tofu Cubes
Yogurt
Snacks may be an important part of your baby's feeding schedule. Many
babies may need to fill the gap between a "meal" as their
tummies are small and their calorie requirements, as well as their
energy levels, are high. Ensure that offered are from one
or more of the basic food groups and are nutritious and not empty
calories.
Before Bedtime Feeding
Breast Milk and/or Formula (Optional as needed)
Breast Milk and/or Formula are THE MOST IMPORTANT source
of nutrition for your infant up to 12 months old!! Solids play
a larger nutritional roll between 9-10 months old.
Do NOT replace a nursing or bottle-feeding with a solid food meal and
do not feed the solids first:
- until you thoroughly discuss a new feeding schedule with your
paediatrician and
- until your pediatrician indicates that replacing "milk" with
solid food feeding(s) is right for your baby!!
Please keep in mind that many infants do not begin solids until
6 months of age. Not all babies will be eating the same amounts
or food items.
There are many infants who may eat 4-6 ounces of food per day at
6 or 7 months old while others who are just starting solids will
be within the 1-2 ounce range.
These menus are examples of an infant's menu and
schedule.
The menus recommend meals based on age-ranges.
We would like to point out that many infants are not ready to eat
3 "meals" per day until well into the 9-10 month range. Still,
many babies may begin 3 "meals" at 7-8 months old.
You should follow the menu ideas in keeping with your infant's development
and eating habits as well as your paediatrician’s advice.
IDEA!!
Mixing breast and bottle
As more women are returning to work, and new fathers are showing
a growing interest in the care of their babies, many couples are
choosing to mix breast and bottle feeding.
If you want to mix breast and bottle, but don’t want to use
formula milk, you can like all good food shows suggest 'prepare one
in advance,' which can then be given to your baby in a bottle by
another member of the family or a childminder. In this way you will
still ensure that your baby is only receiving breast milk.
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