Feeding Baby Solid Foods From 6 To 12 Months Of Age

For babies who are exclusively breast fed waiting until age 6 months before introducing solid food can help ensure that they get the full health benefits of breast feeding.

Feeding baby solid foods from 6 to 12 months of age.

Age ounces per feeding solid foods. In the first days then 1 3 oz. 2 weeks to 2 months. At 6 months baby will consume about 4 8 ounces of formula or breast milk at each feeding.

When your child is about 6 months old you can start introducing him or her to foods and drinks other than breast milk and infant formula. But by ages 4 months to 6 months most babies are ready to begin eating solid foods as a complement to breast feeding or formula feeding. Babies do not need baby rice to help them move to solid foods or sleep better. Other milks or milk substitutes including cows milk should not be introduced as a main drink until 12 months of age.

Alert icon you can think of these as complementing or adding to the breast milk or infant formula that you continue to feed your child. 6 to 8 months. This is in addition to cereal and other baby foods. A baby is born with a natural reserve of iron that begins to deplete around 6 months of age mix with baby.

Breast milk or formula plus. Same as 4 to 6 months. Begin with two to three spoonfuls of soft and mashed food four times a day which will give her the nutrients she needs without breastmilk. There is no evidence that waiting to introduce baby safe soft allergy causing foods such as eggs dairy soy peanuts or fish beyond 4 to 6 months of age prevents food allergy.

Follow on formula is not suitable for babies under 6 months and you do not need to introduce it after 6 months. The foods and drinks you feed your child are sometimes called complementary foods. Up to 2 weeks of life 5 oz. It s also at age 6 months that babies need complementary food to support growth satisfy hunger and help meet energy and nutrient needs.

If you believe your baby has an allergic reaction to a food such as diarrhea rash or vomiting talk with your child s doctor about the best choices for the diet. Signs of readiness for solid food. Then use less liquid as your baby gets used to solid foods. Start to give your baby solid foods at 6 months of age just as a breastfed baby would need.

During this time babies typically stop using their tongues to push food out of their mouths and begin to develop the coordination to move solid food from the front of the mouth to the back for swallowing.