Food to Offer | 6 to 7 Months | 7 to 9 Months | 9 to 12 Months |
Breastfeeding | On-Demand | On-Demand | On-Demand |
or Iron-Fortified | |||
Infant Formula | End of 6th Mo.: 30-36 oz. | End of 8th Mo.: 25-32 oz. | End of 10th Mo.: 24-28 oz. |
End of 7th Mo.: 28-34 oz. | End of 9th Mo.: 26-30 oz. | End of 12th Mo.: 22-26 oz. | |
Iron Fortified Cereal | 1/4-1/3 cup rice cereal | 1/4-1/3 cup rice cereal | 1/4-1/3 cup rice cereal |
twice a day. | once a day. | once a day. | |
Wait until 7 months to | |||
start a high protein or | |||
mixed cereal. | |||
Vegetables | 1 Stage 1 jar or 1/2 Stage 2 | 1/2 to 1 Stage 2 jar | 1/4 to 1/3 cup |
jar strained or 1/4 cup | or 1/4 cup | well-cooked, mashed | |
well-cooked, pureed | well-cooked, pureed | or chopped vegetables | |
vegetables once or | vegetables | twice a day | |
twice a day. | twice a day. | ||
Fruits | 1 Stage 1 jar or 1/2 Stage 2 | 1/2 to 1 Stage 2 jar | 1/4 to 1/3 cup |
strained or 1/4 cup mashed | or 1/4 cup mashed | chopped, soft fruit | |
banana once or twice a day | fruit twice a day | twice a day | |
Meat & other | 1/4 to 1/3 Stage 2 | 1/8 to 1/4 cup small, | |
Protein Foods | strained meat or poultry | tender pieces of chicken | |
or 1/8 cooked egg yolk | turkey, beef or pork, | ||
mashed dried beans opr | cottage cheese, yogurt, | ||
tofu | cooked dried beans or tofu | ||
Juice | 1 to 2 oz.juice from a cup | 1 to 2 oz from a cuop once | |
(wait until 12 months to | or twice a day | ||
offer citrus juices such as | |||
orange or grapefruit |
Babies need to learn how each food tastes. Offer a variety of plain vegetables and fruits. Give sips of water from a small, plastic cup. Gradually, begin to use the cup at each meal.
Add strained meats. Babies do not each much meat. This is normal. Try cooked egg yolks, mashed dried beans or tofu. Gradually, offer more table foods and less strained foods. Let your baby learn to feed themselves. Be patient. All babies make a mess when they eat.
Start using the cup at each meal to offer 1 to 2 oz of water, formula or juice. If your baby is on formula, decrease the amount offered in the bottle by the amount taken from the cup at mealtime. At one year, your baby should be off the bottle and eating mostly table foods. Too much food can overwhelm babies and toddlers. Offer small amounts.