A Guide to Feeding Milestones: Supporting Your Baby’s Development from Birth to Toddlerhood

Feeding your baby is a journey that evolves as they grow, encompassing various stages and milestones crucial for their development. Understanding these stages can help ensure your child receives the nutrition they need while developing essential motor and sensory skills. 

0-3 Months: The Beginning 

In the initial months, infants rely solely on breast milk or formula. Newborns typically feed every 1-3 hours, consuming about 2-3 ounces per feeding. Key milestones during this period include: 

• Latching onto the nipple or bottle effectively. 

• Coordinated sucking and swallowing. 

• Consuming 2 to 6 ounces of liquid per feeding, approximately six times a day. 

It's essential to note that at this stage, babies are not ready for solid foods or cow's milk. Their digestive systems and oral motor skills are still developing. 

4-6 Months: Introducing Purees 

As babies grow, they may show readiness for pureed foods and cereals. Indicators that your baby might be prepared include: 

• Ability to sit up with support, such as in a high chair. 

• Good head and neck control. 

• Interest in foods, like reaching for or opening their mouth when food approaches. 

When introducing solids: 

• Start with single-ingredient purees, such as carrots, apples, or pears. 

• Introduce one new food at a time, waiting three days before adding another to monitor for allergies. 

• Continue to provide breast milk or formula, as it remains a primary nutrition source. 

7-9 Months: Exploring Textures 

During this phase, babies often transition to thicker purees and mashed table foods. They may begin to: 

• Hold and drink from a bottle independently. 

• Enjoy chew toys to soothe gums during teething. 

• Show strong reactions to new tastes and textures. 

Suitable foods include soft, mashed items like baked potatoes, small pieces of ripe banana, or soft-cooked carrots. Ensure foods are cut into small pieces to prevent choking. 

10-12 Months: Advancing to Finger Foods 

As babies approach their first birthday, they typically: 

• Finger-feed themselves. 

• Use an open cup with assistance. 

• Eat a variety of soft-cooked vegetables, fruits, and finger foods. 

Encourage self-feeding with appropriate utensils and continue to offer diverse foods to develop their palate. 

13-18 Months: Independent Eating 

Toddlers become more adept at self-feeding and can: 

• Use an open cup independently. 

• Eat most foods and participate in family meals. 

• Increase the variety of chopped table foods they consume. 

Introduce whole milk, with paediatrician approval, and continue offering a balanced diet with various textures and flavours. 

Signs of Feeding Issues 

Monitor your child for potential feeding difficulties, such as: 

• Inability to latch onto breast or bottle. 

• Frequent spitting up or vomiting after feeding. 

• Consistent refusal of solid foods. 

• Gagging, coughing, or choking while eating. 

• Eating only one category of food, e.g. carbohydrates only. Refusing proteins.  

• Eating only one kind of texture. E.g. cannot tolerate 2 textures, or eats only dry textured food and refuses soft food.  

• Inability to touch food, demanding to be always fed by someone.  

• Not eating enough and losing weight/health 

If concerns arise, consult with healthcare professionals like lactation consultants, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, dietitians and developmental paediatricians. 

Understanding and supporting your baby's feeding development is vital for their growth and well-being. By recognizing and responding to their cues and milestones, you can foster a positive and healthy feeding experience. 

At First Step Therapy Services, we recognize the importance of supporting children at every stage of their feeding journey. Our expert keyworkers and therapists specialize in educating the parents and starting the basics of feeding with children for up to 2 years of age. With over 15 years of experience in paediatric therapy, we use evidence-based strategies to promote safe, effective, and joyful feeding experiences for children and their families. We will also support families in accessing the appropriate swallowing/feeding specialist and work in close collaboration with them. Our physiotherapist also works closely to assess the sitting posture required for feeding safely. Often speech pathologists work in conjunction with the Physios to get the optimum safe sitting posture in the infant/toddler/child before they can work on swallowing/feeding. If you have any concerns, don't hesitate to contact us—we’re here to help!

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