Feeding your baby from birth to 24 months

How do I make meal time safe and fun?

• Always stay with your baby while he or she is eating.
• Toddlers like to mash, feel, smell and squish food while eating.
Stay calm and expect a mess during mealtime.
• Expect your toddler to sit at the table, in a high chair or booster
seat, for about 15 to 20 minutes at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Allow time for your child to finish eating but remove food when he or
she has lost interest. Do not pressure your child to eat. If your child
has not eaten for 20 minutes, take the food away.
• Explore new tastes and textures regularly. Toddlers may need to
“try” new foods a dozen times before they accept and enjoy a food.
• Mealtimes also help your child learn and develop. Talking with your Feeding your baby
child at mealtimes helps them learn about foods and develop their
language skills. Avoid TV and other distractions during meals. From birth to 24 months

Where can I get more information?

Books

Better Baby Food Getting to Yum

(2008) (2014)
by Dana Kalnins by Karen LeBillion
and Joanne Saab
Available online,
Available online in bookstores,
and in bookstores. and from the
Hamilton Public
Library.

Websites:
• Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php A guide to breastfeeding, bottle-feeding
• Dietitians of Canada: www.dietitians.ca and introducing solid foods
• Ellyn Satter: www.EllynSatterinstitute.org

© Hamilton Health Sciences, 2015

PD 9110 – 12/2015
WPC\PtEd\CH\FeedingBaby0-24m-lw.docx
dt/December 9, 2015
2 7
Feeding your baby from birth to 24 months Feeding your baby from birth to 24 months

If you are breastfeeding In the second year: 12 to 24 months

• Breastfeeding provides nutrition and comfort, develops your baby’s sense Use Canada’s Food Guide to help you plan healthy eating for your child.
of trust and security, and protects your baby from harmful germs.
• Your baby will need a supplement of Vitamin D until 12 months of age.
• Breastfeeding may continue for 2 years or longer if you and your Milk and • Choose breastmilk, iron-fortified formula or homogenized milk,
baby desire. Alternates depending on your child’s growth. For advice, talk with your
• Breastfeed your baby whenever he or she is hungry. The following chart family doctor or a dietitian.
is a general guide to breastfeeding in the first 12 months. • Progress from a bottle to a cup.
• Offer cheese, cheese spread and/or yogurt.
Number • Choose high fat cheese and yogurt.
Baby’s Age of feeds Comments • Aim for 2 servings of milk or dairy products a day.
each day Some examples of a serving are 1 cup of milk, 2 oz of cheese
1 to 4 weeks 8 to 12 • Some babies “cluster feed” (feed more than or ¾ cup yogurt.
12 times a day) during their first week of life. Grain Products • Offer breads, dry unsweetened cereals, muffins, rice, pasta
This helps establish a milk supply. or crackers.
• Some mothers may need to express • Aim for 3 servings of grain products as day.
breastmilk with an electric breastpump after Some examples of a serving are ½ cup pasta or cereal or
a feeding to build their supply of milk. 1 slice of bread.
Meat and • Offer hummus, meat, fish, poultry, legumes and eggs.
1 to 3 months 8 to 10 • When breastfeeding is well established, Alternates
your baby may feed 8 to 10 times a day. • Aim for 1 to 2 servings a day. This is about 6 to 10
tablespoons.
• Your baby may feed more often when going
though a growth spurt or when they simply Fruit • Offer mashed or diced fresh cooked fruits.
want more milk. • Limit juice to ½ cup a day.
• Aim for 2 servings a day. This is about 10 to 15 tablespoons.
4 to 6 months 5 to 9 • As your baby grows, there are longer times
between feedings. Vegetables • Offer mashed or diced fresh cooked vegetables.
• Aim for 2 servings a day. This is about 10 to 15 tablespoons.
• Your baby may feed more often when going
though a growth spurt or when they simply Serve food that is easy for small hands to handle.
want more milk. If your baby needs extra calories add butter, margarine, oil or cream.
6 to 12 months 3 to 8 • When your baby begins to have solid foods,
they may breastfeed less often.
1 tablespoon = 15 ml
• This will depend on the amount of solids
your baby eats and whether they are going 1 ounce = 30ml or 30g
through a growth spurt. ½ cup = 125 ml
¾ cup = 175 ml
If you have questions or need help with breastfeeding, call:
1 cup = 250 ml or 8 ounces
• a public health nurse or lactation consultant
• your family doctor, nurse practitioner or pediatrician

_______________________________________________________________ please turn over 

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6 3
Feeding your baby from birth to 24 months Feeding your baby from birth to 24 months

A guide to feeding your baby solid foods If you are bottle-feeding

• It is best to give your baby a formula with added iron (iron-fortified) until
The following charts are a general guide to feeding your baby in the first 2 years. 12 months of age.
If your doctor or dietitian advises you to give your baby extra calories, add butter,
margarine or cream to foods. • Follow your baby’s signs of hunger (cues) to know when he or she is ready
to feed. The following chart is a general guide for feedings.

In the first year

Foods From 6 to 9 months From 9 to 12 months Number Amount in Average amount
of each bottle in 24 hours
Milk products • Offer plain yogurt (3.25% MF • Continue with plain yogurt Baby’s Age bottles a
or higher), cottage cheese or (3.25% MF or higher), cottage
grated hard cheese. cheese or other cheese.
day
• Aim for 1 to 2 tablespoons • Aim for 2 to 4 tablespoons
a day. a day. 1 to 4 weeks 6 to 10 2 to 3 ounces 12 to 20 ounces
Grain • Mix with breastmilk or formula. • Continue iron-fortified infant
Products and • Feed cereal from a spoon, cereal. 3 to 8 weeks 6 to 8 4 to 5 ounces 20 to 30 ounces
Iron-fortified not from the bottle. • Introduce other plain cereals,
infant cereal • Aim for 2 to 4 tablespoons bread, rice and pasta. 2 to 5 months 5 to 6 5 to 7 ounces 25 to 37 ounces
a day. • Aim for 4 to 10 tablespoons
a day. 5 to 9 months 4 to 6 5 to 8 ounces 25 to 40 ounces
Meat and • Cooked meat, fish, chicken, tofu, • Offer minced or diced
Alternatives mashed beans, egg yolk. cooked meat, fish, chicken, 9 to 12 months 3 to 4 6 to 7 ounces 21 to 28 ounces
• Canned light tuna-skipjack, tofu, beans, egg yolk.
yellowfin, and tongol. • Aim for 4 to 6 tablespoons
Avoid albacore tuna as it is a day. Over 1 year 2 to 3 6 to 8 ounces To encourage your baby
higher in mercury. to eat more solid foods,
• Aim for 2 to 4 tablespoons give your baby less
a day. than 16 to18 ounces of
Vegetables • Offer pureed cooked vegetables • Offer mashed or diced cooked formula (or homogenized
and progress to soft mashed vegetables. milk) a day.
cooked vegetables. • Aim for 4 to 8 tablespoons
• Aim for 2 to 4 tablespoons a day. Smaller babies can
a day.
stay on formula for up
Fruit • Offer pureed cooked fruits, • Offer SOFT fresh fruits, (peeled, to 2 years.
very ripe mashed fruit such seeded and diced) or canned
as a banana. fruits packed in water or juice
• Aim for 2 to 4 tablespoons (diced).
a day. • Aim for 4 to 8 tablespoons
a day.

_______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
4 5
Feeding your baby from birth to 24 months Feeding your baby from birth to 24 months

When do I start to give my baby solid foods? How do I increase solid foods?
By 6 months of age your baby may be ready for solid foods if he/she: 6 months of age 9 months of age
• can sit up with very little help and has good control of his/her
neck muscles 1-2 tbsp
1-2 tbsp
• can hold food in his/her mouth without pushing it out on his/her 1-2 tbsp well-cooked cooked
1-2 tbsp
tongue right away fruit or
well-cooked well-cooked 1-2 tbsp meat, legumes,
vegetables
• opens his/her mouth when food is offered meat, iron-fortified egg or fish
meat, legumes,
• shows interest in food when others are eating legumes, infant cereal
egg or fish egg or fish 1-2 tbsp
• can turn his/her head to refuse food iron-fortified
infant cereal

Giving baby solid foods too early can cause problems because: Pureed foods Add mashed and soft foods Add finger foods
• your baby may drink less breastmilk or formula.
• your baby’s stomach is not ready to digest solid foods.
When do I give foods with more texture?
As your baby develops, he/she will be able to have foods with more texture.
What solid food should I give my baby first?
Every baby is unique and will progress to foods with greater texture at their
Start with iron-fortified cereal or meat. These foods
own rate. Be patient as your baby learns to eat.
contain iron, which helps with your baby’s development.
Prepare a tablespoon of food. Offer small amounts to Your baby’s Number of meals Texture of food
your baby on a spoon. development and snacks a day
Sitting with support 2 to 3 • Pureed, mashed and
semi-solid foods
How do I introduce solid foods?
Sitting on own 2 to 3 • Small amounts of soft mashed
Here are some helpful tips: foods with few lumps
• Introduce foods one at a time, about 2 to 3 days apart. Crawling 3 to 4 • Ground soft mashed foods or
• Start with a small amount and increase as your baby shows interest. foods that dissolve - such as
• Meal times should always be enjoyable and an opportunity to learn whole grain crackers
new skills. Let your baby explore food by touching and tasting. We don’t Walking 3 meals • Chopped foods, foods with
recommend tricking or coaxing your baby by playing games or offering more texture, finger foods
sweetened foods. 1 to 2 snacks (such as toasted O’s cereal,
• Try making your own baby food by pureeing meat, fish, stews, vegetables, small pieces of cooked pasta or
and fruits. You will be able to offer your baby a wider variety of foods soft vegetables, grated cheese)
and texture. It also costs less.

_______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
4 5
Feeding your baby from birth to 24 months Feeding your baby from birth to 24 months

When do I start to give my baby solid foods? How do I increase solid foods?
By 6 months of age your baby may be ready for solid foods if he/she: 6 months of age 9 months of age
• can sit up with very little help and has good control of his/her
neck muscles 1-2 tbsp
1-2 tbsp
• can hold food in his/her mouth without pushing it out on his/her 1-2 tbsp well-cooked cooked
1-2 tbsp
tongue right away fruit or
well-cooked well-cooked 1-2 tbsp meat, legumes,
vegetables
• opens his/her mouth when food is offered meat, iron-fortified egg or fish
meat, legumes,
• shows interest in food when others are eating legumes, infant cereal
egg or fish egg or fish 1-2 tbsp
• can turn his/her head to refuse food iron-fortified
infant cereal

Giving baby solid foods too early can cause problems because: Pureed foods Add mashed and soft foods Add finger foods
• your baby may drink less breastmilk or formula.
• your baby’s stomach is not ready to digest solid foods.
When do I give foods with more texture?
As your baby develops, he/she will be able to have foods with more texture.
What solid food should I give my baby first?
Every baby is unique and will progress to foods with greater texture at their
Start with iron-fortified cereal or meat. These foods
own rate. Be patient as your baby learns to eat.
contain iron, which helps with your baby’s development.
Prepare a tablespoon of food. Offer small amounts to Your baby’s Number of meals Texture of food
your baby on a spoon. development and snacks a day
Sitting with support 2 to 3 • Pureed, mashed and
semi-solid foods
How do I introduce solid foods?
Sitting on own 2 to 3 • Small amounts of soft mashed
Here are some helpful tips: foods with few lumps
• Introduce foods one at a time, about 2 to 3 days apart. Crawling 3 to 4 • Ground soft mashed foods or
• Start with a small amount and increase as your baby shows interest. foods that dissolve - such as
• Meal times should always be enjoyable and an opportunity to learn whole grain crackers
new skills. Let your baby explore food by touching and tasting. We don’t Walking 3 meals • Chopped foods, foods with
recommend tricking or coaxing your baby by playing games or offering more texture, finger foods
sweetened foods. 1 to 2 snacks (such as toasted O’s cereal,
• Try making your own baby food by pureeing meat, fish, stews, vegetables, small pieces of cooked pasta or
and fruits. You will be able to offer your baby a wider variety of foods soft vegetables, grated cheese)
and texture. It also costs less.

_______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
6 3
Feeding your baby from birth to 24 months Feeding your baby from birth to 24 months

A guide to feeding your baby solid foods If you are bottle-feeding

• It is best to give your baby a formula with added iron (iron-fortified) until
The following charts are a general guide to feeding your baby in the first 2 years. 12 months of age.
If your doctor or dietitian advises you to give your baby extra calories, add butter,
margarine or cream to foods. • Follow your baby’s signs of hunger (cues) to know when he or she is ready
to feed. The following chart is a general guide for feedings.

In the first year

Foods From 6 to 9 months From 9 to 12 months Number Amount in Average amount
of each bottle in 24 hours
Milk products • Offer plain yogurt (3.25% MF • Continue with plain yogurt Baby’s Age bottles a
or higher), cottage cheese or (3.25% MF or higher), cottage
grated hard cheese. cheese or other cheese.
day
• Aim for 1 to 2 tablespoons • Aim for 2 to 4 tablespoons
a day. a day. 1 to 4 weeks 6 to 10 2 to 3 ounces 12 to 20 ounces
Grain • Mix with breastmilk or formula. • Continue iron-fortified infant
Products and • Feed cereal from a spoon, cereal. 3 to 8 weeks 6 to 8 4 to 5 ounces 20 to 30 ounces
Iron-fortified not from the bottle. • Introduce other plain cereals,
infant cereal • Aim for 2 to 4 tablespoons bread, rice and pasta. 2 to 5 months 5 to 6 5 to 7 ounces 25 to 37 ounces
a day. • Aim for 4 to 10 tablespoons
a day. 5 to 9 months 4 to 6 5 to 8 ounces 25 to 40 ounces
Meat and • Cooked meat, fish, chicken, tofu, • Offer minced or diced
Alternatives mashed beans, egg yolk. cooked meat, fish, chicken, 9 to 12 months 3 to 4 6 to 7 ounces 21 to 28 ounces
• Canned light tuna-skipjack, tofu, beans, egg yolk.
yellowfin, and tongol. • Aim for 4 to 6 tablespoons
Avoid albacore tuna as it is a day. Over 1 year 2 to 3 6 to 8 ounces To encourage your baby
higher in mercury. to eat more solid foods,
• Aim for 2 to 4 tablespoons give your baby less
a day. than 16 to18 ounces of
Vegetables • Offer pureed cooked vegetables • Offer mashed or diced cooked formula (or homogenized
and progress to soft mashed vegetables. milk) a day.
cooked vegetables. • Aim for 4 to 8 tablespoons
• Aim for 2 to 4 tablespoons a day. Smaller babies can
a day.
stay on formula for up
Fruit • Offer pureed cooked fruits, • Offer SOFT fresh fruits, (peeled, to 2 years.
very ripe mashed fruit such seeded and diced) or canned
as a banana. fruits packed in water or juice
• Aim for 2 to 4 tablespoons (diced).
a day. • Aim for 4 to 8 tablespoons
a day.

_______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
 Feeding your baby from birth to 24 months

How do I make meal time safe and fun?

• Always stay with your baby while he or she is eating.
• Toddlers like to mash, feel, smell and squish food while eating.
Stay calm and expect a mess during mealtime.
• Expect your toddler to sit at the table, in a high chair or booster
seat, for about 15 to 20 minutes at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Allow time for your child to finish eating but remove food when he or
she has lost interest. Do not pressure your child to eat. If your child
has not eaten for 20 minutes, take the food away.
• Explore new tastes and textures regularly. Toddlers may need to
“try” new foods a dozen times before they accept and enjoy a food.
• Mealtimes also help your child learn and develop. Talking with your Feeding your baby
child at mealtimes helps them learn about foods and develop their
language skills. Avoid TV and other distractions during meals. From birth to 24 months

Where can I get more information?

Books

Better Baby Food Getting to Yum

(2008) (2014)
by Dana Kalnins by Karen LeBillion
and Joanne Saab
Available online,
Available online in bookstores,
and in bookstores. and from the
Hamilton Public
Library.

Websites:
• Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php A guide to breastfeeding, bottle-feeding
• Dietitians of Canada: www.dietitians.ca and introducing solid foods
• Ellyn Satter: www.EllynSatterinstitute.org

© Hamilton Health Sciences, 2015

PD 9110 – 12/2015
WPC\PtEd\CH\FeedingBaby0-24m-lw.docx
dt/December 9, 2015