Recommended Feeding Guide For Baby First Year
During a child early life - eat, sleep, pee, poop and repeat is what they always did.
Their little one eating habit may cause new parents to worries and wonder what is the proper and recommended ounces of milk a baby should take. Should we wake the baby up for feeding ? why my little one seems hungry all the time ? when is the right time to feed solid food to my baby ?
The answer to these question, despite grandparents insistence, have changed and evolved over time.
Baby Feeding Schedule By Different Age
On day one, the baby stomach is the size of a marble and can only hold maximum 1.4 teaspoon of liquid at any given time, As your baby grow up, their stomach stretches and may take in more liquid than before.
It’s really hard and frankly quite impossible to know how much milk your little one is taking while breastfeeding (For obvious reason) But if you are bottle feeding due to some reasons, it’s a easier to measure how much milk the baby is taking.
Based on the recommendation by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a typical feeding schedule for bottle-fed babies is as follow:
| Age | Ounces per feeding | Solid foods |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 2 weeks old | .5 oz. in the first days, then 1–3 oz. | No |
| 2 weeks to 2 months | 2–4 oz. | No |
| 2–4 months | 4-6 oz. | No |
| 4–6 months | 4–8 oz. | Possibly, if your baby can hold their head up and is at least 13 pounds. But you don’t need to introduce solid foods yet. |
| 6–12 months | 8 oz. | Yes. Start with soft foods, like one-grain cereals and pureed vegetables, meats, and fruits, progressing to mashed and well-chopped finger foods. Give your baby one new food at a time. Continue supplementing with breast or formula feedings. |
Baby Feeding Frequency (Breast Fed)
Every baby is unique on their own — but most breastfed babies eat more frequently than bottle-fed baby. This is due to breast milk is easily digested from the stomach a lot quicker than formula milk
According to studies, you should begin nursing your baby within 1 hour of birth and feed your little one approximately 8 to 12 times daily in the first few week old of your baby (Yeah, we know it is tiring)
It is important to feed your little one at least once every 4 hour, waking them up for feeding may be necessary, until you have master breast feeding technique and your baby is gaining weight appropriately.
As your little one grow up and your milk supply increase, it is natural that your little one will be able to take in more milk with lesser time, this is the time when you notice your little one start to have predictable pattern:
- 1 to 3 months: Your little one will feed 7 to 9 times per 24 hours.
- 3 to 5 months: Feedings take place 6 to 8 times in 24 hours.
- 6 to 11 months: Your baby will feed around 6 times a day.
- 12 months and above: Feeding may drop to about 4 times a day. The introduction of solids at about 6 months helps to support your baby’s additional nutritional needs.
Please be advise that this pattern is just one example, as we mentioned that different babies have different paces and preferences, along with other factors that influence the frequency of feedings.
Baby Feeding Frequency (Bottle Fed)
Like breast fed baby, bottle fed baby should eat on demand as well (When your little one is hungry) on average that is about 2 to 3 hour.
Typically, a feeding schedule may look like this:
- Newborn: every 2 to 3 hours
- 2 to 3 months: every 3 to 4 hours
- 4 to 6 months: every 4 to 5 hours
- 6 months and above: every 4 to 5 hours
Baby Feeding Watch Out List
- Avoid give liquids other than formula or breast milk to your little one under a year old. Including juices and cow’s milk, as they don’t provide the right nutrients to baby and can be upsetting to your baby stomach. Water can be introduced around 6 months when you start offering a cup.
- Do not add baby cereal to a bottle.
- It can create a choking hazard.
- A baby digestive system is not mature enough to handle cereal until about 4 to 6 months of age.
- You could overfeed your baby.
- Don’t give your baby any form of honey until after they are 1 year old. Honey can be dangerous for a baby, occasionally causing what is called infant botulism.
- Adjust your expectations based on your baby and their unique needs. Babies are likely to follow feeding patterns according to their age. If your little one has challenges like reflux or failure to thrive, you may need to work with your pediatrician on the appropriate feeding schedule and amount they should be eating.
Depending on your feeding method, you will require different items for it, you will probably require milk pump, milk bottle, baby feeding pillow, milk powder container, baby bottle warmer & sterilizer and some related accessories - which ever your need is, you may browse through the items here