Generally speaking, your baby’s diet will become one of the most important and, moreover, confusing questions after giving birth. Food is the main source of energy for your little one. You definitely know that all the products should be fresh and high quality and it’s great when this food is organic. But the question is how often and how much should your baby eat?
Some parents just are overprotective and want their little ones to eat as much as possible. But, be sure it will lead to some negative consequences and health problems. It is as bad for babies as underfeeding. So you need to come up with a perfect baby feeding schedule for your little one. How to do so? Just observe and listen to your baby.
In general, all babies are different and they require their own amount of food. It is connected to body weight, appetite and of course age. But here are some recommendations.
Feeding newborns
Young parents have two options to choose from during the first months of their baby’s life.
1. If you prefer giving breast milk to your baby, he or she probably eats every 2-3 hours. And they drink about 50-60 grams of milk per one feeding. While getting older, it’s obvious that this amount can become slightly bigger, for example, 80 grams for 1 session.
It’s difficult to measure how much milk your baby consumes if you give it directly from the breast, but if you pump it and use bottles, you can literally see the amount. In order to understand whether it’s okay, watch your baby’s output. If the diaper becomes wet five to six times a day, everything goes great.
2. Formula-fed babies tend to eat a little less often than breastfed ones, about every 3-4 hours. And it’s usually easier to create a baby feeding schedule. There are some instructions on how to prepare each of the formulas and they are specifically created for different stages. But again, look at your baby and listen to his or her needs.
Feeding babies from 6 months onwards
Most babies show their interest in solid foods when they are about 6 months old. But don’t be worried if your little one has a different timeline as all the babies are unique. During this period, your baby’s diet changes completely and you need to get used to a new reality. It’s important to combine breast milk or baby formula with different foods correctly in order to make your baby get all the necessary nutrients and not to overfeed. So the main recommendations are:
1. As breast milk or formula is still the main source of food for babies, don’t give too many solids. Introduce them smartly, in small amounts and gradually. So if your baby is consuming about 200 grams for each feeding and repeating that 4-5 times a day, you need to give only a few small pieces of usual food not to make him or her overfed.
2. When babies get 6 to 9 months old, all their calories should still come from breast milk or formula. But your task is to diversify this diet as much as possible. Introduce different kinds of food like vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, dairy and cereals. Remember about the quality of products and the way of cooking. Soft pureed food is the best idea for babies. They will gradually get used to various healthy foods and will be ready to refuse milk quite soon.
3. At the age of 10 to 12 months, your baby continues to get milk but half of their calories come from solids. Still remember about the right shape of food. So avoid round, hard or sharp foods and ensure that your little one takes about 850 grams of liquid in 24 hours.
4. When your baby gets 12 months or older, table food becomes his most important source of energy. You need to serve milk just to support your baby, but not much. From that point of time, a baby is getting more or less an adult kind of diet. Your main task is to buy high-quality food, serve it correctly, follow your child’s needs and observe his well-being. If you have some doubts about the diet or the baby’s state of health, just consult a doctor.