Baby Feeding

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Feeding baby
the 1 year
st
DrRosesBaby.com
@DoctorRosesBaby
A Step-by-Step Guide - Feeding baby the 1st year DrRosesBaby.com 2
HEY THERE, NEW MOMS!

Welcome to the first year of feeding! This is an exciting new time for you and your
little one.
However, it can also be a bit stressful for moms playing the guessing game of feeding.
This is a game no mom should have to play. So I’m changing the rules and giving you
everything you need — from feeding behavior to feeding tips — at each and every stage
of development in the first year, and if you plan on preparing your baby’s food yourself,
stick around until the end for some bonus recipes you don’t want to miss out on!
Just a small note before we jump right in — it’s important not to compare your baby to
other babies. Each baby is its own bundle of uniqueness, some will eat more, others less.
This is completely normal. Babies are also quite a bit smarter than they let on — they can
tell when they’ve had enough, and no amount of force-feeding will get them to change
their little minds. If you ever have any concerns, don’t hesitate to talk to your baby’s
healthcare provider — it’s what we’re here for.
I hope that you enjoy this fun and messy feeding journey!
Let’s begin…
Reyna M Trevino, MD FAAP

Founder Dr Rose’s Healthy Noses
& Mom of 5 daughters
AGE:
Newborn
DEVELOPMENTAL FEEDING BEHAVIOR
Let’s start with the first 2 weeks when your baby is new to this world and you’re new
to feeding — this is a time of learning for both of you. If you’re breastfeeding, a healthy,
full-term baby will begin with cluster feeding until your breastmilk supply has
settled. Cluster feeding essentially involves the baby wanting a lot of short feeds for a
few hours. This is just your baby trying to figure out its new food source, and hey, it’s okay
if you’re still figuring it out too.
If you’re bottle-feeding, you can also expect some initial variation in your baby’s
feeding habits, starting somewhere around 1-2 oz every 2-3 hours. If you have a
larger or hungrier baba, you can expect a bit more. Keep an eye out for spitting up
or excessive fussiness — this is often your baby’s way of telling you that they’ve
had enough.
Feeding Tip
Don’t be alarmed if your baby loses some weight in this stage — this is completely
normal, especially when you’re breastfeeding. Let your healthcare provider guide you
through these first 2 weeks to help get your baby back to birth weight and beyond.
AGE:
Birth - 4 months
Once your baby is past the newborn stage, you can now look ahead to the first 4 months.
In these first few months, you’ll start to get the hang of things and get to know your baby
and their feeding habits. So what can you expect?

Here are some interesting behaviors your baby will have at this stage:
• By now your baby has learned to close their mouth or turn away when full —
this is helpful, as it will prevent you from overfeeding
• It’s also common for your baby to turn toward a nipple to find nourishment —
this is called the rooting reflex
WHAT TO FEED YOUR BABY

• Either breastmilk or formula is perfect for this stage
• Do not give water until your baby reaches 6 months or cow’s milk until your baby
reaches 12 months
FEEDING CHART
Here’s a brief breakdown of your baby’s feeding schedule for each month, looking
specifically at formula feeding. Remember that these are the averages, and it’s okay if
your baby deviates slightly from the norm. You’ve got to do what works for you and your
precious baby!
Number of breast/formula
Age (months) Amount per feeding (oz)
feedings per 24 hours
0-1 2-4 6-8
2 4-6 5-6
3-4 5-7 5-6
Feeding Tip
Fun fact! At this stage, your
baby’s digestive tract is still
developing. This means that
solid foods are still a no-no
for now.
AGE:
4-5 months
The period between 4 and 5 months is defined by readiness — your little one is
growing up, while they’re not there yet, they’re readying themselves to take on the
world of solid foods!

Here are some interesting behaviors your baby can have at this stage to show feeding
readiness, it’s okay if it takes up to 6 months to show these.
In this transitional stage, your baby:
• Becomes interested in the food you’re eating
• Can hold its head up without bobbling
• Knows to open their mouth for a spoon of food and no longer pushes the spoon
away with their tongue — now this is a development to celebrate!
• Is now double their birth weight or weighs at least 13 lbs

• Breastmilk and formula still make up the majority of your baby’s diet
• It’s okay to start with softened or pureed foods, i.e. grain cereals, all vegetables,
and fruits (see feeding tip)
• I’d recommend speaking to your healthcare provider on whether it’s time to
start introducing peanut butter, eggs, and other common allergy foods into your
baby’s diet
FEEDING CHART
Not sure which foods or how much to feed your baby at this stage? Here’s a guide
detailing the do’s and don’ts of feeding foods between months 4-6:
Food item What to do
Breastfeeding or formula 4-6 feedings/day or 28-36 oz/day
3-4 tbsp; single-grained, iron-fortified cereal;

Dry infant cereal with iron
mixed with formula
Fruits 1-2 tbsp; plain and strained; 1-2 times/day
Vegetables 1-2 tbsp; plain and strained; 1-2 times/day
Best to wait for 6 months or more

Meats and protein foods
(see 6-9 month chart)
Make first cereal feedings very liquid/soupy

Development
and thicken slowly over time.
* measuring tip: 2 Tsp = 1 oz
Feeding Tip: Starting at 6 months

While every baby is different, I’d really recommend waiting until 6 months to start
with solid foods. This makes sure you take full advantage of the nutrition in your
breastmilk or formula in the first few months, and hey, you worked hard to prepare
those bottles, let’s not let one drop go to waste!
AGE:
6-9 months
Congrats — your precious angel has passed the 6-month mark, and your little one isn’t so
little anymore! They’re officially old enough to tackle solid foods!

With 6 months of experience, comes some wonderful developments:
• Propping your baby up is something of the past with your baby now being able to
sit up all on their own — all you have to do is get them into a sitting position
• Your baby can now transfer objects from one hand to the other
• They also start grabbing bits of food with an open palmed hand — you’ve got to
watch out for this one

• As always, breastmilk and formula remain a staple in your baby’s diet
• You can start giving your baby some water, around 4-6 oz
• You’re all clear to start giving your baby solid foods — make sure to purée them into
a soft, lumpy consistency
• Mashed foods, such as avocados, fruits, vegetables, and very soft or puréed chicken,
can also be integrated into your baby’s diet
FEEDING CHART
For this very special period, I’ve created a very special feeding chart. This period
comes with quite a few changes to your baby’s diet. To make sure you cater to each
developmental stage as best as possible, here’s a month by month breakdown:
Food item 6 months 7-8 months
3-5 feedings/day 3-5 feedings/day

Breastfeeding or formula
or 30-36 oz/day or 30-36 ozes/day
3-5 tbsp; single-grained,

Dry infant cereal 5-8 tbsp; single-grained;
iron-fortified cereal; mixed
with iron mixed with formula
with formula
2-4 tbsp; plain and 3-6 tbsp; plain and

Fruits
strained; 2 times/day strained; 2-3 times/day
2-3 tbsp; plain and 3-6 tbsp; plain and

Vegetables
strained; 2 times/day strained; 2-3 times/day
1-2 tbsp; strained; 2-3 tbsp; strained;

2 times/day 2 times/day
Baby cookies, puffs, toast, Baby cookies, puffs, toast,

Snacks
crackers, plain yogurt crackers, plain yogurt
Formula food intake

Start with finger foods
Development decreases; solid food diet
and cups
increases

AGE:
9-12 months
You’re almost there! One last push, and you and your baby would have successfully made
it through your first year of feeding — congratulations, mama! So here’s to enjoying the
last few months of your baby’s first year with your trusty feeing guide by your side!

Here are the final developments to look forward to in your baby’s first year:
• Your baby can now sit up, unsupported, and can bring objects to their mouth
(all types of objects, so be careful of this one)
• Babies are ready to take their seat at the big table — they may change
or prefer table food
• Your baby can also start feeding themself with a spoon, plus they really enjoy it —
it’s a win-win for both of you
• A sippy cup of milk or water also becomes your baby’s best friend
• Their pincer grasp becomes a force to be reckoned with, and the food on their tray
is their favorite target (this one can get quite messy, good luck)

• Soft foods have officially dethroned breastmilk and formula as your baby’s staple
diet — just make sure it’s soft to prevent chances of choking
• You can also make use of foods that dissolve easily
• Some great food options at this stage include squishy/shaved banana or soft fruit,
overcooked pasta, tiny pieces of scrambled egg or pancakes (yum!), small pieces of
well-cooked potato or sweet potato, puffs, baby crackers/wafers, very small pieces of
moist chicken
FEEDING CHART
Food item 9 months 10-12 months
3-5 feedings/day 3-5 feedings/day

Breastfeeding or formula
or 30-32 oz/day or 30-32 ozes/day
5-8 tbsp; any variety; 5-8 tbsp; any variety;

Dry infant cereal with iron
mixed with formula mixed with formula
2-4 tbsp; strained or 3-6 tbsp; strained or

Fruits
mashed; 2 times/day matched; 2-3 times/day
2-4 tbsp; mashed, soft, 5-8 tbsp; mashed, soft,

Vegetables
bite-sized; 2 times/day bite-sized; 2-3 times/day
2-3 tbsp; finely chopped,

2-3 tbsp; tender and table meats, fish without
chopped; 2 times/day bones, and mild cheese;
2 times/day
¼-½ cups of mashed pota- ¼-½ cups of mashed pota-

Starches toes, pasta or bread, toes, pasta or bread,
2 times/day 2 times/day
Baby cookies, assorted Baby cookies, assorted

finger foods, cookies, toast, finger foods, cookies, toast,
crackers, plain yogurt,
Snacks crackers, plain yogurt,
cooked green beans,
cooked vegetables or cottage cheese, ice cream,
more fruit pudding, dry cereal

Feeding Tip: Starting at 6 months

Here are your last feeding tips of the year! When it comes to integrating milk and
water into your baby’s diet, I’d suggest switching to cow’s milk only at 12 months
with the recommended amount of more or less 12-18 oz. You can also start giving
your baby more water, about 6-8 oz per day, and lastly, at this stage, I would hold
off on the juice — it’s not yet necessary in their diet.
FEEDING CHART
If you’re looking for more information about feeding your baby, here are some helpful and
trustworthy sites you can visit:
• American Academy of Pediatrics Healthy Children
• The Greenlight Booklets from a multicenter trial on infant feeding in which
Stanford University is a participant
There you have it.
The complete feeding guide for the first year with your precious baby.
But wait — there’s more!
Bonus Recipes on the next page!

BONUS RECIPE 01 • 4-9 MONTHS
Easy Avocado Puree
INGREDIENTS:
⅓ avocado
1 tbsp baby oatmeal
Formula or breastmilk (add for preferred consistency)
METHOD:
1. In a baby bowl, take ⅓ avocado and mash well with a fork
2. Add 1 tbsp baby oatmeal cereal
3. Add either breastmilk or formula until you get an applesauce consistency, or less
to get a thicker consistency — depending on your baby’s ability to swallow more
textured foods
If you’ve tried other fruits with your baby, consider adding other tastes to this fun medley,
such as banana or mango. Enjoy the look on your baby’s face when they taste this for the
first time!
Sweet Potato Puree
INGREDIENTS:
1 small sweet potato
Salt-free chicken broth
METHOD:
1. Steam or oven bake your sweet potato (and maybe make some extra for yourself to
enjoy!)
2. Wait until it’s soft to take it out and cut it into cubes (or you can just chuck it in the
blender to save you some time)
3. Add the chicken broth on top of the sweet potato — enough to get the consistency
you want. Add more for an applesauce consistency, less for a thicker texture
This is another recipe your precious angel will love!

Chicken & Broccoli Puree
INGREDIENTS:
Add as much as you’d like of the following (as long as they’re in equal parts):
1 cup cubed potatoes
1 cup broccoli cut up into small pieces
1 cup pre-cubed steamed chicken
⅓ cup chicken broth (or more depending on your desired consistency)
METHOD:
1. Steam or boil your chicken ahead of time
2. Cut the cooked chicken into cubes and set aside
3. Steam your potatoes and broccoli and chop them up into cubes
4. Once everything is steamed, combine together in the blender and add the chicken broth
To make your job a bit easier, tools like the Nutribullet, Baby Bullet, Baby Breza One Step
Food Maker Deluxe are great assets to keep near at all times when preparing food for your
baby. However, they’re not entirely necessary — a standard blender and a pot on the stove
will be perfect at getting the job done, which is all you need to do for your baby at the end
of the day.
TOP TIP:
Favorite Brands
If you want to take a break from cooking, you can treat yourself, and your baby, to my
favorite pre-jarred brands:
Earth’s Best Organics: www.earthsbest.com

Serenity Kids: www.myserenitykids.com
Seedlings Baby Food: www.seedlingsbabyfood.com
Final Words
With this feeding guide by your side, I hope you’ll be able to go into your first year less
worried about figuring out your baby’s feeding schedule and more focused on spending
precious moments with your baby.
The first year only happens once, and this is a time you don’t want to miss out on, and
remember, this is a learning process for both you and your baby, so allow yourself space
to learn, experience, and make mistakes.
You’ve got this!

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A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

HEY THERE, NEW MOMS!

Reyna M Trevino, MD FAAP

DEVELOPMENTAL FEEDING BEHAVIOR

WHAT TO FEED YOUR BABY

0-1 2-4 6-8

3-4 5-7 5-6

DEVELOPMENTAL FEEDING BEHAVIOR

WHAT TO FEED YOUR BABY

Food item What to do

Breastfeeding or formula 4-6 feedings/day or 28-36 oz/day

3-4 tbsp; single-grained, iron-fortified cereal;

Fruits 1-2 tbsp; plain and strained; 1-2 times/day

Vegetables 1-2 tbsp; plain and strained; 1-2 times/day

Best to wait for 6 months or more

Make first cereal feedings very liquid/soupy

* measuring tip: 2 Tsp = 1 oz

Feeding Tip: Starting at 6 months

DEVELOPMENTAL FEEDING BEHAVIOR

WHAT TO FEED YOUR BABY

Food item 6 months 7-8 months

3-5 feedings/day 3-5 feedings/day

3-5 tbsp; single-grained,

2-4 tbsp; plain and 3-6 tbsp; plain and

2-3 tbsp; plain and 3-6 tbsp; plain and

1-2 tbsp; strained; 2-3 tbsp; strained;

Baby cookies, puffs, toast, Baby cookies, puffs, toast,

Formula food intake

* measuring tip: 2 Tsp = 1 oz

DEVELOPMENTAL FEEDING BEHAVIOR

WHAT TO FEED YOUR BABY

Food item 9 months 10-12 months

3-5 feedings/day 3-5 feedings/day

5-8 tbsp; any variety; 5-8 tbsp; any variety;

2-4 tbsp; strained or 3-6 tbsp; strained or

2-4 tbsp; mashed, soft, 5-8 tbsp; mashed, soft,

2-3 tbsp; finely chopped,

¼-½ cups of mashed pota- ¼-½ cups of mashed pota-

Baby cookies, assorted Baby cookies, assorted

* measuring tip: 2 Tsp = 1 oz

Feeding Tip: Starting at 6 months

There you have it.

Bonus Recipes on the next page!

BONUS RECIPE 01 • 4-9 MONTHS

Easy Avocado Puree

BONUS RECIPE 02 • 6-9 MONTHS

Sweet Potato Puree

This is another recipe your precious angel will love!

BONUS RECIPE 03 • 6-9 MONTHS

Chicken & Broccoli Puree

Earth’s Best Organics: www.earthsbest.com

You’ve got this!

You might also like