Baby feeding chart by age
How much milk your baby typically takes, how often, and when solids come in, from the first days to age 2. Every baby varies: follow their hunger and fullness cues.
| Age | Milk | How often | Solids |
|---|---|---|---|
| First days | Breast: 8–12 feeds / day, small amounts. Formula: ½–1 oz (15–30 ml) per feed | Every 2–3 hours, including nights | None |
| 2 weeks–2 months | Formula: 2–4 oz (60–120 ml) per feed | Every 3–4 hours; breastfed 8–12 times | None |
| 2–4 months | Formula: 4–6 oz (120–180 ml) per feed | 6–8 feeds | None |
| 4–6 months | Formula: 4–8 oz (120–240 ml) per feed | 5–6 feeds | Usually none yet; start around 6 months when ready |
| 6–9 months | Breast milk or formula still the main food; formula up to about 32 oz (950 ml) / day | 4–6 milk feeds | 1–3 small meals: iron-rich foods, soft finger foods or mashes, allergens introduced |
| 9–12 months | Breast milk or formula, 3–4 feeds | 3–4 milk feeds | 3 meals + 1–2 snacks, chopped soft family food |
| 12–24 months | Whole cow’s milk 16–24 oz (about 2–3 cups) / day max, or continued breastfeeding | With meals | 3 meals + 2 snacks; same foods as the family, cut small |
Formula estimate by weight
AAP rule of thumb: about 2.5 oz per pound of body weight a day, up to 32 oz. For babies under 6 months on formula only.
An estimate only. Growth-spurt days vary a lot. If your baby is gaining poorly or seems hungry all the time, check with your pediatrician.
Starting solids and baby-led weaning
The AAP and WHO recommend starting solids around 6 months, not before 4 months. Signs of readiness: sits with support, good head control, reaches for food, and has lost the tongue-thrust reflex that pushes food out.
Whether you choose purees, finger foods (baby-led weaning) or a mix, offer iron-rich foods early (meat, beans, fortified cereal) and introduce common allergens such as peanut and egg in age-appropriate forms. The AAP now advises not delaying allergens; talk to your pediatrician first if your baby has severe eczema or a known allergy.
Gagging or choking? Know the difference
A baby's gag reflex sits far forward on the tongue, so gagging is common and protective while learning to eat. Choking is silent. Toggle to compare.
- Coughing, sputtering, retching sounds
- Face red, tongue pushing forward, eyes watering
- Food moves forward and out
- What to do: stay calm, keep them upright, let them work it out. Don't reach in.
First finger foods, prepared safely
| Food | How to serve at 6–9 months |
|---|---|
| Banana | Halved lengthwise, or a spear with some peel left as a handle |
| Avocado | Ripe strips, rolled in ground oats for grip |
| Broccoli | Steamed florets with a long stalk handle, soft enough to squash between fingers |
| Egg | Well-cooked omelette strips (an allergen: offer early and often) |
| Toast | Thin fingers with a smear of smooth peanut butter (allergen) |
| Grapes | Quartered lengthwise. Never whole under 4 years |
| Whole nuts, popcorn, raw carrot, hard apple | Avoid under 4 years (AAP choking hazards) |
Rule of thumb: soft enough to squash between your thumb and finger, and long enough to stick out of your baby's fist.