Feeding Babies and Toddlers by the Food Groups

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You know your child needs a varied diet to grow up strong and healthy—but if you find yourself wondering how and when to vary that diet, read on. This nutrition by food groups for babies and toddlers will insure your child is getting all its nutrition needs.

Adults have it easy: The USDA put out those nifty MyPyramid food guidelines a few years back, and we had cut-and-dried food groups before that. But for babies and toddlers, the recommendations can be hard to nail down. Here's what you should shoot for when feeding your child through his or her second birthday.

Breast Milk & Formula

The cornerstone of your baby's nutrition for the first year, breast milk and formula contain all the protein, fat, calcium, vitamins, and minerals Baby needs up to that first birthday. In year two, breast milk provides a nutritional safety net, including bonus protein, calcium, and vitamins A and D necessary for a growing toddler.

How much breas tmilk or formula does your child need per day?

0 to 4 months: 21-24 oz (6-12 feedings, about 2-4 oz each)
4 to 6 months: 24-32 oz (4-6 feedings, about 4-8 oz each)
6 to 8 months: 24-32 oz (4-5 feedings, about 5-8 oz each)
8 to 10 months: 24-32 oz (3-4 feedings, about 6-8 oz each)
10 to 12 months: 20-32 oz (3-4 feedings, about 5-8 oz each)
12 to 24 months*: 16-24 oz breast milk if still nursing, although no formula is necessary (1-4 breastfeedings daily, sometimes more)

*If Mom is still breastfeeding past the first birthday, bravo! That said, formula is not recommended except in rare circumstances. Remember, toddlers past their first birthday are usually drinking whole milk as their main liquid source of nutrition.

More to know about breast milk and formula:

• Slideshow: Getting Started Breastfeeding
• BabyZone Nursing Guide
• Quiz: What's Your Breastfeeding Style?
• The Scoop on Baby Formula
• Slideshow: Bottlefeeding Essentials
• Bottle Basics Checklist