Baby
Most Popular
- Gender Predictor
- Quiz: Boy or Girl?
- Free Stuff
- Ovulation Tracker
- Pregnancy Calendar
- Due Date Calculator
- Baby Names
- NEW! Baby Cards
- Widgets
- Baby Name Advisor
- Baby Horoscopes
- Safest Baby Gear
- Take a Poll
- Ask an Expert
- More Popular Links
Site Essentials
Feeding Babies and Toddlers by the Food Groups
Infant and toddler nutrition, demystified!
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, use these nutrition pointers.
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.
Download this month-by-month nutrition chart to stay on top of Baby's changing needs. And be sure to check back and use our nutrition calculator to see how your baby or toddler is doing.
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 breastmilk 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 breastmilk 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
Related Links
- Article: Balancing Breast and Bottle: True Tales from Moms Who've Succeeded
- Advice: Should Babies Drink Water?
- Slideshow: Mom-Tested: Great Green Gear for Babies, Toddlers, & Moms
- Quiz: What's Your Breast Pump Know-How?
- Poll: What kind of diapers do or did you use for Baby?
Sign up below and get your free, personalized week-by-week baby development newsletter
Free Stuff Picks
Join Similac® StrongMoms™ today
Sign up and receive free samples, offers, and savings.* Get tips, advice and insights from moms and moms-to-be at StrongMoms.com today.
Find out how to join for free!
*Offers and values may vary.
