Chart For Feeding Infants And Toddlers
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5Cooperative Extension Service
Feeding Infants and Toddlers
During the first year, babies develop and change rapidly and their food and feeding patterns must change with
their development.
Each baby develops and changes at his/her own rate. In order to know when to change feeding routines, you
have to watch for physical clues from each individual baby.
How Do I Know What to Feed and When?
Age
Developmental Signs
How/What to Feed
Birth through
Swallows liquids but pushes solid objects out
Serve liquids only (breast milk or
3 months
of mouth
formula)
Poor control of head, neck and upper body
Begins to bring hand to mouth
4 through
Sits with support
Serve breast milk or formula and add
6 months
Good head control
semisolid foods in this order:
Uses whole hand to grasp objects
– infant cereal with iron
Displays up-and-down munching movement
– strained vegetables
Can take in and swallow a spoonful of pureed
– strained fruit
food without choking
Draws in upper or lower lip as spoon is
removed
Drinks small amounts from cup when held by
another person
5 through 9
Begins to control the position of food in
Serve breast milk or formula and add
months
the mouth
mashed foods
Positions food in between jaws for chewing
Begins to sit alone unsupported
Follows food with eyes
Begins to use thumb and index finger to pick
up food and feed self with hands
Teething
8 through 11
Begins to curve in lips around rim of cup
Serve breast milk or formula in a cup
months
Begins to chew in a circular pattern
and serve finely chopped food, small
Sits alone easily
pieces of soft food, strained meat,
Experiments with spoon but prefers to feed
cottage cheese, yogurt or cheese strips,
self with hands
pieces of soft bread and crackers.
10 through 12
Begins to put spoon in mouth and hold cup
Serve breast milk or formula from a cup
months
Circular chewing continues
and chopped food, small pieces of soft
Good eye-hand-mouth coordination
cooked table foods.
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