What to feed your baby the first year: General feeding schedules

When to give your baby solid foods

In general, babies should start solid foods between 4 to 6 months of age (when they are able to sit up with support and show an interest in foods). Breast milk or formula is all they need until 6 months of age.

When starting solids, mix infant rice cereal with breast milk, formula or warm water. Mix it to the consistency of applesauce.
After your child has successfully been eating rice cereal for 2 weeks you can start giving him or her other foods as listed below.
Avoid honey until your child is 1 year old, due to the risk of botulism (a type of food poisoning caused by a bacterium).
Avoid nut products, egg white and shellfish until your child is 1 year old.
Give your baby only one food at a time, about five days apart.
Start with one teaspoon of food and slowly increase that to the amount listed below.
If someone in your child's family has a history of severe food allergy, you may want to delay introducing your child to solid foods until 6 months of age; dairy until 1 year; eggs until 2 years; and peanuts, shellfish and fish until 3 years.

When to feed your baby the first year (breast milk or iron-fortified formula)

0 to 4 months: five to 10 feedings
4 to 6 months: four to seven feedings
6 to 8 months: three to six feedings
8 to 10 months: three to five feedings
10 to 12 months: three to four feedings

When to give your baby cereals and bread

0 to 4 months: none
6 months: 2 to 3 teaspoons of iron-fortified boxed cereal (oatmeal, rice or barley) mixed with formula, water or breast milk (for spoon feeding)
6 to 8 months: 4 to 6 tablespoons of all types of boxed infant cereal except cereal with fruit or honey
8 to 10 months: 6 to 8 tablespoons of infant cereals, toast, bagel or crackers
10 to 12 months: 6 to 8 tablespoons of infant or cooked cereal or unsweetened dry cereal, bread, rice noodles, one-half cup spaghetti or crackers

When to give your baby vegetables

0 to 4 months: none
4 to 6 months: none
6 to 8 months: 3 to 4 tablespoons of strained or mashed vegetables that are dark yellow, orange or green. Do not give your baby tomatoes.
8 to 10 months: 4 to 7 tablespoons of cooked, mashed vegetables. You can give tomatoes at this age.
10 to 12 months: 6 to 8 tablespoons of cooked vegetable pieces and some soft vegetables. Be sure to cut up all vegetables into small pieces to prevent choking.

When to give your baby fruits

0 to 4 months: none
4 to 6 months: none
6 to 8 months: 3 to 4 tablespoons of fresh or cooked fruits such as banana, applesauce or strained fruits. Do not give your baby oranges.
8 to 10 months: 5 to 7 tablespoons of strained or peeled soft fruit pieces such as bananas, peaches, pears, apples or oranges. Be sure to cut up all fruits into small pieces to prevent choking.
10 to 12 months: 9 to 12 tablespoons of all fresh fruits (peeled and seeded) and canned fruits packed in water. Do not give your child grapes. (Grapes are a choking hazard.)

When to give your baby meats and protein

0 to 4 months: none
4 to 6 months: none
6 to 8 months: none
8 to 10 months: 4 to 6 tablespoons of strained, chopped or small pieces of lean meat, chicken and fish, egg yolk, mild cheeses (cut into small pieces), yogurt and cooked dried beans. Do not give your baby whole nuts. (Nuts are a choking hazard.)
10 to 12 months: 4 to 6 tablespoons of small, tender pieces of chicken, fish, cheese, yogurt or dried beans. Give your child a whole egg after her first birthday.

When to give your baby fruit juices*

0 to 4 months: none
4 to 6 months: none
6 to 8 months: 2 to 4 ounces in a cup of infant juices, adult apple juice, all vitamin C-fortified 100 percent juices (except tomato or orange)
8 to 10 months: 2 to 4 ounces in a cup of all 100 percent juices, including tomato and orange
10 to 12 months: 2 to 4 ounces in a cup of all 100 percent juices

*Juices are not recommended in general, unless they are needed to treat constipation.