
A baby’s feeding schedule is quite complex in the first year of their lives. It changes dramatically during that time, so it is a good idea to know the basic facts behind the schedules, so you will be ready when your child is.
Schedules
A newborn, which is any baby up to around 3 months old, should be fed approximately every 2 or 3 hours. This means in the first few weeks of life, you will probably have to wake baby up to feed him.
When the baby is a bit older, between being a newborn and up to 6 months old, this is a time when they will still be drinking milk, right before they switch to solid foods. During this stage, the feedings will be slightly less frequent and happen every 4-5 hours.
After 6 months and up to 9 months, a baby will most likely be eating solid foods, in the form of baby food. They should eat around every 4 hours or so, depending on how much is given. This is a big step for your little one because they haven’t eaten actual food up until this point in life, so it takes a bit of getting used to, especially in terms of digestion and knowing when they are hungry or full.
From 9 months up to a year of age, a child should eat about every 6 hours. This is a much easier timetable to live with than how your baby ate just a few short months ago. At this time, your tyke will also start to eat foods with texture as well, instead of just baby food. This includes stuff like bananas, eggs, and even cheese.
Tips
These schedules are merely suggestions, as all babies will not follow these guidelines. It is important to pay special attention to what your child’s actions are telling you. For example, your baby will tell you when they have eaten enough or when they are hungry, and you should listen to them. Some children have to eat more often or less often, depending on their size. Furthermore, it is normal for things to be different for each child you have, so don’t compare them to their siblings in this regard.
It is essential to be consistent in times that you feed as well. If a child knows which times it is supposed to be eating each day, then its body may become used to being hungry at those times. This can not only help your kid become a good eater, but it can also help them sleep properly and operate on a relatively even keel. Babies, as well as older children, like structure, so they can know what to expect in certain situations.
Another tip is to keep trying. You will know when a baby is getting enough food by their diapers. If they are going too much or not enough, it is time to change the frequency of their feedings, or alter the amount of food they get.