What Babies Need at This Age
Babies between 6 and 12 months are growing and changing quickly. They need:
- Breast milk or formula as their main source of nutrition
- Solid foods as a supplement
- Plenty of nutrients to help them grow strong
Breast Milk: Still Super Important
Breast milk continues to be awesome for babies:
- Gives important nutrients
- Helps protect against diseases
- Changes to match your baby’s growing needs
- Contains special ingredients that help your baby’s brain grow
- Helps your baby’s immune system stay strong
How Much Breast Milk?
- Continue breastfeeding 4-6 times per day
- Let your baby decide how much they want
- Breast milk is still about 50-60% of their daily nutrition
Formula Feeding: A Great Option
If you use formula, keep these things in mind:
- Babies still need 24-32 ounces of formula per day
- Usually 4-5 bottles spread throughout the day
- Continue using iron-fortified formula
- Mix formula with some solid foods as baby grows
Mixing Solid Foods with Milk or Formula
Around 6-12 months, babies start eating solid foods:
- Solid foods are like a snack
- Breast milk or formula is still the main food
- Start with 1-2 tablespoons of solid food
- Slowly increase to 3-4 tablespoons per meal
- Try new foods one at a time
How to Know Your Baby is Getting Enough
Signs your baby is getting enough food:
- Growing well
- Making 4-6 wet diapers per day
- Happy and active
- Gaining weight
- Meeting developmental milestones
Weaning from Breast Milk or Formula
Breastfeeding
- Many moms continue breastfeeding until 12 months
- Some continue longer if they want
- Baby will naturally start drinking less breast milk
- Follow your baby’s lead
Formula
- Around 12 months, talk to your doctor about switching to whole cow’s milk
- Do not switch before 12 months
- Whole milk has important nutrients for growing babies
When to Talk to Your Doctor
Call your doctor if your baby:
- Is not gaining weight
- Seems very hungry or never satisfied
- Has trouble drinking breast milk or formula
- Shows signs of allergies
- Has changes in how much they want to eat
Tips for Successful Feeding
- Stay relaxed during feeding times
- Watch your baby’s hunger and fullness cues
- Never force your baby to eat
- Make feeding a happy time together
- Enjoy this special bonding moment
References
- American Academy of Pediatrics. (2022). Breastfeeding and Solid Foods. HealthyChildren.org.
- World Health Organization. (2021). Infant and Young Child Feeding. who.int.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Infant Nutrition. cdc.gov.
- La Leche League International. (2021). Breastfeeding Beyond Six Months. llli.org.
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. (2022). Feeding Infants: 6-12 Months. eatright.org.
- National Institutes of Health. (2021). Infant Nutrition and Feeding. nih.gov.
