Example of a Feeding Schedule for Babies Aged 8–10 Months
6:30-7:00 Waking up: breastfeed/bottle
7:00-7:30 Breakfast: puree/mash of fruit/vegetables with cereals, always have water available
9:30 Nap time
11:00–11:30 Breastfeed/bottle
12:00-12:30 Lunch: always have water available, a meal that includes vegetables, carbohydrates, protein, good fat, and fruit (during this period, you can start with pieces of cooked food if you haven’t already)
13:30-14:00 Nap time
15:30-16:00 Breastfeed/bottle
16:30-17:00 Snack: fruit, cereals (if your baby naps longer, you may not always have time for both, but it will regulate over time)
18:30 Dinner: always have water available, a meal that includes vegetables, carbohydrates, protein, good fat, and fruit.
19:30 Breastfeed/bottle
19:45-20:00 Sleeping
Tips for Successful Feeding
- During this period, you will notice that your baby shows preferences for certain foods, and this is normal. However, keep in mind that the goal is a varied diet, so do not overindulge and constantly prepare only their favorite foods. Include one food item they like in each meal, and continue to offer new foods. Sometimes it takes more than 20 presentations and different methods for a child to like a certain food. Do not get discouraged if your child refuses something; just don’t give up. Wait a few days and try again. Also, there will always be meals when your child will only want a few bites.
- Eat together! Let your baby experience the meal as a pleasant event and not something that is squeezed into the schedule and quickly finished. Besides, this way, they will have the opportunity to see how you eat new things.
- If possible, continue breastfeeding even after the first birthday. However, you will notice that the baby will naturally breastfeed less as they eat more solid food, and they may even drop some feedings on their own. Below, we will indicate which breastfeeding sessions are usually the first to be eliminated.
- Let us repeat – let the baby get messy and make a mess during meals! Allow them to eat on their own as much as possible. At this stage, they still need a lot of help, but let them try using a spoon. You can also demonstrate using a fork by spearing a piece of food and letting the child take it with their hand from the fork, and so on.
Example of a Feeding Schedule For An 11-Month-Old Baby
This schedule is a general example. If your child sleeps at a completely different time, adjust the schedule accordingly.
6:30-7:00 Waking up: breastfeed/bottle (This is usually the last or second-to-last feeding to be eliminated, depending on whether the child is more attached to morning or evening breastfeeding/bottle)
7:00-7:30 Breakfast: fruit/vegetables with cereals, always have water available
9:30-10.00 Nap time
11:00-11:30 Breastfeed/bottle or fruit snack with cereals or rice cake, etc. after eliminating breastfeeding (this is usually the first feeding to be eliminated if the baby doesn’t resist, follow their rhythm and signs
12:30-13:00 Lunch: always available water, a meal that includes vegetables, carbohydrates, protein, good fat, and fruit
13:30-14:00 Nap time
15:30 Breastfeed/bottle or fruit snack with cereals or rice cake, etc. after eliminating breastfeeding (this is usually the first feeding to be eliminated if the baby doesn’t resist, follow their rhythm and signs)
18:00-18:30 Dinner: always have water available, a meal that includes vegetables, carbohydrates, protein, good fat, and fruit
19:30 Breastfeed/bottle before bedtime (This is usually the last feeding to be eliminated and can be the most challenging. However, breastfeeding at this time does not affect other meals)
19:45-20:00 Sleeping
Remember, solid food is still not the main source of nutrition until the end of the first year
