How Much Food Should My Baby Be Eating?
In the early days of starting solids, it can be really stressful trying to work out how much food your baby should be eating and whether they’re getting the nutrients they need.
You might have noticed that your baby eats more or less than other babies the same age and you may be wondering if that’s normal or not. Maybe your baby isn’t that interested in solids, or perhaps they don’t seem to ever stop eating! Either way, it can be worrying and confusing.
The truth is that all babies are different and have different appetites. Some babies eat a lot right from the word go, while others take a while to come around to the idea of solids and may only eat small amounts to start with. Both are totally normal.
The amount your baby eats may also vary depending on many factors, including:
Time of day
How tired they are
If they’re unwell
Teething
If they’re too hot or cold
If they’re going through a growth spurt
If you’re worried about how much your baby is eating, the first thing to do is check in with your maternal child health nurse or doctor to make sure all is well and their growth is on track.
If you’re concerned your baby isn’t eating enough, then it’s a good idea to consider the following factors:
Timing of milk intake
If your baby isn’t particularly interested in solids, it might be that they’re just not hungry enough. While breastmilk or formula should be your baby's main source of nutrition up until the age of 12 months, it’s a good idea to leave some time between milk feeds and solids, so that your baby has time to get a little but hungry after their milk feed and feel motivated to eat. Around an hour is usually a good amount of time for most babies.
NB: I recommend giving milk feeds before solids up until the age of 9-12 months, at which point you can consider swapping this around.
Time of day
Also take a look at the time of day you’re feeding your baby and consider whether there might be a schedule which works better so that you’re feeding them when they’re alert, happy and not too tired.
Feeding too close to nap times and bed times can mean they’re just too tired to bother with food.
Are they comfortable?
Being uncomfortable can influence whether and how much your baby eats at mealtimes. Make sure your baby is sitting comfortably in their high chair - some padding may be needed if they’re tending to slump to one side - with a foot rest to provide extra postural stability.
Make sure any bibs aren’t digging in or causing issues and avoid wiping your baby’s face until they’ve finished eating.
Do they prefer certain textures over others?
Some babies just aren’t into purees and prefer finger foods or being able to take control and feed themselves. Other babies take a while to warm to chunkier textures and need some time to get used to them.
If your baby is reluctant at mealtimes, it may be worth trying different textures and offering some finger foods (from 6 months).
Adopt a ‘responsive feeding’ style
Wherever your little one is at, a ‘responsive feeding’ style - whereby you let your baby lead the way and decide what and how much to eat from what you’ve offered - allows them to trust their own inbuilt cues as to what and how much their body needs.
Remember the saying, ‘parent’s provide, kids (or babies!) decide’.