Baby and Toddler Feeding Schedule

One of the most common questions we receive about feeding babies and toddlers is not: "how much food does a baby need?" but rather: "how often should I feed my baby?".

And even though there isn't any one schedule that you should follow, the period between 6 and 12 months of age can be used as a great foundation for a toddler feeding/sleeping/playtime schedules.

Baby Feeding Schedule

The most important thing to remember is that while your baby still hasn't reached the 1 year mark you should feed per hunger cue. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, usually this is every 2.5 - 3.5 hours but really depends on each baby.

And definitely take the below recommendations as guidelines more than rules. Most of the recommendations worked for my son but there were always days when he refused a meal and then the rest of the day was pretty much per cue and I could forget about the schedule altogether.

So when this happens (and not IF, because it's bound to) don't worry. It's pretty normal. Tomorrow is a new day and you can start all over. If you want to of course.

My recommendation is that you should build routines as they are a great foundation for toddlerhood where a schedule will make everyone's life easier. With predictability come fewer breakdowns for both your and your child.

The Benefits of Having a Baby Feeding Schedule

• Most important – you will feed your child before their blood sugar level drops and they start getting cranky. This pre-empts the very common situation of a cranky child that's unable to articulate why they feel that way.

• It helps your child comprehend the concept of sequencing. For example, nap time comes after lunch. They are much less likely to fight the nap if it is predictable.

• If they are well fed they are more likely to nap longer as they won't wake up starving (and I looooveee those long naps).

• If a child is used to snacking they will most likely never be hungry enough to eat a full lunch or dinner. So it's best to avoid constant snacking, and offer a snack only at a certain time. If a toddler continues snacking between 4-5:30pm they will probably not want dinner.

The below are example schedules for a baby waking up at before 7 am and going to sleep around 7 pm but of course you can just move the times to suit you.

6 to 8 Month Old Baby Feeding Schedule

Number of solid feedings: 2

Number of milk feedings: per cue

Total amount of milk: around 24 oz

9 to 10 Month Old Baby Feeding Schedule

Number of solid feedings: 3

Number of milk feedings: 3

Total amount of milk: about 12 - 16 oz

11 to 12 Month Olds Baby Feeding Schedule

Number of solid feedings: 4

Number of milk feedings: 2

Total amount of milk: about 10 oz (if your child has a balanced diet they should be getting additional calcium from other sources)

Toddler Feeding Schedule

Once your child reaches 1 year of age it's the ideal time to start adapting your feeding schedule to your toddler. This will help them to have certainty about when they will be fed. Ultimately it then means they will deal with hunger better as well.

This too is a general recommendation that doesn't have to be a perfect one for your toddler, especially if they're still breastfeeding or taking formula.

The schedule below doesn't include breastmilk/formula, but until my son weaned from the bottle, I just gave him breastmilk/formula instead of a snack. You can also give him milk or yogurt as a snack.

Basically the choice is yours. But we've found the below works for most toddlers. And since between ages 1 and 2 most toddlers move from 2 to 1 nap, we're providing 2 schedules for both situations.

12+ Months Feeding Schedule

2 Naps / Day

1 Nap / Day

Final Note

These schedules are general recommendations that work for most babies. It is important for your child to be eating enough solid food in each meal so that they can nutritionally and energetically last until the next meal or nap.

If you're interested in the amounts of food and food combinations per age, check out our meal plans.

Resources:

• American Academy of Pediatrics, Sanjeev Jain, MD, FAAP: How Often and How Much Should Your Baby Eat, 22 March 2018.