How Much, How Often

Feeding your child can be a confusing process, especially if you are a new parent. You may tend to overfeed your child, because you may feel nervous and overeager at times. On the other hand, you don’t want to run the risk of underfeeding your child as you may deprive him of the nutrients needed for optimum growth.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to feeding your child. The important thing is to be aware of the nutritional and development goals you want to achieve at different stages of your child’s life. Follow the general guidelines below for each stage of your child to help you stay on the right track.

Ages	Goals	Suggestions
6 months	Continue breast feeding and introduce iron-fortified foods at six months.	Introduce rice cereals first. Slowly incorporate other varieties of cereal such as oatmeal and barley. Continue feeding your child breast milk on demand.
6 months to 12 months	Familiarise your child with different food types so that he can get used to different flavours and textures.	Offer strained meats, soft table foods and finger foods. Remember to slice the foods into small pieces. Introduce different types of protein. Start with egg white and later introduce other meat, such as fish and chicken. Mix the meat with vegetables. As your child approaches his first birthday, his day should revolve around a normal eating schedule with regular meals and snacks in between meals.
12 months to 2 years	Increase the quantity of table foods and finger foods as well as put your child on an eating schedule similar to the rest of the family.	Wean your baby gradually from breast milk to cow’s milk as he is approaching 1 years old. Feed your child three meals and two nutritious snacks a day. Limit fruit juice consumption. Dilute juice with water.
2 years and older	Establish a regular routine of three meals and two nutritious snacks for optimum nutrition.	Offer foods that are moderate in fat, salt and sugar, and are minimally processed. Feed your child three servings of milk or other dairy products daily to help him meet his calcium needs.

Recommended Reading

Complementary Feeding: Key to Optimal Child Growth

Introducing Complementary Foods

Complementary Foods Made Easier

Complementary Feeding 101 - Safety and Hygiene

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