Feeding Schedules by Month: Find Your Baby's Age
Last updated October 2026
Browse a month-by-month example day, then make it work with your baby's milk feeds and naps.
Choose an age below to open an example day with milk and solid-food opportunities. Each monthly guide has its own purpose: a specific stage, common parent questions and practical food ideas. If you'd rather understand the overall 6–12-month progression first, use the general baby feeding schedule guide.
There isn't a universal timetable for every baby. From around 6 months, many families begin with small amounts of solid food while continuing breast milk or infant formula; foods gradually become a bigger part of the day. The CDC recommends following your baby's hunger and fullness cues, not trying to meet an exact number of meals or bottle ounces from a web chart.
The example numbers in the table follow the NHS (UK) pattern where indicated. US CDC/AAP examples differ, particularly on snacks and formula feeding. Clock times, milk volumes and developmental steps are illustrations, not deadlines or individual medical advice. Ask your child's clinician if you have concerns about growth, feeding or hydration.
6 to 12 months on one page
Example days for each stage, how milk and meals change, and NHS, WHO and AAP guidance side by side.
- Milk/day
- Responsive by stage
- Solid meals
- Build gradually
Start here if you want the whole first year at a glance.
First tastes alongside milk
A small amount of solid food once a day, at a time that suits you both.
- Milk/day
- Responsive, still primary
- Solid meals
- First small opportunity
Start when your baby can sit steadily, bring food to their mouth and swallow it.
Adding a second meal
Lumpier textures and soft finger foods as soon as your baby manages them.
- Milk/day
- Keep responsive
- Solid meals
- Gradually more variety
NHS (UK) rough guide: formula-fed babies may need around 600ml a day.
Some babies try a third meal
More finger foods to practise biting, chewing and swallowing soft pieces.
- Milk/day
- Keep responsive
- Solid meals
- Gradually more variety
NHS (UK): no snacks needed yet; offer extra milk if hungry between meals. US examples differ.
Three meals, or close to it
Chopped and lumpier food, with plenty of chances to self-feed.
- Milk/day
- Keep responsive
- Solid meals
- Gradually more variety
Breast milk or formula is still the main drink.
Three meals and three milk feeds
Mashed, lumpy, chopped and finger foods, with a pudding at lunch and tea.
- Milk/day
- Keep responsive
- Solid meals
- Moving toward 3
NHS (UK) rough guide: formula-fed babies may need around 400ml a day.
The last stretch of the first year
Family foods without added salt or sugar, chopped to a size your baby manages.
- Milk/day
- Keep responsive
- Solid meals
- Moving toward 3
Eating together helps babies learn from watching you.
Bigger pieces, more self-feeding
Bigger chunks of soft food and a wider range of finger foods.
- Milk/day
- Keep responsive
- Solid meals
- Moving toward 3
Using an open or free-flow cup with more confidence.
First birthday: cows' milk and snacks
Three meals, up to 2 healthy snacks, and cows' milk as a main drink.
- Milk/day
- Age-appropriate milk/dairy
- Solid meals
- 3 meals; snacks as needed
First infant formula is no longer needed; move away from bottles.
When appetite dips after one
A steady rhythm of meals and snacks while appetite goes up and down.
- Milk/day
- Age-appropriate milk/dairy
- Solid meals
- 3 meals; snacks as needed
Growth slows after the first birthday, so many toddlers eat less.
Family meals, smaller portions
Healthy family meals cut into smaller pieces, with water and milk to drink.
- Milk/day
- Age-appropriate milk/dairy
- Solid meals
- 3 meals; snacks as needed
Appetite and food preferences can change from day to day.
A routine for 1 to 2 year olds
Regular meals and snacks with a variety of foods from each group.
- Milk/day
- Age-appropriate milk/dairy
- Solid meals
- 3 meals; snacks as needed
Milk and water are the main drinks; avoid sugary drinks.
Milk, meals, snacks and textures by age
This is a broad progression, not a prescription. The original table draws on NHS (UK) milestones, while US CDC/AAP guidance differs on snacks and may use different feeding patterns. The best next step is the age-specific page plus your baby's cues and individualized advice.
| Age | Milk/day | Meals | Snacks | Texture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6m | On demand | 1 small | None | Mashed, blended or soft finger foods |
| 7m | Around 4 feeds | Often 2 | None | Mashed, lumpy and finger foods |
| 8m | Around 4 feeds | 2, some 3 | None | Lumpier mash, more finger foods |
| 9m | 3 to 4 feeds | 3, or close | None | Chopped and finger foods |
| 10m | About 3 feeds | 3 | None | Mashed, lumpy, chopped, finger |
| 11m | About 3 feeds | 3 | None | Bigger chunks of soft food |
| 12m | About 350ml or 2 dairy servings | 3 | Up to 2 | Family foods, cut smaller |
| 13m | About 350ml or 2 dairy servings | 3 | Up to 2 | Family foods, cut smaller |
| 18m | About 350ml or 2 dairy servings | 3 | Up to 2 | Family foods, cut smaller |
| 24m | About 350ml or 2 dairy servings | 3 | Up to 2 | Family foods, cut smaller |
What every schedule on this site is built on
Practical principles grounded in CDC and NHS guidance; regional sample patterns differ.
Milk stays the main drink until 12 months
Breast milk or first infant formula comes first in the first year. As your baby eats more, they may want less at each feed; never cut milk to make room for food.
Snacks depend on age and national guidance
The NHS (UK) commonly suggests extra milk feeds instead of snacks before 12 months; US CDC/AAP examples may include snacks during late infancy. Do not replace needed breast milk or formula with snacks.
Iron-rich foods every day
Include foods that contain iron, such as meat, fish, eggs, beans, lentils, dark green vegetables and fortified breakfast cereals.
Textures move on as soon as your baby can manage
Go from purées to mashed, lumpy and finger foods as soon as your baby is ready. This helps them learn to chew and swallow.
Your baby decides how much
Follow hunger and fullness cues. Stop when your baby closes their mouth or turns away, and don't push them to finish.
Upright and supervised, every meal
Sit your baby upright and stay with them while they eat. Call your local emergency number if your baby is choking and can't cough, cry or breathe effectively, and start baby choking first aid straight away.
Topics You'll Need Alongside the Schedule
First foods for baby
What to offer in the first weeks of solids.
Baby-led weaning food list
Finger food ideas by age.
Allergen introduction guide
How and when to introduce common allergens.
Baby portion sizes
How much to offer, and why your baby's appetite leads.
How to cut food for baby-led weaning
Shapes and sizes that lower the risk of choking.
How to start baby-led weaning
Getting started with finger foods.
Foods to avoid
Salt, sugar, honey, whole nuts and other foods to leave out.
Iron-rich foods
Everyday foods that contain iron.
Weekly baby meal plan
Meal ideas for a whole week.
Snack ideas by age
Snack ideas, and when snacks start.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start a feeding schedule for my baby?
Start solids at around 6 months, when your baby shows 3 signs together: they can stay sitting and hold their head steady, look at food, pick it up and put it in their mouth, and swallow it rather than spitting it out. Begin with a small amount once a day. If your baby was born prematurely, ask your health visitor or GP when to start.
How much should a 6-month-old eat?
Only a small amount: a few teaspoons or a few pieces of food, once a day to begin with. Breast milk or first infant formula still gives most of your baby's energy and nutrients, so keep offering it on demand.
When do babies move to 3 meals a day?
From about 7 months, babies gradually move towards 3 meals a day, and by about 10 months the NHS expects most to be having breakfast, lunch and tea alongside their milk feeds.
Should I reduce milk when my baby starts solids?
No. Breast milk or first infant formula should be the main drink until 12 months. As your baby eats more, they may want less milk at each feed or drop a feed on their own; let that happen at their pace rather than cutting milk to make room for food.
When can my baby have snacks?
There is no universal first-snack date across national examples. The NHS (UK) generally suggests extra milk for babies under 12 months, while US CDC/AAP feeding schedules can include snacks during late infancy. Continue responsive breast milk or infant formula and offer age-appropriate foods that fit your baby's appetite and development.
What texture should my baby be eating at each age?
Move from puréed or blended food to mashed, lumpy and finger foods as soon as your baby can manage them; some babies start with mashed or finger foods. By 10 to 12 months, the NHS expects babies to manage mashed, lumpy, chopped and finger foods.
Can I combine purées and baby-led weaning?
Yes. The NHS says some parents prefer baby-led weaning, others spoon-feed and others combine both, and there's no right or wrong way. What matters is a wide variety of foods.
How do I know if my baby is eating enough?
Appetite varies from day to day, so look at the week rather than one meal. Talk to your health visitor or GP if your baby has fewer wet nappies than usual, seems unwell, or you're worried about their weight or growth.
When can my baby eat the same food as the family?
Many family meals can work during the first year if you leave out salt, sugar and stock cubes and adapt the texture. From 12 months, the NHS says your child is ready to eat healthy meals with the rest of the family, in smaller portions and cut into smaller pieces.
What if my toddler refuses meals?
It's common for appetite to drop after the first birthday, because growth slows. Keep regular meals and snacks, offer a variety of foods without pressure, and expect intake to balance out over several days.
Sources & References
This guide is informed by current guidelines from leading health organizations:
- ●NHS - Your Baby's First Solid Foods NHS
- ●NHS - Feeding your baby: 7 to 9 months NHS
- ●NHS Best Start in Life - Feeding your baby: 10 to 12 months NHS
- ●NHS - Feeding your child: 1 year and beyond NHS
- ●NHS - Drinks and Cups for Babies NHS
- ●NHS - What to Feed Young Children NHS
- ●WHO - Complementary Feeding WHO
- ●AAP - Sample Menu for Babies 8–12 Months AAP
- ●AAP - Feeding & Nutrition: Your 1-Year-Old AAP
- ●NHS - How to stop a child from choking NHS
Find your baby's age
Choose your baby's age above for an example day, textures to work towards and what to watch for. Every guide is free to read; the Nibli app can also suggest a daily plan built around your baby's naps.
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