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Feeding Infants and Toddlers

FEEDING AT A GLANCE: Birth - 24 months
Age
Food Sequence
Food Presentation
Developmental Skills, Implications for Feeding
Birth to 6 months Breastmilk and/or iron-fortified formula satisfies all nutritional requirements. Solid foods not nutritionally needed, but infant may want Breast and/or bottle Designed to suck, not chew
Rooting reflex; searches for food source
Tongue-thrust reflex pushes out solid foods
Sensitive gag reflex
6 months Starter foods:
bananas, pears, rice cereal, applesauce
Strained, pureed Fingertipful Spoonful Tongue-thrust and gag reflexes lessen; accepts solids Sits erect in high chair Begins teething
7 to 9 months avocados, mashed potatoes, peaches, barley cereal, carrots, squash, teething biscuits, pear and apple juice May drink from cup
Finger foods begin
Pureed and mashed foods
Holds bottle
Thumb-and-forefinger pickup begins
Fascination with tiny food morsels
Begins mouthing chokable food and objects (parents beware!)
Bangs, drops, flings
Reaches for food and utensils
Munches food
9 to 12 months lamb, veal, tofu, poultry, noodles, bagel, beans, rice cakes, peas, egg yolk, yams, cheese, oatmeal, yogurt Lumpier consistency
Finger foods mastered
Bite-sized, cooked vegetables
Melt-in-mouth foods
Holds trainer cup
Self-feeding skills improve
Holds bottle and cup longer
Points and pokes, smears, enjoys mess
High-chair gymnastics increase
Tries to use utensils, spills most
12 to 18 months whole milk, papaya, cottage cheese, apricots, ice cream, grapefruit, whole eggs, grape halves, beef, strawberries, tomatoes, fish (salmon, tuna), pasta, graham crackers, broccoli, wheat cereal, spinach, honey, cauliflower, pancakes, melon, muffins, mango, kiwi Participates in family meals
Eats chopped and mashed family foods
Begins self-feeding with utensils
Has prolonged attention span
"Do it myself" desire intensifies
Tilts cup and head while drinking, spills less
Holds spoon better, still spills much
Begins walking – doesn't want to sit still and eat
Picks at others' plates
18 to 24 months Eats toddler portions of sandwiches, stews, nutritious puddings, sauces, smoothies, shakes, pate, dips, toppings, spreads, soups
Toddler food "language:" avocado boats, cooked carrot wheels, cheese blocks, broccoli trees, o-shaped cereal, toast sticks, cookie-cutter cheese melts, sailboat salads, peanut butter
Grazes – deserves title "picky eater"
Nibble tray
Weans from bottle
Uses spoon and fork
Molars appear – begins rotary chewing
Spoon-feeds self without spilling much
Learns food talk, signals for "more," "all done"
Wants to eat on the run—needs creative feeding to hold attention at table
Has erratic feeding habits
   
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