FEEDING AT A GLANCE: Birth

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