How much should I feed my baby?
Q. How much should I feed my baby?
A. Many mothers want to know how much to feed their babies, but absolute quantities are not helpful.
- Each baby will eat according to his growth rate. Therefore, it is important to know your baby’s behaviour, which shows you when she has had enough.
- If the food is flavoured with extra sugar, butter or salt, she is likely to eat more than she needs.
Behaviour that shows when your baby is satisfied
It is as important to know when to stop as how to start. The following types of behaviour are common when your baby wants to show you that he has had enough.
LEARNER EATER – from around 6 months
- Releases nipple and withdraws head
- Increases attention to surroundings
- Obstructs mouth with hands
- Bites nipple
- Obstructs mouth with hands
EXPLORER EATER – from around 7 months
- Changes posture
- Keeps mouth tightly closed
- Shakes head as if to say “no”
- Plays with utensils
- Hands become more active
- Throws utensils
CONFIDENT EATER – from 9 months
- The already mentioned behaviour, and also:
- Splutters with tongue and lips
- Hands bottle or cup to mother
JUNIOR – from 12 months onwards
- Says “no” to the food
- Refuses to eat further
- Plays with the food
- Pushes the food away
