11, 12, and 13 months plus can be a difficult time to determine a toddler feeding schedule with so many transitions from baby food and bottles. Get these sample feeding schedules with milk for 1 year olds from a feeding expert and mom.
A baby’s first year is filled with many changes, and as it comes to a close around 11 to 12 months, often one of the biggest changes is fully transitioning to table foods and totally leaving behind baby food.
At the same time, parents are also trying to navigate how to wean from breast or bottle. Many parents feel overwhelmed and are unsure how to make these changes, and understandably so.
Although I cover transitioning to table food and bottle weaning here in lots of detail, it is important to have a feeding schedule in mind too because it helps make these big transitions successful.
Today, I’m sharing three sample schedules with you that I use as a licensed occupational therapist for babies 11, 12, and 13 months old. Basically, a feeding schedule for 1 year olds, so you can see how to make the transitions work for you.
They are flexible and have options for a 1 year old milk schedule, or a 1 year old feeding schedule with or without milk included.
Feeding at 11, 12, and 13 Months (Aka The 1 Year Old!)
If I had to pick one word to summarize feeding babies at this age, it would be: unpredictable. Honestly, they are so busy and easily distracted that you’re baby won’t eat anything at some meal and others they may seem to eat more than you.
This is normal, and I want you to keep that mind. It is important to not jump through too many hoops to get your child to eat, because they will soon learn how to wield that power.
Setting up a routine and schedule around meals goes a long way in curbing the unpredictability and potential picky eating.
I would also encourage you to move completely to table foods by 11 months, if you haven’t done so already. An occasional pouch is okay when you are out and about, but by this age babies should be eating a variety of table foods.
The schedules I share below are made based on this assumption. See further down in the post if your child is having difficulty with this transition.,
In my 8-10 month old feeding schedule, I recommended introducing a straw. If you haven’t done that yet, no problem, they will likely pick it up very quickly. While the straw is a great choice, at this age, your child may be ready to drink from an open cup.
I know how shocking that sounds. It is a surprise to most parents, but stay with me.
Open cup drinking is an important developmental skill, and challenges children to use the muscles in and around their mouth in new and different ways. This helps them progress with managing different types of food, as well as their speech.
Great, right?
Yes, there is always the potential for messy eating with kids, but read why it is actually important to let your kids get messy!
So be brave and give the open cup a chance. It is a wonderful tool to add into your routine, as you can serve your child’s milk and water in it during mealtime.
Because this is a time of transition, I’m going to share with you three schedules so that you can see the transitions.
First, you will see the schedule at the beginning of 11 months, then you will see it once the baby is weaned, usually around the first birthday or in the next few months.
In the latter case, I gave you samples for either one or two naps, as this is often a transition at this age too! Of course, all of these factors vary from child to child.
Get more specifics for bottle weaning and breast weaning.
Sample Feeding Schedule Around 11 Months Old
*This schedule is just a sample. Your child may sleep at different times and you will need to adjust accordingly. I suggest taking note of the time intervals so that you can apply to you child’s individual schedule. You can use this 1 year old sleep schedule as a reference.
6:30-7:00 AM: Wake-Up – Breastfeed/Bottle upon waking *This is usually the second to last feeding you will take away. Sometimes it’s the last if your child is more attached to this than the night time feed.
7:00-7:30 AM: Breakfast – Water available in an open cup or straw cup, table foods (include a fruit/veggie, carbohydrate, and protein).
9:30 AM: Nap
11:00 AM: Breastfeed/Bottle upon waking *This is usually the first milk feeding I take away, if there are no complaints from the baby, and I promptly feed them lunch instead with milk in a cup. Some babies may start to nurse or take very little from a bottle earlier than their birthday. It is okay to follow their lead.
11:30-12:00 PM: Lunch – Water in a straw cup, table foods (include a fruit/veggie, carbohydrate, and protein).* Give milk at this meal once the previous formula/breast milk is eliminated.)
1:30-2:00 PM: Nap
3:30 PM: Breastfeed/Bottle upon waking, immediately followed by an optional small snack such as fruit and crackers/dry cereal/rice cake. *This is typically the second bottle or breast feeding I take away, but it can be the first if this works better. Once this bottle is gone, offer milk in a cup and some protein to the meal like peanut butter, hummus, cheese, or beans.
6:00 PM: Dinner – Water in an open cup or straw cup, table foods (include a fruit/veggie, carbohydrate, and protein).
7:30 PM: Breastfeed/Bottle before bed *Typically this is the last breastfeed or bottle you will take away, and it can be the most difficult. However, feedings at this time won’t interfere with their other meals.
7:45-8:00 PM: Sleeping for the night
*Times are given in a range of possible start times, not duration. If you are concerned about how much your baby needs to eat, see this post on Portion Sizes.
Sample Feeding Schedule for 1 Year Old with 2 Naps
Specifically, this is an example around 12 – 13 months
7:30 – 8:00 AM: Breakfast – 15-30 minutes after waking. About 4 oz. of milk in an open cup or straw, a protein, carbohydrate, and fruit/veggie.
10:30 AM: Nap
12:00 PM: Lunch – 15-30 minutes after waking. About 4 oz. of milk in an open cup or straw, a protein, carbohydrate, and fruit/veggie.
2:30 PM: Snack – About 4 oz. of milk in an open cup or straw, a protein, carbohydrate, and fruit/veggie.
3:00 PM: Nap
5:30 – 6:00 PM: Dinner – About 4 oz. of milk in an open cup or straw, a protein, carbohydrate, and fruit/veggie.
Sample Feeding Schedule for 1 Year Old with 1 Nap
Beginning around 12-13 months Old
7:30- 8:00 AM: Breakfast – 15-30 minutes after waking. About 4 oz. of milk in an open cup or straw, a protein, carbohydrate, and fruit/veggie.
11:00 AM: Lunch – About 4 oz. of milk in an open cup or straw, a protein, carbohydrate, and fruit/veggie.
12:00 PM: Nap
2:30- 3:00 PM: Snack – 15-30 minutes after waking: About 4 oz. of milk in an open cup or straw, a protein, carbohydrate, and fruit/veggie. *This meal should include all the elements listed, but will be on a little smaller of a scale.
5:30 – 6:00 PM: Dinner – About 4 oz. of milk in an open cup or straw, a protein, carbohydrate, and fruit/veggie.
Tips for Feeding 1 Year Olds
As a pediatric occupational therapist, I get a lot of questions about when and what to feed 1 year olds. Here’s some answers to the most common questions:
- Milk should be around 16 oz. total for the day after 1 year of age.
- Ideally, meals should be spaced 2.5 – 3 hours apart, counting from the start of one meal to the start of the next.
- Babies and toddlers are capable of feeding themselves a lot of food at this age. Yes, it’s messy, read the benefits of babies getting messy while eating. I encourage you to allow them to feed themselves as much as possible, even with a spoon!
- If your baby is gagging a lot or you’re nervous about their occasional gag, then head to What You Need to Know About Baby Gagging.
- Try to have as much variety in your toddler’s diet as possible, ideally not serving the same thing two days in a row. Need some inspiration? I’ve got you covered! See The Mega List of Table Foods or The Ultimate List of Meals for Toddlers.
- If you’re concerned about how many calories they’re eating or need to increase your babies weight, then see High Calorie Foods for Babies.
- Around this time you may also be considering getting rid of the binky or dummy, if so, I’ve got a guide that will help you know when and how to do it. Check out Everything You Need to Know About Pacifier Weaning.
What If Your Toddler Isn’t Eating Well? Is It Picky Eating?
If you feel like your baby isn’t getting the hang of table foods or is consistently eating very small amounts of food at 10 months of age, then I would strongly suggest scheduling an evaluation through early intervention (if you live in the states) or seeking out a private or outpatient therapist.
I highly encourage you to save a seat in our free workshop on how to get your child eating table foods, if you haven’t already. This will give you practical strategies on working through this transition with your baby or toddler.
To get you started with strategies you can use at home, grab my, Learn to Eat Table Foods Cheat Sheet, that I’ll send right to your inbox. It has a step-by-step plan and some other tips that will be helpful.
Unfortunately, many times, pediatricians advise to wait it out, but trained feeding therapists (usually OTs and SLPs) are able to catch early signs of underlying sensory or motor difficulties. The earlier these problems are addressed, the easier they are to overcome. Head to Everything About Feeding Therapy to read more.
More on Feeding Schedules for Babies from Your Kid’s Table
The Best 6 and 7 Month Old Feeding Schedule, So Easy to Follow
Introducing Baby Food: Everything You Need to Know
The Ultimate Guide to Feeding Milestones for Babies and Toddlers
Feeding Red Flags for Babies and Toddlers
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Alisha Grogan is a licensed occupational therapist and founder of Your Kid’s Table. She has over 19 years experience with expertise in sensory processing and feeding development in babies, toddlers, and children. Alisha also has 3 boys of her own at home. Learn more about her here.
This is the most realistic, best schedule out there. I was instinctively trying this schedule (it’s similar to French feeding schedules) but also wondering how my 11 month old is going to transition off the bottle. Thank you for explaining so easily.
So happy you found it helpful, Julie! We hope it goes well for you and your little one!
Best,
Laura
Your Kid’s Table team member
This is the best example schedule I’ve ever seen. It’s doable! It’s realistic! It’s not some fantasy schedule that assumes you have absolutely nothing else to do but stare at your baby all day long.
My older two children had no issues going on and eating schedule, as far as eating and meaning we’re concerned, they were a breeze. My third child, and my only girl, refuses any milk that’s not breast milk from the breast she won’t take it out of a bottle, or cup, or straw, I’ve gotten around her adamant refusal to drink water by adding a little bit of Pedialyte to it. 1 oz of Pedialyte and 5 oz of water. Just that tiny little bit of flavor and she’ll drink it right down.
I’ve been combing the web trying to find advice on how to get her on an eating schedule, because at this point I think she fights me on it just on principle, and what to feed her. At 18 months old she still does not like to self feed. She’ll eat almost anything if I feed it to her, but the only things that she’ll put in her own mouth are Graham crackers, cheerios, bananas, and frozen blueberries.
If I give her a spoon none of it goes in her mouth, but it will go everywhere else. Her hair, the table, her clothing, the walls.. she’s gotten very good at the catapult maneuver with that spoon. If I let her just play with the spoon and I feed her, she’ll eat most of what I put out for her, and she’ll spend a good portion of the time that I’m feeding her stirring whatever I’m feeding her with her spoon.
Hi Kasey,
I’m glad to hear you are feeling hopeful about this schedule! For self feeding, you might have some luck adding novelty to the presentation like mini food picks, various dishes, etc. Would she do any dips for the crackers or cheerios, or fruit in a skewer, frozen, mashed up, etc? Sometimes kids respond to novelty in this way. If you’re looking for other ways to encourage self feeding, this may help.
Best,
Laura
Your Kid’s Table team member
Hello! My 13 month old still refuses to drink milk from her straw cup but she is fine drinking water. When she was 12 months we weaned her from the bottles. She’s doing fine without them, she’s been eating lots of solids now but I can’t get her to drink her milk from her straw cup! In the meantime while she’s on her milk strike I’m serving cheese yogurt and calcium based foods. Any advice to how I can get her to drink her milk? Thank you!
Hi Mela,
This is common for some babies and toddlers. Have you checked out our article on milk and weaning? This may offer some insight, but serving cheese, yogurt, and calcium foods is perfectly fine. If you keep offering, and she continues to eat a range of other foods, she should come around, and if not she is still getting adequate nutrients, even without additional milk.
Best,
Laura
Your Kid’s Table team member
This is all great information! The only question I have is how many days do you go in between dropping a bottle? Do you drop one and wait a week before dropping the next, or just a few days?
Thank you for this post!
Hi Megan! Thanks for reaching out! Try doing every 5-7 days and adjust as needed 🙂
Best,
Kalyn
Hi there,
My son has turned 12 months old, still has milk morning and before bed and eats cheese, yogurt etc..
My question is if you have dropped milk feeds in the day, do you have to offer milk in a cup at meal times instead of water?
Thank you
Hi Vicky! Thanks for reaching out! Dairy recommendations for this age would be 16oz/day. So based off this example schedule, you could do 4oz of milk in a cup at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack time, or however you want to break up that 16oz of milk throughout the day. However, that 16oz also includes cheese and yogurt. So, if your child doesnt want to drink milk, or only wants a little bit, that would be fine too. Water will always be the primary beverage, with milk on the side. Hope that helps!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi my baby is a year n refuses to hold her own bottle or food. Why us this?
Hi there! Thanks for reaching out! Most kids are motivated to eat and will figure out how to get it into their mouth. For those that want to eat, but can’t figure it out, the problem sometimes arises with the pincer grasp. We have a blog post with tips for this! Check it out here!
Best,
Kalyn
Hello! This is very helpful. I am having an issue getting my daughter to drink milk out of a straw cup. She drinks water out of a straw cup so I know she can. She has fully transitioned to whole milk. She does a 7oz bottle in am and a 7 oz bottle in pm. Your post is the first I’ve seen that has actual helpful info and breakdowns. She just outright refuses to drink milk out of a cup of any form. She drinks it totally fine out her bottle though- cold even. So I’m not sure why she won’t drink it out of a straw cup. Any advice??
Hi Amanda! Sometimes they prefer to drink milk out of a bottle because they associate it with comfort and sleep. To help transition her off the bottle for her milk, try gradually diluting her milk bottle with water— adding more water each time. Then, when offering her milk in a straw cup, do so without any water added. The hope is that she will think the milk bottle tastes worse than it does in a straw cup, and therefore, she’ll start to prefer the straw cup! Hope that helps!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi, there!
Thank you so much for your helpful advice/schedule. Question, are we simply replacing a bottle of formula with a straw cup of cows milk OR are we replacing a bottle with a solid snack and only offering cows milk at meals?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Michelle! Thanks for reaching out! We recommend replacing a bottle with 4oz of cow’s milk only at meals/snack. (Milk should be around 16 oz. total for the day after 1 year of age.) That would look something like: Breakfast- about 4 oz. of milk in an open cup/straw + a protein/carbohydrate/fruit/veggie; Nap; Lunch- about 4 oz. of milk in an open cup/straw + a protein/carbohydrate/fruit/veggie; Snack- about 4 oz. of milk in an open cup/straw + a protein/carbohydrate/fruit/veggie; Nap; Dinner- about 4 oz. of milk in an open cup/straw + a protein/carbohydrate/fruit/veggie. Hope that helps!
Best,
Kalyn
Thanks so much for this great site and very helpful article. I have scoured the web and this is some of the best information I have found along with great suggestions.
I have a son a week shy of turning 12 months and currently have him on a “schedule” like so:
6:30/6:45-wake up (as of late, he has been getting up earlier but I leave him babble in his crib/room as he is content).
7:00- 6 oz bottle (transitioning to cows milk and he has tried it a couple months ago per my doctors recommendation).
7:45-solids for breakfast (example: yogurt/baby cereal mixed in and some pieces of fruit).
9:45-11:15-nap
11:30-6 oz bottle
12:45-solid lunch (example: cottage cheese, veggie, fruit, beans).
2:45-4-nap
4:15-snack (usually milk in straw cup (4 days of this now), some avocado and crackers).
5:45/6-supper (example: pasta with veggie sauce, chicken meatball, fruit and veggies).
7:15-6 oz bottle during bedtime routine.
8:00- Usually asleep but had been babbling longer and content in crib.
He has taken first steps a month ago and now walking quite well on his own as of about a week ago, babbling a lot more but I am trying to decide if he is ready for a nap transition or if he is in a bit of a sleep regression due to all the new development.
Wondering if you would recommend adjusting the times for bottles/solids? I plan to drop the lunch bottle and offer milk in his cup with lunch in 2 weeks or so.
Thanks again!
*I also offer water in a straw cup or open cup throughout the day (approx 6 -8 oz total for a day).
I give my baby finger food, he grasps it and put it in the mouth, chew it and throw everything out. I gave him avocado, boiled carrots, raw carrots, chicken soup.But when I grind it all he swallows happily. He never drink formula milk more than 2 oz in one sitting. He is 12 months old. Please suggest.
Thanks for reaching out! Have you discussed this with your pediatrician? It’s always good to consult with your doctor, just to make sure everything is okay. It does sound like he may have some sensory issues or oral motor issues that could potentially be preventing him from chewing/swallowing/eating different textures of food. To help with this, try some oral motor exercises- we have a list of them here! Using a toothbrush to brush the sides of his mouth can also be helpful with desensitizing reflexes and strengthening those oral muscles. Continue to practice and offer foods, but be sure not to pressure him.
Best,
Kalyn
Hi Lisa! His feeding schedule looks and sounds great! Once he turns 12 mos, you can definitely try to transition over to 1 nap/day, and see if that helps with his bedtime— same with the milk! After 1, you can begin to transition from formula to regular milk and gradually replace a bottle feeding with 4oz of milk in a cup/straw cup. Milk should be around 16 oz. total for the day after 1 year of age. Ideally, meals should be spaced 2.5 – 3 hours apart, counting from the start of one meal to the start of the next. Hope that helps!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi, Lisa!
My bb is about to turn 1 (less than 2 weeks) and his schedule is almost exactly the same as your baby’s. I’m curious how things have been going as I’m looking to transition my baby from bottles of formula. Did you replace all bottles of formula with sippy cups of cows milk? Or did you start offering milk with meals instead and just do snacks of solids in between? How is your schedule looking?
Thanks in advance!
Hi, my daughter just turned one and I’ve been having issues transitioning her to table food. Currently she just picks her food up and licks it but that’s about it. She was doing well before with some food like sweet potato but she had about a few weeks where her appetite decreased probably because od teething and getting sick.
She is currently still taking milk 3x a day – in the morning, before her 2nd nap and bedtime totalling up to about 21oz. Her weight gain has been minimal if any.
Do you have any further suggestions of how to help with her eating? I can’t help but resort back to puree since I’m worried she’s not getting enough.
Hi Tina! Thanks for reaching out! Transitioning to solids can be tough! Keep offering, without pressure. Demonstrate eating to her with exaggerated motions, where everyone eats the same things. Allow her to touch/feel/play with her food so that mealtime is an enjoyable experience for her! Be calm and patient, don’t force. Try oral motor exercises if she has any trouble putting food into her mouth (brushing the sides of her mouth with a toothbrush or using teethers). We have a free table foods workshop that can also help! Save your seat here.
Best,
Kalyn
Hello, my 12 months old daughter is not swallowing any food even purée apart from her milk and I am so worried cos she’s loosing weight…..please can you tel me what to do
Hi Motty! So sorry to hear that your daughter is struggling with solids. We know how stressful it can be! Since she’s losing weight, we would definitely recommend getting her checked out by a doctor, who could potentially refer you to a feeding therapist. In the meantime, she may need help with her sensory/oral motor skills. Try using a toothbrush to brush the insides of her mouth- this will help desensitize her gag reflux and strengthen her motor skills. Try letting her touch/feel/play with her food- this will help her become familiar and more comfortable with different textures and sensory sensitivities. We have a free workshop available that helps to transition your baby to table foods. Save your seat here!
Best,
Kalyn
I am concerned my 11mo old (one in august) is eating too much. She dropped her morning bottle already and her rough schedule goes like this:
830-9a wake, breakfast (usually a waffle and half a yogurt or half a yogurt mixed in with oatmeal, I serve fruit with either meal.
Between 1130 & 1230 lunch (varies but is usually a protein, a carb and a veggie or fruit)
Between 12&1p 6oz bottle (depends on the days pace, not every day here is the same)
5/530 dinner – usually a carb, protein and veggie. Usually she takes a bottle between 430 and 6p – depending on the day, if she had her lunch bottle late then she doesn’t take this one as early. Often we find that we pack the bottle in even though she’s had lunch a few hours prior and either just had dinner or will soon.
815/830 6oz bottle
845/9p bedtime
We are first time parents and just want to be sure we aren’t over feeding her. She’s doing awesome with all solids and is eating 3 full meals a day now, consistently. We often find that we are giving her the early evening bottle, just to give it but not because she seems to need it. She is very high % in both height and weight since 4 months – but exceeds percentage in height vs weight.
Hi there! Thanks for reach out! Her current feeding schedule looks awesome! It’s great that she’s eating 3 meals a day successfully. If you’re concerned about the frequency of her milk, you can always try decreasing the ounces per serving, or if she seems to not need it during one of those times, you could try skipping a bottle and see how she does! But I wouldn’t worry too much about her weight right now. They tend to thin out after turning 1, when they start becoming more mobile and active! Hope that helps!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi! This was so helpful
My daughter just turned one year. I’m currently weaning off of formula and am doing goats milk (may introduce cows milk in small quantities but have read good things about goats milk and will mainly do that)
My main question is, do you offer water throughout the day during play time? Or is there set times that you offer water? I see that it was switched out with milk at meals and I’m wondering where I should fit that in.
Thank you!
Hi Jade,
You can offer water anytime during the day! We suggest that between meals/snacks only water is offered- but you can also offer it at mealtimes as well. I hope that answers your question. Let us know if you have any other questions!
Best,
Andrea
Hello, in the sample 11 month schedule it talks about offering milk in a cup if previous formula/breastmilk has been eliminated after 1st nap (1130am) at lunch time instead. If they are still on breastmilk, are we to offer breastmilk in or other milk alternative? Just a little confused. Thank you!
You can for sure still offer the breastmilk! What we are really looking for is proving the milk/breastmilk/alternative WITH the meal, in a cup so they can get used to having it with the meal. Hope that helps!
Best,
Desiree
My 10 month old has been refusing all bottles, nursing sessions (except morning but he only nurses for 3 mins, and I have extremely low supply), and also doesn’t like milk in any kind of cup. I keep trying to offer him bottles like in the weaning schedule (even though it’s a bit early) but I’m wondering if I should just give up and switch to the 12 month old schedule. He has the rare couple days every few weeks (this has been going on since 7 months) where he will start taking bottles again so I’m not sure if I should keep trying or if this is probably passing him off. Especially because he did used to drink around 3 oz from his cups and meal time, and now it’s 0 or 1 if we’re lucky. Did I just inadvertently make him hate milk?
Hey Stacy,
I’d definitely reach out to your pediatrician as you want to make sure that he’s getting the nutrients that he needs. If he’s not taking breastmilk still at this age it is recommended to be on some kind of formula until he’s 12months in age. I would keep trying but making sure not to force it with him, it does take some time for them to fully transition to drinking from the cups!
Best,
Desiree
I want to know quantity of meal and snacks and gap btwn 1 cup of milk and meal
Hi Priya! Check out our other blog post for more information on portion sizes 🙂
Best,
Kalyn
My 28 months son does not know to chew his food. Even chips he sucks, no matter how much I show him do crunch! Crunch!, He does not do it. He missed the milestone of self feeding. I have always spoon fed him. He eats only mashed food. If there a lumpy food he would bring out everything he has eaten. He just swallows the food. I tried to encourage self feeding after playing a bit he would say he is done. I am so stressed, need your help.
Hi Priya! Thanks for reaching out! Definitely consult with your pediatrician, due to his age. Your doctor can potentially refer you to a feeding therapist that can offer some hands on help. In the meantime, try using some sensory activities and oral motor exercises to help with the sensory sensitivities and oral muscles that work to chew/swallow. With food, the main thing will be to keep offering without any force or pressure. Allow him to touch/feel/play with his food and different textures.
Best,
Kalyn
Hey, thanks for the wonderful post!
I was wondering since I’m a bit in a bind, my little one is currently 1 year old, we have already eliminated all breastfeeding except at nights, it’s totally on-demand for going to sleep. Problem is throughout the night she continuously said every 2 hour more or less (sometimes even more frequent) so Mommy is tired. I’m totally going with your advice to shake things up and change going to sleep routine (daddy will have to get it done) 🙂 I don’t think it will be a big problem. Problem will be what do I do when she wakes up? She ask for a feeding every time adamantly. I just want to guarantee that she is also fully feed. She doesn’t do bottles, never have liked them, also hates pacifier! We are trying to introduce through the day cow milk without much success to my dismay 😅.
I’m a full time working mom, so It would be nice to transition to not breastfeeding at night to get a good rest 😌.
Thanks a lot in advance!
Loving parents
Hey Evelyn,
As you are working through the transition to cow’s milk are you attempting to mix it with breast milk at all (if able). This can help with the transition. I love your approach and you seem ready to tackle it. During the night waking, having Daddy be able to go in (as he can’t provide the milk like mommy) can be really helpful as well if you’re able to do that! But looking for another transitional soothing objects is really helpful too!
Best,
Desiree
Thanks for he information! I was beginning to feel overwhelmed and behind…
My son is almost a year old and I am now trying to take away bottles. So far I have taken away the bottle after his first nap and going straight to lunch. He also has a bottle first thing in the morning and before bed. I am following the feeding schedule you have for 11 months, however, his awake times are 3, 4 and 4 hours. When should I be giving him the second bottle and snack?
Hello,
My son is 13 months and we are struggling with table food at home and at day care. Lunch and snacks are at daycare with breakfast and dinner at home Monday-Friday. He seems somewhat interested in food when placed in front of him while at home but will barely eat. He plays with it, throws it on the floor, and squishes it. I normally give him a bottle of formula (5oz) when he wakes between 6:30am-7:30am, then I follow up with breakfast around 1 to 1.5 hours later. Some days, I start with yogurt and he takes to it well and we finish with a bottle at dessert before I take him to daycare around 8am. He then is offered breakfast again, snacks, and lunch that I either pack or they provide. He won’t eat when the food is placed in front of him nor will he let the teachers feed him. At home, I feed him from my plate with my hand or sometimes a spoon. He eats more in the evening and less in the morning. He is now consuming about 20-25 ounces a day of milk or formula. Also, I spoon feed him yogurt that eats just fine. Currently, baby or greek yogurt is our safety food. First, should I decrease to 16 ounces and offer milk with food in a cup? What do I do when he wakes and is crying hysterically for milk? When he is very hungry, he does not want food because it is not as easy to consume as a bottle of milk. Please help! I look forward to your response. Thank you
Hi Nicole,
Transitioning to table food can be such a challenge to figure out! Toddlers can be such spotty eaters! Based on what you’ve said, it sounds like you are wanting to phase out some of the milk during the day. Offering milk with one meal to start with in an open cup or a strawed cup, rather than in a bottle is a great way to do that. The early morning bottle is usually one of the last feedings to give up. This is also a great time to start letting your toddler self-feed. We have a post about it HERE that might give you some ideas!
Best,
Andrea
My daughter was exactly the same. At 12 months old I swapped her bottle times to after food. It worked. She was very hungry after she woke up and began eating really well. She loves her bottle right before a nap. She even began sleeping right through the night. She was a very full and settled girl.
Thanks for sharing, Donna! That definitely make a difference for some babies!
Best,
Andrea
Your Kids Table Team
Hi Diane,
Thanks for your response and tips. When I give him food first thing in the morning, he cries for the bottle and won’t settle until he gets it. I tried giving less ounces but he still won’t eat the table food. He’s grown to eat various snacks in the evening. I’m really trying hard to break the milk habit. This evening, I plan on offering a pouch at dinner and a bottle at bedtime. He currently sleeps through the night.
Hi Nicole,
I just wanted to chime in again! Many babies and toddlers still drink milk first thing in the morning. That is usually one of the last feedings to go. If your little one is insisting on the bottle in the morning, you might want to offer the cup at all other times and transition that feeding a little later. I also wanted to suggest our free table foods workshop to you. It focuses on a few tangible changes you can make to improve the transition to table foods. It might be really helpful! You can save your seat HERE.
Best,
Andrea
Quick question: When giving the milk or formula with a meal, do you want to ensure all the milk is finished or is it okay if they only had a few ounces and then just wanted water?
Hey Chrisy,
It would depend on their age and how much they are getting overall in a day! Check out this post on how much milk they need. If they are over the age of 1, then typically you wouldn’t want to push them to finish. Check it out here
Best,
Desiree
Can I feed my baby during the midnight and 4am in the morning? he is 14 months old…
Hello thank you so much for this, it’s super helpful. My baby is 15 months old and so far in the morning she is been having her bottle when she wakes up but been working on decreasing it and follow with breakfast, still struggling to get her to drink from a cup although she takes her water in one. Any tips around breakfast and how do you get them to drink milk and have solid at same time. She used to have 8oz we dropped it now to 5 and she is usually not happy about it and then she heads to daycare where they serve her breakfast. Many thanks
Hey Tanya,
If you haven’t tried yet, I’d try utilizing a fun straw cup! These can make it more appealing to kids, also utilizing a different cup (for the milk) can be helpful as well. Getting any characters from shows your child enjoys can be helpful as well. It can take some time for the transition but be consistent with offering the milk during the meal!
Best,
Desiree
Hello
I have problem with my both kids. My first one is 2,5 years old. He doesn’t want to try any food only eat certain kind of cereal, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, nutella sandwich, pasta with milk and sugar, muffins, rice with apple and sugar, that is all. From the beginning he only ate 3 oz of formula it never increases. We tried many kinds of formula to see if he doesn’t like the taste but no it was always only 3oz. Refused to eat solid food or even try any food. He weighs 22 lb now and I am worried that he is not gaining much weight. Any advice here. My other one is 12 months old and she also drink 3-4 oz of formula mixed with baby cereal. She likes to play with solid food but after trying she spits everything out. Right now she doesn’t eat anything besides a little bit of formula. I am worried that both my kids have some problems with eating. Please help
Hey Anna,
Thanks for reaching out! We can understand where you are coming from and know how hard it can be! I’d first start off with getting them to play in different textures and food. This can be really helpful as touching is the first step to eating. As for your 2.5 year old we do have a free workshop you can save your seat for free. This will help you with setting up mealtimes and removing pressure. While these principles can still apply to your 12 month old, we do have a different workshop for younger children with difficulties eating that might be more helpful as well. This can help with strategies for transitioning to solid foods. You can save your seat here
Best,
Desiree
My child is obsessed with his bottle making it very difficult to transition to an open cup or straw cup for his milk. He’s 12 months old and when we present an open cup he just throws it all over himself and can’t sip from straw yet. How do we transition off bottle and ensure he’s getting the 16oz?
Hey!
Thanks for reaching out! We’d suggest going with the straw cup so it’s not going everywhere and can be fun for kids. We do have an article on teaching them How to Teach Your Baby to Drink from a Straw you will get a lot of tips for working on the straw drinking.
Best,
Desiree
Hi,
My boy 15 month old doesnt like sweet food or fruits like chikoo,banana..He gags if he tries. Doesnt like honey..Doesn’t like banana,will have one or 2 bites if he is too hungry..Not liking oranges, or any juices.Please help in identifying underlying issues and he is not gaining weight..he is just 8.5kg.
He is still breastfeeding and not taking cows milk.
Hi there! It could be that he prefers to breastfeed, so he may not be hungry enough to try eating different foods. Continue to practice and offer different foods, flavors, and textures. Also, try feeding him before breastfeeding. Allow him to touch/feel/play with his food, so that he becomes more comfortable with it. To help with gagging, try using a toothbrush to brush the sides of his mouth a few times each day, to help desensitize his gag reflex. For more help, check out our free table food workshop here!
Best,
Kalyn