Feeding your baby from 0 to 12 months

In the first year feeding changes fast: from breast or bottle every few hours to the first meals from a spoon. Here's what the World Health Organization and paediatricians recommend.

Updated 7 October 2026

In short

For the first 6 months breast milk or formula is all your baby needs.
A newborn usually feeds 8–12 times in 24 hours, whenever they show hunger.
Solid food starts around 6 months, while breast milk or formula continues.

0–6 months: breast milk or formula

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends feeding babies only breast milk for the first 6 months, with no water or other foods. If you use formula, or breast milk and formula together, the same applies: until 6 months your baby needs nothing else.

Feed on demand, meaning when your baby shows hunger, not by the clock. A newborn usually feeds 8–12 times in 24 hours. As they grow, feeds become less frequent and longer.

Hunger signs: turning the head and searching with the mouth, hands to the mouth, moving the lips or sticking out the tongue. Crying is a late sign of hunger. It's easier to feed your baby before they cry.

Are they getting enough? Good signs are frequent wet nappies through the day, regular stools and weight gain checked by your paediatrician. After the first week most babies wet about 6 or more nappies a day.

If you use formula, always prepare it according to the instructions on the pack and never dilute it. Ask your paediatrician about vitamin D too: many recommend it for breastfed babies.

Around 6 months: first foods

Around 6 months milk alone is no longer enough, especially for iron. That's when complementary foods begin, while breast milk or formula continues. The WHO recommends continuing breastfeeding up to 2 years or beyond.

Signs your baby is ready:

they sit with a little support and hold their head steady;
they show interest in your food and open their mouth when the spoon comes near;
they no longer push food out with their tongue.

Start with a few spoonfuls of soft or mashed food once a day, and gradually increase the amount and variety. Include iron-rich foods early, such as meat, fish, eggs, pulses and fortified cereals.

How many meals a day by age

These are the WHO recommendations for babies who are still breastfed. Babies who aren't breastfed need 1–2 extra milk feeds or meals.

Age	Solid meals	Milk
0–6 months	None	Only breast milk or formula, on demand
6–8 months	2–3 meals a day	Breast milk or formula, as before
9–11 months	3–4 meals, plus 1–2 snacks	Breast milk or formula
12–23 months	3–4 meals, plus 1–2 snacks	Breast milk, as wanted

Textures should change with age: from smooth purée to mashed food, then small pieces your baby picks up with their fingers, and by around the first year, most of the family's food.

What to avoid before 1 year

Honey, because of the risk of botulism.
Cow's milk as the main drink. Small amounts in cooking or in yoghurt are usually fine.
Added salt and sugar, as well as sweet drinks and fruit juices.
Hard, round foods that can cause choking, such as whole nuts, whole grapes and raw carrots.

Foods that often cause allergies, such as eggs and smooth peanut butter, don't need to be delayed beyond 6 months. If your baby has severe eczema or a known allergy, talk to your paediatrician first.

When to talk to your paediatrician

Talk to your paediatrician if your baby isn't gaining weight, wets few nappies, keeps refusing to feed, vomits often and forcefully, or gets a rash, swelling or breathing difficulty after a new food.

Track it with Ditari i Bebes

In Ditari i Bebes you log breastfeeds with a timer for each side, bottles, expressed milk and solid food, together with reactions to new foods. So you always know when your baby last ate and what they've tried.

See the app

Sources

This guide is for information only and doesn't replace advice from your doctor, midwife or lactation consultant. Every mother and every baby is different. If something worries you, talk to your doctor.