Feeding your baby is one of the most important aspects of child care. When it does not work as you expect or is a stressful event, it can be of great concern. Here are some developmental milestones to look for at this age:
Feeding Skills at 4 – 6 Months
- Baby will feed in semi-reclined position
- Visually recognizes bottle
- Continues to bring hands and toys/objects to mouth
- Uses hands to pat bottle/breast during feeding
- Begins to eat puree/smooth creamy foods by sucking food from a spoon
- Child should demonstrate a good coordination of suck and swallow
- By 6 months, child will swallow strained foods
- Recognizes the bottle or breast
Feeding Skills at 6 – 8 Months
- Eating in more upright positions
- Tongue can lateralize/move toward cheeks
- Mouthing and munching spoon, toys and biter biscuits
- Holds own bottle
- Drinking from a cup held for child
- Eating mashed, soft table foods (potatoes, carrots, fruits, etc.) with creamy, lumpy texture
- Drooling less except for teething
- Bite and release observed
- Moves food around in mouth using tongue, bites and chews toys
Feeding Skills at 8 – 12 Months
- Sitting upright during meals
- Biting and chewing foods voluntarily
- Eating finger foods with pureed meats
- Meats should stay one consistency below vegetables and fruit child is eating
- Controlled sustained bite
- Developing a rotary chew pattern
- Finger feeds self
- Holds spoon during meals
- Moves food around in mouth using tongue, bites and chews toys
- Finger feeds self, chews food
Feeding Skills at 12 – 18 Months
- Eating table foods, but meat chopped/cut up very small
- Lips closed during chewing
- Appetite decreases during this time resulting in food refusal occasionally
- Brings a spoon to mouth and turns spoon over
- Holds and drinks from a cup with some spills
- Appetite decreases, may refuse food
- Scoops food with spoon, brings food to mouth
Feeding Skills at 18 – 24 Months
- Chewing with rotary jaw movements
- Distinguishes between food and non-food items
- Gives up bottle
- Gives empty bowl or dish to an adult
- Scooping foods to feed self, with some spills
- Plays/explores foods with hands
- Holds small cups with one hand
- Plays with food
- Knows the difference between food and non-food items
- Transitions to a cup
- Develops clear food preferences
Feeding Skills at 24 – 30 Months
- Holds spoon between fingers, palm up
- May have definite food likes and dislikes
- Often the time ‘picky eater’ shows up
- Unwraps food
- Holds spoon
- Washes hands
- May show dislike and refuse certain foods
Feeding Skills at 30 – 36 Months
- Uses a fork to feed self
- Wipes mouth with napkin
- May reject many foods due to slower rate of growth and more mature sense of taste
- Attempts to serve self at table with spills
- Pours liquids from small containers