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How Much Breastmilk or Infant Formula Does Baby Need After Starting Solids?
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Feeding your baby can get confusing once solids are introduced! In fact, one of the most common questions I get is “Do babies drink less milk when they start solids?”
As a mom of two and a registered dietitian specializing in infant nutrition, I’m here to help you navigate this big transition so you can feel more at ease.
What to know about starting solids while also feeding breast milk or baby formula
The first thing to know is that breast milk and/or baby formula will be your baby’s main source of nutrition until the age of 1 year.2 The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends introducing solid foods – in the right texture! - when your baby is around 6 months old.13
Because your little one can barely eat solids when you first introduce foods, think of the first few months as just learning new tastes and textures. At this point, solids are complimentary, which means they play a small role in your baby’s nutrition and are not intended to replace breast milk or baby formula.7
As your little one approaches a year and begins to consume more solid foods, they will gradually decrease their intake of breast milk and/or formula.2711
Learn more: Introducing Solids: Signs of Readiness
Should I feed my baby solid foods on a schedule?
Many parents wonder when they should offer those first bites of solid foods. And how do these solids fit into a meal pattern that includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner while continuing breast milk and/or formula feedings?
Because every baby is different, there are no rigid recommendations. Over time, you and your little one will begin to develop a routine that works for you and your family.
Just like with breastfeeding and formula feeding, it’s best to follow your little one’s lead when it comes to solid foods: Feed when they show hunger and stop when they indicate they are full (or no longer interested in eating).6
Expert Tip: As a starting guide, offer breast milk or formula separate from solids. This helps ensure baby isn’t too full from solids to consume their nutritious drink, or too full from the milk feeding to be interested in solids.
Example solid food feeding times:
Breast milk or formula feeding when baby wakes in the morning, then roughly an hour later offer a solid food breakfast.
Provide another milk feeding after their nap, followed by a solid food lunch an hour later, and so on.
*See the final section of this article for sample feeding schedules from when your child first starts solids through when they turn 1 year old.
How to introduce solids foods to baby
The first few weeks of feeding solid foods are less about calories and more about helping baby learn how to eat and begin experiencing and enjoying new flavors.
For this reason, formula and/or breast milk feedings should remain the same (in amount and frequency), which helps your baby continue meeting their nutrient and calorie needs.
Starting solids
Whether you are offering purees or baby led weaning, introduce small amounts of solids just once per day to help your little one get used to the act of moving thicker foods around in their mouth and swallowing.7
At first, your little one may just play with the food, look confused, or even refuse!3
Introducing new foods slowly also helps you know if your little one has an adverse reaction to a specific food.7
As your little one gets used to eating and begins enjoying it more, you can increase the amount you offer at each meal in response to their appetite and hunger cues.
How many times per day to offer solids to your baby
Starting solids: Offer food once per day
Between 6 and 8 months: Offer foods 2 to 3 times per day
How much solid foods to give your baby each time they eat
Start with just 0.5 to 1 ounce of total food, then slowly work up to offering about ¼ cup of each food at each meal.
Some babies only eat this larger amount of food around 9 months, while others may have a bigger appetite sooner. Your little one may eat more or less depending on their hunger.
Breast milk and baby formula will continue to play a big role in baby’s diet up until they are a year old.27
Read more:
Introducing Solids: First Foods and Textures
Introducing Solids: Purees versus Baby Led Weaning
Happy Family Starting Solids 101
How much breast milk or baby formula will my baby drink when starting solids?
Remember that solid foods at this point can help baby learn how to eat and are not yet a big part of your child’s calorie intake.7
In the first few months of starting solids, your baby will likely not reduce how much breast milk or formula they drink per day.
Between 6 and 9 months
Breastfed babies will typically breastfeed at least 6 to 8 times per 24 hours taking about 3 to 5 oz breast milk per feeding.2
Formula-fed babies will typically take 3 to 5 bottles, taking about 6 to 8 ounces of formula per feeding.
Between 9 and 12 months
Breastfed babies may gradually reduce how often they drink breast milk per day. Some babies will continue to breastfeed 6 to 8 times per day while others may slowly reduce to 4 to 5 times per day. If bottle feeding, offer 4 to 6 ounces breast milk per bottle.
Formula-fed babies will consume about 3 bottles per day with 7 to 8 ounces of formula in each. Some babies may also gradually reduce how much they drink as they eat more and more solids.
Did you know: While formula-fed and breast-fed babies drink on average the same total ounces per day, they tend to take different amounts at each feeding/bottle.
As you can see above, formula-fed babies eat less frequently but have more per bottle (6-8oz); breastfed babies eat more often and have less per bottle/feeding (3-5 oz), even up to a year old. a year old.
This is because formula generally takes longer to digest, so babies can go for longer between feedings and often end up drinking more per feeding, compared with breastfed babies, as they get older.
Expert tip: If you are bringing your little one to daycare, be sure to tell the staff how many ounces of breast milk or formula your child takes per bottle. This will help them know what to expect and help prevent over- or under-feeding.
Learn more:
Should I Breastfeed On Demand or on a Schedule?
Should I Formula Feed On Demand or on a Schedule?
How Much Formula Does my Baby Need?
Need some guidance on starting solids with your baby? Reach out to our team of registered dietitian nutritionists and lactation consultants for free! They’re here to help on our free to live chat from Monday – Friday 8am - 6pm (ET). Chat Now!
Follow your child’s hunger and fullness cues: Responsive Feeding
Rather than forcing your child to eat or drink a certain amount, respond to their hunger and fullness cues.6
Pressuring your child to take another bite or continue to drink when they don’t want to often leads to overeating, mealtime stress, and rejection of foods later.
Responsive feeding is watching your child and responding to their feeding cues: Offer more food if they seem hungry or stop feeding if they are done with the meal.
The same goes for formula or breast milk bottles: Let them drink as much, or as little, as they feel they need.
Doing this throughout their childhood will help them strengthen their instinctive internal hunger and fullness cues, help them understand how to self-regulate how much they eat and drink, as well as help promote a positive relationship with food.67
Read more:
Understanding Your Baby’s Hunger and Fullness Cues: Responsive Feeding
The Division of Responsibility: Helping Avoid Picky Eating
Bottom line
Remember that when your child is first starting solids, these foods can help them learn to eat and accept new flavors and textures.
Between 6 and 9 months, continue to offer breast milk and formula as often as usual to help ensure your little one is getting the nutrition they need.
After 9 months your little one may gradually reduce how much breast milk or formula they take.
Sample feeding schedules after starting solids
*All foods below are examples. Be sure to introduce as many new foods as possible, in the texture and size your child can handle, during the first year to help get them off to a great start with solids.
Continue to repeatedly introduce foods, especially if your little one is taking longer to get used to that specific taste or texture.
Note that the schedule of breastfeeding or formula feeding is also an example. Continue to follow a pattern that works best for your child and allows them to grow and develop well.
6 months old: Introducing solid foods
7 am: Breast milk or Baby formula Feed
8 am: 1-2 Tablespoons of mashed/pureed avocado or an iron-fortified cereal
Continue nursing/formula feeding as usual
A few days later or a few weeks later
7 am Breast milk or Formula Feed
8-8:30 am: A few tablespoons of iron-fortified oatmeal and a few tablespoons of pureed apple
Continue nursing/formula feeding as usual
Starting around 6 to 8 months
7 am: Breast milk or Formula Feed
8-8:30 am: Few Tablespoons of iron-fortified baby cereal and half a mashed banana
10 am: Breast milk for formula feed
1 pm: Breast milk for formula feed
4 pm: Breast milk for formula feed
5-5:30 pm: 2-4 Tablespoons pureed beef, 2 Tablespoons of mashed soft peas and carrots or pureed*
Continue to breastfeed or formula feed as usual
As your child becomes proficient at eating solids and is ready for more textures, be sure to advance from purees to lumpy mashed foods, then onto finely chopped, soft solids as their eating skills progress.
Read more:
Meal Plan for 6 to 9 Month Old Baby
Preventing Choking in Infants and Toddlers
9 to 12 Months
6:30 am: Breast milk or formula feed
7:30-8 am: Scrambled egg*, whole grain toast strips with a thin coating of peanut butter*
10:00 am: Breast milk or formula feed
12 Noon: flaky pieces of white fish* or soft shredded chicken with pieces of softened (cooked) apple strips or fresh, soft mango
3:30 pm: Breast milk or formula feed
5 pm: Meatball pieces and chopped pasta tubes with sauce, soft steamed green beans
Continue to breastfeed or formula feed as usual8
The patterns above are not set in stone – listen to your baby and change it as needed!
*Eggs, peanuts and fish are included in the top 9 allergens. Chat with your child’s pediatrician before introducing top allergens to your baby. The top 9 allergens include cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, soy, wheat, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, and sesame seeds.9
Learn more:
Introducing Major Food Allergens to your Infant
Meal Plan for 12 Month Old Toddler
FAQs
Here are some additional frequently asked questions about formula or breast milk feedings when introducing solid foods.
Will my baby drink less milk when starting solids?
At first, your baby will likely not drink less milk when starting solids. Once they learn how to eat and are enjoying solids for more meals as they get closer to one year, your little one may start to drink less breast milk or formula.
How do you balance milk feeds with solids?
The best strategy is to offer breast milk or baby formula separately from solid snacks or meals. This way baby is not too full from solids to get enough milk, which should be their primary source of nutrition and calories during this time.
Likewise, offering solids between formula or breast milk feedings can help your little one be hungrier to try new tastes and textures from solid foods!
How much breast milk should a baby have after starting solids?
Continue to feed your baby as often and as much breast milk as they had before starting solids. At first, your little one won’t be eating very many solids, and breast milk will remain their primary source of nutrition for the first year.
Listen to your baby’s hunger and fullness cues when breastfeeding, feeding when they seem hungry and stopping when they seem full. This way your little one will most likely be getting the amount that is right for them.
As they get closer to a year, your baby will likely start drinking less breast milk as their solid foods intake goes up.
Let’s Chat!
We know parenting often means sleepless nights, stressful days, and countless questions and confusion, and we want to support you in your feeding journey and beyond.
Our Happy Experts are a team of lactation consultants and registered dietitian nutritionists certified in infant and maternal nutrition – and they’re all moms, too! They’re here to offer personalized support on our free, one-on-one, live chat platform Monday - Friday 8am-6pm (ET). No appointment needed, no email or sign-up required. Chat Now!
Read more about the experts who help write our content!
For more on this topic, check out the following articles
Family Meals: Developing Healthy Eating Patterns
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