The best feeding routine at 10-months

 

A feeding routine is essential for your baby at 10-months-old, as they will be consuming three solid meals a day. They will also be ready to tackle more complex foods, as solids gradually replace milk as their main source of nutrition. However, your baby will still need 500-600ml of milk per day until the age of 2.

Why a breastfeeding schedule is important

 

While it’s perfectly normal and expected for babies to be fed on demand as infants, as they get older and move through the process of weaning, it is important for them to start to follow a more rigid structure on a day to day basis. Breastfeeding at regular times along with eating meals at regular times allows your baby’s digestion to develop further, and start cycling its digestive rhythms, just like an adult. Their nutritional needs are also rapidly changing, and avoiding under or overfeeding can be done with the help of a simple schedule. Using a loose, flexible structure throughout the day will also help you perfect your breastfeeding frequency as you go through the process of weaning, which by 10-months should be well underway. Your baby and you will fall into a natural rhythm and schedule over time – it is important to not force it. Pay attention to your natural rhythms and structure your meals, and breastfeeding around them for a more natural experience. Expect your baby’s daily milk intake to fluctuate by up to 20% or so each day – their bodies compensate for their actual nutritional needs day by day. But by regulating the timings with some care, you will set up your baby for a healthy transition to toddlerhood.

Challenges with breastfeeding schedules

 

While an ideal breastfeeding schedule looks different for every baby, especially as their nutritional needs evolve through the process of breastfeeding, it is very common to face certain challenges during this time period. While most of the major issues associated with breastfeeding in general will be resolved by the time your baby is 10 months old, there are still potential problems. As your breastfeeding frequency decreases, you may suffer from breast engorgement. This may go away with time, but treating the problem with manual expression or a breast pump may help decrease the discomfort.  As your baby combines solid foods along with breastfeeding, it may increase the risk of infections such as thrush if proper care is not given to oral health, so be mindful of the timings and cleaning. One of the biggest challenges however is that by the time baby is 10-months old, mom’s often do not have the ability to spend all day with baby, which can have significant impacts on feeding schedules. It is important to try and maintain the schedule. Using a breast pump and bottle feeding the baby at regular times is a perfect alternative to scheduled breastfeeding, and still maintains all the benefits, and prepares baby for weaning.

 

Breastfeeding frequency for a 10-month old

 

Whether you’re caring for a 1-week old or a 10-month old, it is critical to remember one crucial fact that all babies are different. While their needs can broadly be defined as per their age, it is important to tailor their schedules and intake as per their individual requirements. In general, any schedule that allows for the following will work for your 10-month old

-          Solid food three times a day

-          700-900ml of milk or formula a day

-          Around 14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period of time

-          Time for playing, skill development, and parental interaction

Structure their day with nutrition


Below is an example of a feeding schedule with food suggestions to give you an idea of how to nutritionally structure their day. It should only be used as an example to help you plan meals and mealtimes. There’s no need to stick to it rigidly or serve the same menu day after day. It’s important to give your baby a variety of foods. The more foods you can introduce them to while they’re young, the less chance of them becoming fussy eaters as they grow up. A mixture of spoon fed and finger foods are great for variety. Let your baby set the pace and be your guide.

Weaning a 10-month old

 

By the age of 10-months your baby should be well on the way to being weaned off breastmilk or formula as their primary nutritional source, and should be taking solid food at least 3 times a day. Pediatricians say between four-six months of age is the right time to start weaning your baby, but in most cases, babies should be receiving their nutrition exclusively from breast milk until the six-month mark. Some of the key signs that will show that it’s time to start the process of baby weaning are:

  • Baby can sit in a high chair on their own comfortably
  • Baby looks at other people’s food with interest
  • Baby can move food to the back of their throat and doesn’t spit out

As they progress with solid food, make sure to keep experimenting with different types of foods and flavours, and progressively moving them away from breastmilk or formula.

Follow the serving guide

 

  • 3-4 servings of starchy foods such as potato, bread, pasta or noodles.
  • 3-4 servings of fruit and vegetables
  • 2 servings of protein such as meat, fish, eggs or beans and pulses.

Sample feeding schedule for a 10-month-old


On waking:
Breast or bottle feed on waking (150-200mls)

Breakfast:
Porridge/cereal based breakfast snack OR toast followed by fruit.

Mid-morning:
Breast or bottle feed (150-200mls) plus a small carbohydrate rich snack such as bread sticks or rice cakes.

Lunch:
Spaghetti bolognese with peas OR vegetable dal and rice and freshly sliced fruit.

Mid-afternoon snack:
Fromage frais OR hummus and crackers/cooked carrot sticks.

Dinner:
Chicken/cheese sandwiches OR salmon fishcakes and mashed potato followed by blueberries (cut in half) and natural yoghurt.

Bedtime:
Breast or bottle feed (150-200mls).
 

 

Please be aware that the information given in these articles is only intended as general advice and should in no way be taken as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you or your family or your child is suffering from symptoms or conditions which are severe or persistent or you need specific medical advice, please seek professional medical assistance. Philips AVENT cannot be held responsible for any damages that result from the use of the information provided on this website.

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