Is my baby eating enough?

Milk is still the main food under 12 months

When your baby first starts solids, it can look as if they hardly eat anything. That’s expected. The NHS says that at the beginning, how much your baby eats matters less than getting them used to eating, and that they’ll still get most of their energy and nutrients from breast milk or formula.

The CDC says breast milk is the most important source of nutrition even after you start solid foods. The AAP describes a baby’s first experiences with solid food as practice sessions, and says it’s important to make sure they keep getting enough breast milk.

As your baby eats more food, milk feeds gradually change, and US and UK guides give different amounts (see below). For more, see how much breast milk or formula and milk and solids together.

What’s normal

Babies and toddlers don’t eat the same amount every day.

• Some days more, some days less. The NHS says there will be days when your baby eats more, days when they eat less, and days when they reject everything, and that this is perfectly normal. Think about what they eat over a week, not in one meal or one day.
• Tiny tummies. Babies starting solids only need a few pieces or teaspoons of food at first (NHS). The AAP’s symptom guide says that during the first year, 2 to 4 tablespoons of each food is a normal amount, and to offer more if your baby still seems hungry.
• Your baby decides how much. Your child doesn’t need to finish a bottle, a jar or a plate (CDC). The AAP says your job is to offer healthy food in sensible portions, and your child’s job is to decide how much to eat.
• Appetite drops after age 1. The AAP says many parents notice a sharp drop in appetite after the first birthday, because growth slows down. A toddler’s diet usually balances out over several days.

Growth is the best guide

The AAP puts it simply: a child who is growing well is getting enough to eat.

Your baby’s weight and length are measured and plotted on a growth chart at routine checks. The NHS says that after the first 2 weeks, babies should be weighed no more often than:

• once a month up to 6 months
• once every 2 months from 6 to 12 months
• once every 3 months after age 1

Your baby can be weighed more often if you ask, or if there are concerns about their health or growth (NHS).

In the US, your pediatrician plots your baby’s weight and length on a growth chart at checkups (AAP).

What the lines mean. Growth charts have curved lines called centiles (percentiles in the US). The NHS says a baby’s weight may go up or down by 1 centile line, but crossing 2 lines is less common, and is worth talking to your health visitor about. Every baby’s chart looks different, even compared with a brother or sister (NHS): what matters is your baby’s own pattern over time.

After an illness, weight gain often slows for a while, and usually catches up within 2 to 3 weeks (NHS). See feeding a sick baby.

Other signs your baby is getting enough

• They seem healthy and alert when awake (NHS).
• They’re content and drowsy after milk feeds (CDC).
• They have plenty of wet diapers. The NHS says that after the first few days, breastfed babies should have at least 6 heavy wet nappies every 24 hours. The AAP uses fewer than 6 wet diapers a day as a sign of dehydration in babies.

Gentle ways to help

• Offer milk and food at good times. The NHS suggests offering solid food before a usual milk feed, so your baby isn’t already full, but not when they’re too tired or too hungry. If your baby is less interested in breastfeeding after starting solids, the CDC suggests breastfeeding before offering food.
• Follow their cues. Watch for hunger signs like reaching for food and opening their mouth, and fullness signs like turning away (CDC). See hunger and fullness cues.
• Never force or bribe. The NHS says rushing or forcing a baby can lead to feeding problems.
• Let them feed themselves. Finger foods let your baby show you how much they want (NHS).
• Start small. The AAP suggests serving less than you think your child will eat, and letting them ask for more.
• Make food count. Include iron-rich foods like meat, beans, lentils and iron-fortified cereal. See iron-rich first foods.
• Eat together, with screens off (NHS).

If your baby turns food away a lot, see why is my baby refusing food?

Red flags: call your doctor

Talk to your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if your baby:

• is losing weight, or isn’t gaining weight as expected (AAP, NHS)
• crosses 2 or more centile lines downward on their growth chart (NHS)
• is over 9 months and refuses most solid food (AAP)
• spits up or vomits so often that they’re not gaining weight (NIDDK): see reflux and solids
• often coughs, chokes or struggles when eating or swallowing: see spitting out food
• has fewer wet diapers than usual, or other signs of dehydration (below)

The CDC says to talk to your child’s doctor or nurse whenever you’re concerned about how much or how little they’re eating. You don’t need a red flag to ask.

Signs of dehydration

The AAP and NHS say to get medical advice quickly if you notice any of these:

• fewer wet diapers than usual (for babies, the AAP uses fewer than 6 a day)
• a dry mouth, lips or tongue
• few or no tears when crying
• a sunken soft spot (fontanelle) on top of the head
• being drowsy, irritable or playing less than usual

The NHS says to ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if your baby has signs of dehydration. The NHS also lists a baby who isn’t feeding, or hasn’t had a drink in 8 hours while awake, as a sign of serious illness.

When to call for emergency help

Call 911 or go to the emergency room if your baby:Call 999 or go to A&E if your baby:Call your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) or go to the emergency department if your baby:

• is floppy, very sleepy, hard to wake, or not responding as usual
• is struggling to breathe, breathing very fast, or sucking in their tummy as they breathe
• has blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue
• has skin that feels cold or clammy
• hasn’t had a wet diaper or peed in 12 hours
• shows signs of dehydration along with sunken eyes, very sleepy behavior, or cool, discolored hands and feet
• has green or yellow-green vomit, vomits blood, or has vomit that looks like coffee grounds

These signs come from the NHS and AAP. Trust your instincts: if you think something is seriously wrong, get help.

Where US and UK advice differs

• Snacks before 12 months. The AAP’s solid foods symptom guide suggests adding a small snack once your baby is on 3 meals a day, often between 6 and 9 months. The NHS says babies under 12 months don’t need snacks, and suggests extra milk feeds if your baby seems hungry between meals.
• Milk amounts. The AAP says that by 6 months, formula-fed babies typically take 6 to 8 oz (180–240 ml) at each of 4 or 5 feeds a day, and no more than about 32 oz (960 ml) a day. The NHS guides for older babies are lower: around 600 ml (20 oz) a day at 7 to 9 months and 400 ml (13½ oz) at 10 to 12 months. Follow your baby’s cues, and ask your health visitor or pediatrician if you’re unsure.
• Growth checks. In the UK, your baby’s growth is plotted on UK-WHO charts in the personal child health record (the red book), and the NHS sets a maximum for how often to weigh. In the US, your pediatrician plots growth at checkups. Both look at the pattern over time, not a single weight.

If your baby is growing, alert and has plenty of wet diapers, a small appetite for solid food is usually nothing to worry about.