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