Developmental Milestones And Feeding Skills

Birth to 6 Months

• Sucks well on nipple .
• finishes each feeding within minutes by 4 months
• Signs of hunger in newborns are increased alertness or activity, mouthing or rooting. Crying is a late indictor of hunger.

6-9 Months

• At 6 months, babies are physiologically and developmentally ready for solid foods
• Sits independently for a short time
• Drinks from a cup held by an adult
• Eats soft food from a spoon or adult’s fingers
• Uses both hands to hold a bottle
• Prefers parents to feed
• Plays with spoon
• Initial refusal of new flavors and textures is not uncommon. It may take 3-10 offerings before an infant accepts a new food
• Finger-feeding can be introduced
• By 9 months, picks up small items using thumb and first finger (e.g., oat ring cereal)
• Some infants have a more sensitive gag reflex and may not tolerate anything but pureed foods at first

9-12 Months

• Begins to take an active independent role in feeding
• Assists with spoon; some become independent
• Refining pincer grasp
• Can hold cup and suck or sip contents, but may spill
• More willing to accept lumpy textures, especially when self-feeding
• Initial refusal of new flavours and textures is common. It may take up to10 offerings before infant accepts a new food
• Licks food from lower lip

12-18 Months

• Picks up and eats finger foods
• Grasps spoon with whole hand
• Holds cup with 2 hands
• Holds and tips bottle
• Compared with the first year of life, a decreased or sporadic appetite is common
• Unfamiliar foods are often rejected the first time

18-24 Months

• Chews broad range of food
• Self-feeding predominates
• Displays curiosity and desire to be independent
• Decreased or sporadic appetite is common
• Food neophobia (fear of the new) increases through early childhood and then declines. Unfamiliar foods are often rejected the first time _ Food likes and dislikes become prominent
• Tend to go on food jags (refusal of all but 4 or 5 favourite foods over an extended period)
• In non-controlling, non-coercive conditions, healthy children have the ability to self-regulate the amount of food and energy consumed

2-3 Years

• By 2 years, eats most foods without coughing and choking
• By 2 years, eats with a utensil with little spilling
• By 30 months, lifts and drinks from a cup and replaces it on the table
• May be resistant to new foods
• Food preferences increase with frequency of exposure. It may take 5- 15 exposures to a new food before a child learns to like it
• It is normal for children to lose interest in mealtimes. When hungry, they will focus on eating. When satisfied, their attention turns elsewhere

3-6 Years

• By age 4, looks for adult approval
• Food preferences increase with frequency of exposure. It may take 5-15 exposures to a new food before a child learns to like it
• It is normal for children to lose interest in mealtimes. When hungry, they will focus on eating. When satisfied, their attention turns elsewhere