Feeding Your Baby — 7 and 8 Months
Meats
At 7 months old, baby will probably already be eating baby cereal, vegetables, fruit and baby fruit juice, as well as formula or breast milk.
Between 7 and 8 months is the time to gradually add these foods:
- Plain strained meats and chicken
- Egg yolk (no egg white until one year)
- Give 1 to 3 tablespoons of strained meat or chicken a day. Or give one mashed, cooked egg yolk instead of meat.
- You can buy baby egg yolk in the jar. One-third of a jar at a feeding is enough.
- Keep baby on breast milk or formula. Do not give baby Kool-aidTM, soft drinks or other sweet drinks!
Helpful Hints for Feeding your 7-8 month old
- Babies and children like regular routines. Try to keep to a routine of regular meals, naps and bed times.
- If baby wants to teethe on the bottle, get a teething ring.
- Baby will eat best if he or she is calm and quiet. Talk to baby at mealtime. Make it a happy time together.
- If baby says no to a food, just give a taste and try it again another time. It takes a while for baby to get used to new tastes.
- Don’t put baby to bed with a bottle.
- Hold your baby during feeding and then put baby in the bed.
How Much to Feed?
This is a suggested daily guide. Your baby may not eat this much or may eat more.
7 and 8 Months
- Breastfeed (4 - 6+ feedings) or give 3 - 5 feedings of 6 - 8 ounces of formula. Offer some formula in a cup.
- Infant cereal: 3 - 5 tablespoons twice a day
- Vegetable: 4 - 8 tablespoons daily
- Fruit: 4 tablespoons daily
- Fruit Juice: 2 - 4 ounces in a cup daily
- Meat Group: 1 - 3 tablespoons daily of meat, livers, chicken, turkey or egg yolk