Ask an Expert: How do you know if a baby is having enough nutrients with solids and breastfeeding? (10 month old)
At 10 months old, your baby’s diet should be made up of 3 balanced meals, 2 snacks and supplemented with breastmilk or formula. At this age, most babies are interested in food and eating, and as a parent or caregiver, it can be so much fun to watch your little one discover what they’re into, food-wise!
Keep this saying in mind: food before one is just for fun! This is a good reminder for all of us – before age 1, we want our littles to be experimenting with flavours and textures, but by no means does it need to be their main source of nutrition – breastmilk and/or formula will still meet their nutritional needs at this point. This is why it is recommended to continue offering breastmilk or formula on demand (24-32oz per day). Even if your baby is eating more solids, they should still be offered the appropriate amount of breastmilk or formula.
Water is important for hydration and it can be consumed at this age, but because it has no nutritional value, it is not recommended to offer more than 6oz per day.
Encourage your little one to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, fortified cereals, cheese, meats and yogurt. Minimize processed and packaged foods and pouches when possible, as they can contain added sugars, salt and preservatives. That being said, they’re so convenient, and if they will make your life easier, go for it! Do note that some of the pouches and other prepared foods are preserved with citric acid, which may cause a skin reaction (a bit of a red rash around the mouth) for some kiddos.
When preparing a plate (or a high chair tray!), it’s not a bad idea to try to balance it the same way you would prepare a plate for an adult— with a serving from each food group. This, combined with 24-32oz breastmilk or formula will ensure your 10-month old is receiving adequate nutrition to grow into a healthy toddler.
Scroll down for a sample daily feeding plan for an average 10-month old. Remember: some babies will eat more solids at this time, and some will eat less, and that’s all good. So long as your little is getting exposed to eating and food textures and flavours, go at their pace, mama.
If you have more questions about the nutritional aspect of starting solids with your little one, by all means reach out to our team for a visit with one of our naturopaths in Toronto or Newmarket. They can get you sorted.
Eating well doesn’t have to be hard.
Schedule time for Nutrition/Naturopathic appointment
If you have questions about the actual mechanics of starting solids, feel free to join our Starting Solids Class online – it’s taught by one of our Occupational Therapists, and is covered by insurance! This class doesn’t go into the actual nutritional aspect of eating for kiddos, but covers things like signs of readiness, how to actually approach eating, and how to get started in general with solids.
If you’ve got an older kiddo that is a picky eater, by all means, reach out to our Occupational Therapy team – this is something that they deal with all of the time and can help you through.
Wishing you the best of luck with feeding your littles!
A sample menu for a 10-month old:
Breakfast:
- 2 servings fortified-cereal (5-8tbsp)
- 1 serving fruit or vegetable (4 tbsp)
- 6-8oz breastmilk or formula.
Morning snack
- 1 serving whole grains (2 crackers, 1/2 slice bread,
- 1 serving dairy (1/2 cup yogurt, 1 ounce cheese)
*** NOTE, if your child is not tolerant to dairy, it is not required for nutritional adequacy
Lunch
- 1 serving protein (2 tbsp minced chicken, beef fish, etc).
- 1 serving vegetable (4 tbsp)
Nap
– 6-8oz breastmilk or formula
Afternoon snack
- 1 serving fruit (4 tbsp)
Dinner
-1 serving protein (4 tbsp)
-1 serving whole grains (1/2 cup cooked brown rice pasta)
-1 serving fruit or vegetable (4 tbsp)
-6-8oz breastmilk or formula
Bedtime
– 6-8oz breastmilk or formula
About Olivia Paul
Dr. Olivia Paul is Naturopathic Doctor with a special interest in women’s reproductive health, fertility and perinatal care. She takes great care in supporting women in their journey towards and throughout pregnancy. Through hormonal balancing, fertility optimization, managing pregnancy-related conditions and labour preparation, she works closely to ensure you are creating the ideal terrain for achieving and sustaining a happy and healthy pregnancy and delivery. Click here to learn more about Dr. Olivia.
