INSIDE: Are you wondering how to balance milk and food? Want to see what a day in the life of a typical 10-12 month old might look like? Let me show you how easy it is. 

It’s easy to lose your weaning mojo at about ten months. The initial excitement has worn off, and now it feels like you’re spending every waking hour cooking, feeding and scraping food off the floor.

And is the average parent expected to offer new and exciting options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily? Don’t even go there with snacks!

Don’t worry; this plan is real (not a fantasy land where everyone has nothing else to do but feed their baby) and is also flexible for you and your family.

Some days it can feel like ALL you do is feed your baby!

Put your own spin on your baby’s feeding schedule.

This blog aims to give you an idea of what a typical day might look like. So to guide you as you discover what works for your baby, not as a rigid plan followed to a tee!  This blog includes sample meal timings to illustrate balancing milk, meals and sleep. But every family has their schedule. So, do what works best for you and your baby. 

Every family will have their own schedule.

At 10-12 months, baby’s food becomes more significant.

In the 7-9 month stage, milk still provides most of your baby’s nutrition. However, in this 10-12 month period, milk takes more of a back seat to food. So, food will be the main energy source and nutrient when your baby is a toddler. 

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How many meals should I offer my 10-month-old?

You should certainly be offering your baby three meals spread evenly throughout the day by ten months. That doesn’t mean they’ll want to eat three meals per day, but it’s your job to provide the ‘opportunity’ to eat at the same times every day. 

Although some sources recommend snacks at this age (HSE), many other organisations don’t (NHS). Go with your baby; if you think they need more eating opportunities and you can fit them in between regular meals and naps, then go for it. But make sure to make snacks mini-meals of everyday foods rather than relying on ‘snack type’ foods which may take away from nutrition at mealtimes. Many ‘healthy snacks’ marketed to babies are relatively high in sugar. 

READ MORE: Sugar for a babies-Separating fact from fiction!

What does breastfeeding look like at 10-12 months?

Continue breastfeeding on demand; your baby will do the balancing act for you! You might notice that your baby feeds less often, feeds might get shorter, or you might not see much difference at all. It’s up to you to schedule the three meals, and your baby will work out the rest. 

If breastfeeding impacts your baby’s interest at mealtimes, leave a longer gap between breastfeeds and food.  However, many babies will breastfeed and still eat the food offered. 

Your breastfeeding baby might feed more or less often than another baby the same age. Much of this is due to your breastmilk storage capacity, and there’s no right or wrong. 

Babies this age can become too distracted to feed during the day. Going to a quieter room to feed can help or feed them while in a drowsy or light sleep state. 

Your baby will probably be feeding overnight.

It’s normal for breastfed babies to feed overnight

How much formula does my 10-12-month-old baby need?

Formula requirements drop from 600mls (20oz) to about 400mls (14oz) per day. But how you offer this milk is entirely up to you and your baby. Some babies drink smaller amounts more often, and others are happy with fewer but larger bottles. Go with what works for you and your schedule. 

READ MORE >>>>>> The best guide to introducing babies to cows milk ever

How much should my 10 month old baby eat at each meal?

Self-feeding and some responsive spoon-feeding are the best ways for your baby to regulate their food intake. Portion sizes don’t exist for this age group. So, feed to appetite and not to some prescribed number of spoons of food. 

LEARN MORE: Portion sizes during weaning

Always feed to appetite, not portion sizes!

At ten months, can I stop boiling drinking water for my baby?

It’s recommended that water needs to be boiled and cooled in Ireland until after 12 months (FSAI). In the UK, tap water is OK from 6 months onwards. 

How do naps fit into the feeding schedule?

I’m not a sleep expert; I’ve included two naps in this typical day as I believe this is normal at this age. You’ll know what works best for your baby, so adjust as needed. Sleep and food are linked, and you’ll find that a tired baby might not eat as effectively as a well-rested one.

A realistic and flexible feeding plan for your 10-12 month old baby

FREE CHEATSHEET: Seven days of simple baby breakfast ideas that you can easily share

Family meals-a vital part of helping your baby learn about food.

‘Meat and Two Veg’, vegetarian, good cook or learner. It doesn’t matter. Flexibility is vital in all aspects of parenting and feeding. Make your schedule and the foods you choose to serve your own. 

Always remember that the priority is offering your baby a wide range of family foods making the most of this opportunity to influence your baby’s future eating habits.

Meal preparation doesn’t need to be complicated and time-consuming. Mashed salmon with potato and broccoli finger food is just as nutritious as a complicated fish pie you slaved over for hours. 

Give the baby the foods you want them to eat in the future! So if you see a future for ‘chicken, sweet potato and grapes’ as a family meal, cook it for your baby; if not, adapt one of your tried and tested meals.

Modified family meals are better than fancy weaning recipes

LEARN MORE: How to guide on meal planning for the family

The tricky third meal: 5 tea-time ideas for 10-month-olds

Dinner, tea, or supper! A meal by many names and universally, the one that parents seem to struggle with the most. Check out my suggestions for offering simple, quick and easy meals that aren’t just fruit and yoghurt!

Here are 5 to get you started:

1. Pea soup with toast fingers and grated cheese
2. Lentil pasta with tomato sauce and steamed broccoli
3. Scrambled egg with pitta fingers and squashed blueberries
4.  Leftovers: shredded roast chicken with natural yoghurt, cold well-cooked pasta and grated raw carrot
5. Leftovers: salmon finger sandwich (cooked salmon mashed with yoghurt spread on bread and cut into fingers) and banana