Free feeding schedule maker
Baby food schedule creator
Pick a wake-up time and age to see breast milk or formula feeds, meals and naps laid out by the clock.
Educational guidance based on AAP and NIAID recommendations, reviewed by our dietitians. It’s written for healthy, full-term babies and doesn’t replace your pediatrician, who knows your baby. If your baby was born early or has a medical condition, feeding difficulty or known allergy, check with them first (medical disclaimer).
How many meals a day by age
Once solids start, the day has to fit breast milk or formula feeds, meals and naps. Pick your baby’s wake-up time and age, and this free schedule creator lays out a sample day by the clock: a breast milk or formula feed first, solid meals 30 to 60 minutes later, and naps that match typical wake windows. Use it as a starting point and follow your baby’s hunger and sleep cues.
For sample days, milk amounts and menus at each age, see our baby feeding schedule by month.
Breast milk or formula stays your baby’s main food until 12 months. Solids grow slowly around it, from a few tastes a day to three meals and a snack.
| Age | Solid meals | Breast milk / formula | Naps | Sample day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 months | 1 small meal, first tastes | Breast milk or formula on demand, the main food | Usually 3 | 6 months |
| 7–8 months | 2 meals | Still the main drink and food | 2–3 | 7 months · 8 months |
| 9–12 months | 3 meals + 1 snack | Slowly less as meals grow | Usually 2 | 9 months · 10–11 months |
| 12 months + | 3 meals + 2 snacks | Whole cow’s milk in a cup, about 16–24 oz a day | 1–2 | 12–14 months · 15–18 months |
Tips for a schedule that works
- Milk first, then solids. Offer solids 30 to 60 minutes after a breast milk or formula feed, when your baby is hungry but not starving.
- New foods early in the day. Try new foods and allergens at breakfast or lunch, so you can watch for a reaction.
- Water with meals. From 6 months, offer small sips of water in an open or straw cup with solids.
- Follow cues, not the clock. Turning away, closing the mouth or throwing food means your baby is done.
Baby food schedules: questions parents ask
What is a good feeding schedule for a 6 month old?
Breast milk or formula on demand, usually 4 to 6 feeds, plus 1 small meal of solids a day, offered 30 to 60 minutes after a breast milk or formula feed. Most 6-month-olds also take about 3 naps. See the 6 month feeding schedule for a full sample day.
How many meals a day should my baby eat?
Start with 1 small meal a day at 6 months, move to 2 meals at 7–8 months, and 3 meals plus a snack at 9–12 months. From 12 months most toddlers eat 3 meals and 2 snacks.
Should I give my baby milk or solids first?
Before 12 months, breast milk or formula comes first, since it is still the main source of nutrition. Offer solids 30 to 60 minutes after a breast milk or formula feed. Around 12 months, meals start to come first and milk moves to a cup.
How much water should my baby drink?
From 6 months, offer small sips of water with meals, about 4 to 8 oz (120 to 240 ml) a day in total until 12 months. No juice before 12 months. More in when can babies have water.
When do babies drop to two naps?
Many babies move from 3 naps to 2 between about 6 and 9 months, and from 2 naps to 1 between 12 and 18 months. Pick the age in the tool to see a typical day.
Does my baby have to follow the schedule exactly?
No. It is a sample day to adapt. Growth spurts, teething and sick days change things. Follow your baby’s hunger and fullness cues, and ask your pediatrician if you are worried about intake or weight.
Keep it in your baby’s passport
This tool is free with no sign-up. Start the app to save your results, log meals and get allergen reminders. 7 days free, no card needed.
More free tools
