Frequently asked questions about infant feeding and nutrition

How much does a baby need to eat?

For the first 3 or 4 months of life, there’s a rule of thumb that says about 150 mililiters (it ranges from 140 to 200ml), for every kilogram of body weight. That means that if an infant weighs 4kg, for example, he needs to eat 600ml a day. If you divide these by an average of 7 meals a day, that brings us to about 85ml per meal.
Not all infants follow the books and so the more practical answer to this question would be – however much the infant wants to eat all the while development and growth charts are followed tightly.

What kind of food is advised for babies?

Breastmilk is the preferred nutrition for babies (read more here). In terms of formulas, most babies do well on regular cow-milk formula.

Is there a specific brand of infant nutrition that you would recommend?

No. There is no formula out there that is better than the other in terms of quality.

When can solid foods be introduced to a baby’s diet?

In my opinion, even though it might be a little complex, solid foods should be introduced to a baby’s diet at the age of 4 months, as detailed in this article here.

When can babies start drinking water?

There is practically no need for babies to be given water before the age of 4 months and that is because whenever a baby needs to eat or drink they are to be given breastmilk or formula.
At the age of 4 months, as you will learn by browsing through this website, most babies can be introduced to solid foods and this the point in time where water can be introduced as well, after a baby has consumed a meal of solids instead of a meal of baby food or formula.
Unfortunately, I do not have a “holy” number for the quantity of solid foods that a baby needs to eat before they are given a certain amount of water. But, usually it makes sense to try and estimate the amount of food the baby was given in mililiters (roughly around 30 or 40 ml?), and try to give them the rest of the usual quantity of the meal that they consume as water.
One should also take into account the season (on hot summer days we tend to give more water than on cold winter days) and the baby’s activity level.

What kind of water can a baby drink?

According to national guidelines, water should always be boiled before it is given to a baby (this applies to mineral water, bottled water and tap water).
I must say that despite fully agreeing with these guidelines for water used for formula preparation, when it comes to water prepared for drinking, I find this requirement unnecessary for some types of water.
I mean, when a baby is introduced to solid foods around the age of 4 to 6 months (and sometimes even earlier), the baby is no longer exactly germ-free, and not everything that goes into his mouth is sterile anymore.
So, when preparing formula, and no matter what age the baby is – boil the water. Drinking water should be taken from a clean source (tap/mineral), but, in my opinion, doesn’t have to be boiled. Read more here.

What supplements does a baby need to be receiving in his first year of life? And when?

According to your local health care recommendation – term babies can be given iron starting 4 months of age. Read here.
Vitamin D should be given to all babies from birth till the age of 1 year. Read here.

Good luck!