Feeding Your Baby - Supported Sitter

These instructions are for caregivers of infants who can sit with support. They provide guidance on feeding and nutrition.

Important information about starting baby food:

• Most full-term babies are supported sitters at 4 to 6 months old. This means they can sit up with a little help. When they are lying down on their tummy, they can push up with straight arms. They are also able to turn their head and look around.

• When your child has the skills and strength to sit with support, they may be ready to start baby foods in addition to breastfeeding or formula feeding. Breast milk or formula should still be your baby's main source of nutrition. Supported sitters will drink between 6 to 8 ounces at a time or 24-32 ounces per day.

• Ask your healthcare provider if it is OK to start baby food.

• Remember, when a child is ready depends on their development. Babies that are born prematurely may need to wait longer before starting baby foods.

Instructions for feeding your supported sitter:

• Feed your baby in a highchair.

• Food should never be added to a bottle unless recommended by a healthcare provider.

• Give all food from a spoon. The first few times your baby gets food, they may push both the spoon and the food out of their mouth. This is normal. Your baby will soon learn to take the food into their mouth and swallow it.

• You may want to try formula or breast milk from the spoon first. Then switch to a half-spoonful of food.

• Prevent choking by offering foods that easily dissolve and do not require chewing. Feed your baby small portions. Always watch your baby while they are eating.

• Do not force your baby to eat. Serving sizes for babies are estimates. Feed your baby only when they are hungry.

Watch for signs from your baby that will tell you if they are hungry or full:

If your baby is drinking from a bottle:

Signs of being hungry

• Opens mouth, moves head side to side

• Sticks out tongue

• Placing hands, fingers or fists to their mouths

• Crying

• Flailing arms and legs

Signs of being full

• Stops or slows down sucking

• Moves head away

• Falls asleep (although some babies need help staying awake if they have not eaten enough yet)

• Starts to play or becomes distracted with feeding

If your baby is eating solids:

Signs of being hungry

• Opens mouth and moves towards spoon

• Tries to grab at food or spoon

• Points or nods to food

Signs of being full

• Turns away from spoon

• Spits out food

• Pushes food away

• Ignores food

• Holds mouth shut

Instructions for introducing new foods:

• If you have a family history of food allergies or think that your baby is likely to have food allergies, please speak with your healthcare provider about how to introduce foods.

• Start with single-ingredient foods first. Pick one food at a time to introduce over a 3-day period. When you give a food for the first time, do not give any other new foods for 3-5 days.

• The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says that for most children, foods do not need to be given in a certain order. However, babies who get mostly breast milk should start with meats or iron-fortified cereals. Formula fed babies get iron in their formula so they can start with any baby food.

• Watch for signs that your baby is having a reaction to the food. Signs are rashes, vomiting, and diarrhea. If these things happen, call your healthcare provider. It may mean your child has a food allergy. If there are no signs of a reaction for about 3 days, you may try another new food.

• If your baby has had other solid foods without concern for food allergies, you may give your baby foods with peanut butter. To introduce peanut butter, mix 1-2 teaspoons of smooth peanut butter with 2-3 teaspoons of water, breastmilk, or formula to thin it out as it is a choking hazard. Age-appropriate suggestions include peanut puffs, smooth peanut butter (thinned), peanut flour, or peanut butter powder.

• Feed your baby meats. Before offering baby food "dinners" with multiple ingredients such as meat with vegetables, offer those foods separately.

• If you puree meat at home, cook the meat until it is done then add gravy, breast milk or formula to make it thinner and smoother. The meat should not have chunks in it.

• Offer single grain cereals first. Examples are rice, oatmeal and barley baby cereals. If your baby has no signs of a reaction with single grain cereals, you can try mixed grain cereals. Use cereals that are fortified with iron unless your healthcare provider tells you not to.

• When you give your baby cereal the first few times, it should be very thin and look like milk. Follow the directions on the cereal box for making the cereal.

• Foods to avoid for the first 12 months include cow’s milk (as a beverage), fruit juice and honey

• Do not give the following foods to babies or small children. They are choking hazards.

  • Gum

  • Hard candies

  • Popcorn

  • Whole grapes

  • Chewy candies

  • Raisins

  • Hot dogs

  • Nuts or seeds

  • Raw carrots

  • Chips

  • Chunky peanut butter

  • Cherries with pits

  • Marshmallows

  • Large chunks of meat

  • Whole cherry tomatoes

Sample meal pattern for supported sitter:

Morning

• Breast milk or formula (typically 6 to 8 ounces)

Breakfast

• Serve cereal with a bowl and spoon.

• Option 1:

  • About 1-4 tablespoons of baby cereal made with breast milk or formula

  • About 2 tablespoons of Stage 1 baby food fruit or thin homemade fruit puree

• Option 2:

  • About 1-4 tablespoons of Stage 1 baby food meat or homemade meat puree

  • About 2 tablespoons of Stage 1 baby food fruit or thin homemade fruit puree

Mid-morning snack

• Breast milk or formula (typically 6 to 8 ounces)

Lunch

• About 2 tablespoons of Stage 1 baby food vegetables or thin homemade vegetable puree

Afternoon snack

• About 2 tablespoons of Stage 1 baby food fruit or thin homemade fruit puree

• Breast milk or formula (typically 6 to 8 ounces)

Dinner

• Option 1:

  • About 1-4 tablespoons of baby cereal made with breast milk or formula

  • About 2 tablespoons of Stage 1 vegetable baby food or thin homemade vegetable puree

  • Breast milk or formula

• Option 2:

  • About 1-4 tablespoons of Stage 1 baby food meat

  • About 2 tablespoons of Stage 1 vegetable baby food or thin homemade vegetable puree

  • Breast milk or formula 

Evening

• Breast milk or formula (typically 6 to 8 ounces)

Reviewed July 2025 by Kylie McKenzie, RD, Elizabeth McCurrach, RD