The Complete Guide to Starting Solids

Should Baby Still Drink Breast Milk or Formula?

How long should you continue with breast milk or formula feedings? These should stay in the picture for a while. They provide necessary nutrition, and your baby is used to them -- she'll be comforted by the feel of a nipple and the taste of milk or formula.

Give baby the breast or bottle first thing in the morning, before or after meals, and before bedtime. At the beginning, you'll have to experiment to find what works best. If she's a big drinker -- say, if she'd drink a whole bottle before a meal, given the chance -- feed her first with food and then with a bottle. If she's a moderate drinker, try the opposite. Until she's 7 to 10 months, your baby will probably still drink the majority of her calories. So mealtime is more about her getting used to the act of eating and learning the tastes and textures of foods than it is about providing nutrition.

• Up to 9 months, feed her 20 to 28 ounces of formula daily or breast milk every 3 to 4 hours.
• At 9 to 12 months, feed her 16 to 24 ounces of formula daily or breast milk every 4 to 5 hours.