A newborn needs about 50 calories for each pound of weight (or 110 calories for each kg).
By age one, that requirement drops to about 45 calories per pound (100 calories per kg).
Formula and breast milk provide 20 calories per ounce (30 g).
Thus, a newborn weighing 7 pounds (3kg) needs about 350 calories, or 17 ½ ounces (500g) of milk or formula, each day.
Such calculations are seldom necessary, however.
Infants will let you know when they are hungry and full.
Most newborns will not take more than 3 ounces (90g) of milk or formula at 1 time, and hence they require about 6 feeding s a day.
Don't be surprised if feedings are as frequent as every 2 hours or if the time intervals vary daily.
As infants become older, they can eat more and be fed less often.
Middle-of-the-night feedings usually fall by the wayside when the infant starts sleeping through the night around the 4th month.
By 6 to 9 months, the infant should be getting about 1/3 of his or her calories from sources other than milk or formula.
By 1 year of age most infants will be satisfied with 3 meals and an occasional snack.
Recommendations by experts about when to begin solid food change about once a decade.
Almost all infants are capable of digesting solid foods at birth, but their tongues are not coordinated enough to feed them these foods easily.
Most experts feel that there is no need to begin solids until 6 months of age.
Many parents, however, claim that children sleep through the night better if they receive a solid feeding late in the evening.
Children with a strong family tendency toward allergic disorders may do better if they don't receive food until 6 months of age.
If such a baby doesn't seem satisfied with formula alone, it is possible to add rice cereal to the formula (or breast milk placed in a bottle) to thicken it.
Rice cereal is highly unlikely to cause an allergic reaction.
Infants between 4 and 6 months of age generally do well on most packaged strained food or baby foods.
These foods tend to be expensive, and generally have a fair amount of added water, however, so some parents prefer to prepare their own baby foods at home.
There are number of books about making baby foods that will be acceptable to your child, as well as several types of machines to prepare them.
Between 6 and 9 months of age, some children are given "junior" foods.
Finally, between 9 and 12 months of age, most children are capable of eating finger foods or table foods.
The best guidelines for feeding your child after the 1st year are to feed him or her small portions of everything you eat.
Make sure to include foods from all the basic food groups: oMilk and cheese oMeat, fish and chicken, or their protein equivalent in eggs, cheese, or beans oFruit oYellow and green vegetables oBread, potatoes and cereal