Feeding and Oral Motor Milestones
3 months
- Receiving liquids only from bottle or breast
- Takes 7-8 ounces per feeding in 4-6 feeding per day
- Coordinated suck/swallow/breathe pattern
- May have some minor anterior liquid loss during bottle drinking
6 months
- Begins taking pureed solids from a spoon between 4-6 months
- Takes 6-8 ounces of food OR liquid per feeding, 4-6 times per day
- Begins to visually recognize the spoon; opens mouth to receive the food and closes lips around the spoon to clear the food
- May demonstrate some slight tongue protrusion as pureed foods are introduced. Tongue protrusion should disappear within a few weeks
- May introduce sippy cup
9 months
- Accepts a variety of purees and mashed/ground table foods from a spoon
- May see occasional gag on new food or texture
- Can finger feed small pieces of meltable or soft chewable foods
- Moves tongue laterally to the chewing surfaces to assist with chewing
- Attempts to take “bites” from stick shaped foods
- Drinks from a sippy cup
- Can drink from an open cup with adult assistance and may begin straw drinking.
12 months
- Takes coarsely chopped table foods including easily chewed meats
- Begins using a spoon/fork with spillage
- Tolerates a variety of tastes, textures, and temperatures in foods>
- Uses tongue to move food from center of mouth to sides for chewing
- Takes independent bites from soft/semi-soft foods
- Takes liquid primarily from a cup; May continue with bottle or breast at bedtime
15 months
- Continues to accept a wide variety of tastes, textures, and temperatures
- Takes coarsely chopped table foods including most meats, many raw vegetables, fruits, and grains
- Drinks safely from an open cup and straw
- Continues to add a variety of foods to food repertoire.
- May begin demonstrating stronger food preference between 18-24 months
18 months and up
- Self feeds using a cup, spoon, fork or fingers
- Takes appropriately sized bites of foods when presented in larger pieces
- May begin demonstrating stronger food preference between 18-24 months
- Minor food “jags” may be observed (strong preference and insistence on a certain food for several meals/days)
