Baby Puree Amount

Baby food (papinha) portions by age

Both the WHO and the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics (SBP) put the start of complementary feeding at 6 months. A typical progression looks like this: at 6 m, one fruit purée plus one savory papa (~100 g); at 7–8 m, 2 fruit and 2 savory meals (~130 g each); at 9–11 m, family food with the texture adjusted; from 12 m on, the same family meal split into 3–4 servings. Per meal, the volume comes out to about 100 + 30 × (months − 6) mL.

The SBP Guia Alimentar para Crianças Brasileiras Menores de 2 Anos (2019), along with the Ministério da Saúde guidelines, rule out added salt, sugar and honey before 12 months. Texture should advance step by step: mashed with a fork at 6 m, small pieces from 9 m, then family food at 12 m. There are two main routes parents take. One is the traditional papa, puréed or mashed and offered on a spoon; the other is BLW — Baby-Led Weaning, where the baby feeds itself soft finger foods. The SBP is fine with either, as long as you stay on top of the choking risk.

Applications

Parents and daycare staff can use it to plan the week's menu, work out how many jars or portions to buy or batch-cook, and spot gaps during pediatric visits. Pediatric nutritionists lean on the same table at the 6 m, 9 m and 12 m consultations.

FAQ

Can I start solids before 6 months? Not unless your pediatrician specifically says to. Before 6 m the intestinal barrier and kidney function are still immature, which raises the risk of allergies and infections.

Industrial jars (Nestlé, Heinz) replace homemade papa? They earn their place when you are traveling, but they make a poor everyday default: less sensory variety, added thickeners, and long shelf storage. Fresh in natura food is the better routine.

What if the baby refuses the spoon? Refusal is normal, and it can take 8–15 tries before a food catches on. Keep offering it without forcing, mix up the colors and textures, and you might lean on partial BLW with safe finger foods.