Your 50-Week-Old Baby

Feeding starts to look a little different once your baby turns one—whether you're breastfeeding, bottle feeding or both. It doesn't necessarily mean stopping what you're doing. Instead, solid foods start playing a bigger role in your baby's nutrition, which can change what breastfeeding or bottle feeding looks like for your family.

I talked to Dr. Chris Klunk, a board-certified neonatologist at Pediatrix Medical Group, about what changes nutritionally around your baby's first birthday, plus what to know about continuing to breastfeed and transitioning away from bottles in the months ahead.

🚼 Baby’s Development 

Nursing After Age 1

For about the first six months, breast milk or formula provides the nutrition your baby needs. Once solid foods enter the picture, they gradually take on a bigger role. By around your baby's first birthday, they'll be getting more of their nutrition from food—but that doesn't mean breastfeeding has to end.

"Breast milk doesn't suddenly stop being a great source of nutrition and immune support," Dr. Klunk says. If continuing to breastfeed works for you and your baby, professional organizations including the AAP and WHO support breastfeeding until at least age 2.

Breastfeeding after age one can still provide nutrition as well as comfort and connection. And while you may hear opinions about when it’s time to stop, there isn’t one timeline that’s right for every family. How long you continue is a personal choice based on what works for you and your child.

Thinking about stopping? Weaning from breastfeeding can look different for every family, whether you’re ready to stop completely or just cut back on nursing sessions. 

The bottom line: breastfeeding doesn’t come with an expiration date when your baby turns one. Whether you continue for another month, another year or decide you’re ready to stop, it’s your choice.

Weaning Off the Bottle

Bottle feeding starts to shift around your baby's first birthday, too—but for different reasons than breastfeeding.

The AAP recommends transitioning away from bottles between 12 and 18 months. The reasoning has less to do with nutrition and more to do with dental health and oral development. Prolonged bottle use, especially with milk or juice, is associated with an increased risk of cavities and may also affect how the teeth and jaw develop over time.

That doesn't mean you need to toss every bottle the day your baby turns one. The transition can happen gradually. You might start by swapping a daytime bottle for an open or straw cup, then work toward replacing other bottles as your baby gets more comfortable drinking from a cup. Bedtime or naptime bottles can be especially tied to sleep routines, so some families choose to tackle those later.

And if your baby isn't exactly thrilled about saying goodbye to their bottle? That's common. Giving them plenty of opportunities to practice with a cup and making changes gradually can help make the transition feel more manageable for everyone.

👀 Looking Ahead

• Molars are coming in: Those back teeth can bring a whole new level of teething discomfort. Next week, we're covering what molar teething looks like, how it's different from earlier teeth, and how to help your baby (and yourself) get through it.