Introducing solid foods to your baby can feel like a giant leap forward. After all, they are used to receiving breast milk or formula for the first few months of their lives; would they even be interested in dry cereal and fruit puree?
Just remember that it's always a good idea to check with your pediatrician before starting solid foods.
Key points:
Children from birth to 4–6 months drink exclusively breast milk or formula.
Somewhere between 4 and 6 months of age (and only if he shows signs of readiness) your baby may begin to try small amounts of dry baby cereals and purees. The introduction of complementary foods is more common around 6 months of age.
By 12 months, babies are eating a healthy mixture of breast milk or formula, small fruits and vegetables, proteins and starchy foods.
There are several ways to introduce solid foods to your baby. You can go the traditional route and give your baby purees. Or you can try “baby-led” solid foods, a method that encourages a transition straight to soft, easy-to-eat foods that can be eaten with your hands.
Signs your baby is ready for solids:
Can hold his head up and sit up straight in his chair.
Shows significant weight gain (doubling birth weight).
May close mouth around spoon.
Can move food from the front of the mouth to the back of the mouth.
What to feed (4-6 months):
-Breast milk or formula
-Vegetable purees (such as peas and pumpkin)
-Fruit puree (apples, bananas, peaches)
-Meat puree (chicken, pork and beef)
-Semi-liquid, iron-fortified cereal (avoid rice cereal; choose cereal made with oats or barley instead)
-A little unsweetened yogurt (up to 1 year - with vegetable milk)
Infants 4 to 6 months of age typically receive four to six breast milk or formula feedings per day.
When introducing solid foods, start with a very small amount of one-ingredient puree (about 1-2 teaspoons) once or twice a day.
Gradually increase the amount of food you give your child to 1-2 tablespoons. If you give porridge, mix it with breast milk or formula so that the consistency is not too thick.
At 4 months, you can start giving snacks that your toothless baby can chew easily. If your child doesn't eat what you offer the first time, try again in a few days.
Some experts recommend introducing new foods one at a time. If possible, wait three to five days before offering new food. (If your child or family members have a history of allergies, talk to your child's doctor about specific timing.) It's also a good idea to write down the foods your child tries. If they experience an adverse reaction, a food log will help determine the cause. There are some surprising foods that children should not eat; Honey and cow's milk are among the foods unsafe for children.
Signs your baby is ready for finger food:
Grasps objects with thumb and forefinger (pincer grip).
Can transfer objects from one hand to the other
Moves jaw in chewing motions
Swallows food more easily
No longer pushes food out of mouth with tongue.
Tries to use a spoon
What to feed (7-9 months):
- Breast milk or formula
- Fruit puree (banana, pear, applesauce, peaches, avocado)
- Mashed or pureed vegetables (well-cooked carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes)
- Meat puree (chicken, pork, beef)
- Puree or pureed tofu
- A small amount of grated or soft pasteurized cheese, cottage cheese or unsweetened yogurt.
- Puree legumes (black beans, chickpeas, edamame, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, kidney beans)
- Iron-fortified cereals (oats, barley); small pieces of bread and crackers, cookies.
What to feed (10-12 months):
- Soft pasteurized cheese, cottage cheese and unsweetened yogurt
- Soft cooked vegetables (carrots, zucchini, potatoes, sweet potatoes) in small portions.
- Fruits, pureed or cut into soft cubes or strips (bananas, peaches, pears, avocados)
- Snacks (O-shaped cereal, small pieces of fried egg, well-cooked potato pieces).
Whenever you introduce a new food, start with a very small amount (a teaspoon or two) to get your baby used to the new taste and texture.
New displays and textures are great for babies and they often want to eat from their parents' plates, so this is a great way to get them interested in new foods!
/Based on materials from https://www.babycenter.com Dana Dubinsky/
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