In my practice, I find parents usually have one of two attitudes toward starting their baby on solid food: Some are eager to start, thinking it might help their baby sleep through the night. Others are terrified to take on yet another new thing, and they may worry about choking, too.
When do babies typically begin eating solid food? Between four months and six months. Your pediatrician will advise you about the right time to begin. Some babies are ready for solids at four months while others should wait until six months.
Introducing solids needs to be done safely to avoid choking or other problems. In addition, researchers are finding that those first forays into food beyond breast milk or formula have more of an impact on your baby's future health than we previously thought. For example, making good food choices during the first year can affect your baby's risk of obesity and likelihood of food allergies, as well as food preferences later in life.
So, as you stock up on bibs, spoons and bowls, here are some things to keep in mind:
1. Ideally your baby should be breastfed exclusively until age four months to age six months. Breast milk is the perfect food for babies, and many studies have shown the health benefits to baby-and mom-from exclusive breastfeeding. But even formula-fed babies simply don't need solid foods before four month to six months-and giving them too early increases the risk of food allergies and obesity.
2. Cereal mixed with formula or breast milk is typically recommended as the first solid food.If your baby has problems with constipation, use oatmeal or barley cereal, not rice cereal. Baby cereal is fortified with iron, providing a good additional source of iron.
3. It is best to begin feeding your baby solids with a spoon, rather than adding food to the bottle. That way the baby learns to eat from a spoon. If you breast feed or give a bottle after giving a spoonful of cereal mixed with formula or breast milk, you can prevent your baby from thrusting the food out with his tongue. It may take time for you and your baby to get the hang of eating solids.
4. Keep the amount of cereal to one to four tablespoons, twice a day. If your baby decides he's had enough, don't push him to eat. He'll let you know by turning his head away, fussing, keeping his mouth closed, or spitting food out. Letting him listen to his hunger cues will help him control his weight later in life.
5. Some recommend introducing strained vegetables next so that your baby does not get used to sugar too soon, but others advise pureed fruit mixed in with the cereal.
6. Strained meat should not be introduced until eight months of age.
7. Some parents prefer to make their own baby food by pureeing foods in the blender. Whether you make your own food or buy it at the store, be sure to give your baby simple foods without added salt and spices.
8. If your baby has eczema or asthma, or is prone to allergies, your doctor may advise waiting to begin certain foods such as citrus, fish, nuts, wheat, dairy, soy, strawberries, and egg white. No child should receive nut products, including peanut butter, until after three years of age.
9. Introduce new foods slowly. Babies need time to get used to new things in their bodies, so allow two or three days after you introduce one food before trying another new food. Be on the lookout for rashes, diarrhea, vomiting, blood in the stool, or constipation, which could be signs of allergy or other reactions to the new food. Talk to your doctor if they occur.
10. If your baby makes a really awful face when you give him strained peas, keep trying. It can take many tries before a food is accepted. And since food preferences are largely established by age two, getting Baby used to vegetables early can make all the difference in establishing good lifelong eating habits.
11. Watch out for choking. Once they start eating, babies have a way of eyeing everyone's food enviously. However, resist the urge to pass them a potato chip or chicken leg. You can start finger foods between eight and ten months, giving things like banana pieces, shredded lean meat, or overcooked pasta. Keep the pieces small! Never give sliced carrots or sliced hot dogs, nuts, popcorn, raw vegetables, hard candies, or whole grapes to babies; they can easily lodge in baby's airway.
12. Babies don't need juice. It's far better for them to eat fruits than drink juice. Experts agree that drinking lots of juice is bad for emerging teeth and increases obesity risk. If you don't start the juice habit, you'll never have to break it.
Following these guidelines gives your baby a head start at learning good eating habits, staying healthy, and getting bigger in the right way.
What questions do you have about feeding your baby solid foods? Any tips for other parents?
Dr. Victoria McEvoy graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1975 and is currently an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at HMS. She is the Medical Director and Chief of Pediatrics at Mass General West Medical Group. She has practiced pediatrics for almost thirty years. She has been married to Earl for thirty six years and raised four children. She currently enjoys writing, traveling, reading, almost all sports, and spending time with her two grandsons.
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Comments: 25
Juice alone doesn't cause obesity, but can contribute to it. I disagree. Babies should be allowed to experiment in juice and receive vitamins in juices, but I do agree with you on how juice intake should be limited. Then again, I'm not the type of mother to force a child to drink milk constantly, as it can later contribute to being lactose intolerant. I think children should have a choice, but children should have the opportunity to receive juice and milk equally, though I also think children should be introduced to drinking water and exercising at a young age. I also think children should be introduced and at times, let to have choice making, to help them feel responsible in their growing. It helps them make positive choices, but with guidance, I think it should put to be appropriate, that's the way children learn. I think soft drinks are okay, as long as used as a reinforcement and not on a constant basis. That's just me. I will not let my child or any child in my family drink Mt. Dew, unless its the mother's personal choice, but then again, that's on them and their child, not mine. I would not let my child drink such a caffeine drink, unless it was a reinforcement as I said and it would be limited to an amount at each age and most drinks I'd introduce them too would be caffeine-free first, such as sprite.
That's exactly why you limit the amount intake and you learn to have boundaries as a mommy. You set it clear when the first tantrums occur: "No, you can't have this right now. You can either have milk, water or nothing to drink.". It may sound harsh, but they will respect you later on in life. ;)
:)
I do not think breastfeeding is the "perfect" way to feed a child. Each mommy has her own way and personal choice of feeding her new child. I think that having a child is a gift and personal choices should be respected and that what one person thinks shouldn't influence to have her think wrong or have to make another choice to please another person in the process. I think once a pediatrician knows a mother's choice, they should respect it at that.
Breast milk however does have a few more vitamins than formula has, though its not the "perfect way" to feed a child. I do think breast feeding helps a mother bond better, but if you formula feed, there are always MORE opportunities for bonding with your newborn child (as I know personally, since hospital nurses didn't respect my wishes to breastfeed and instantly formula fed her), but then again, I prefer formula now, but next child, I will definitely breastfeed. I didn't want to make too many transitions for my daughter. ;)
The studies Vicky is talking about has been shown to have less chances of obesity and what not, do contribute, but breast feeding alone isn't the main factor that prevents it from happening. It also has to do with a lot of the way you choose to raise your child well after the breastfeeding. You can't breast feed a child and then give them fatty foods as a toddler and expect them to be healthy "just because they were breastfed." You have to keep the cycle going or else, they will have higher chances of being obese.
( But even formula-fed babies simply don't need solid foods before four month to six months-and giving them too early increases the risk of food allergies and obesity.) ----
Now on this portion, I disagree with introducing foods early to a child will cause food allergies or obesity. I think introducing foods early gives a child opportunities to eat healthy, but then again, I think its how much a child intakes contributes to obesity. I think a child should have the opportunity for variations and similar amounts each day. For ex.... A spoon full of grapes, strawberries, and so forth. You don't let a child eat a bowl full of something and then give them a small amount of another thing -that's what increases chances of obesity. You have to have variations. Its called a RAINBOW... does anyone know the rainbow colors? Go for it. Be creative. Your child will be healthier. Try the greens.. Try reds... try it all, but limit the amount of each food. Do not let a child overeat on a food... Limit the intake and do not let a child tempt you to let him eat only his eat and no green beans - it doesn't work that way. :)
I do not recommend mixing cereal with other foods. I think when introducing a food, its more helpful if you do not mix it.
I agree with Vicky about not mixing foods. I think it gives the child better opportunity to get a variety. Now I disagree with giving a child the bottle immediately after a spoonful, due to the child wanting to eat formula or breast milk alone, so I've always fed my nieces the baby jars first, then feed them the bottle. If a baby is hungry and you try alternating, they will MOST LIKELY (not always, but most likely) want the bottle alone. If a child is hungry and receives the baby jar foods alone, then s/he will most likely eat it instead and then when thirsty, they will drink soon after the jar. Keep in mind, do not overfeed your child and keep in mind for signals like Vicky stated (puckers lips, etc). Those are are important to take in consideration when feeding your child. Each child is different, but it takes a few months for the child to get adjusted to solid foods and children may prefer one over another. Try being creative and introduce them to ones they do not like and when they finally do have a fixation on a certain one (you could try that one), then later again, try introducing others, but also, don't force feed. Make sure you try things with different foods with different vitamins in it... for example: Rice, meats, veggies, etc.
She also wasn't attacking a choice to bottlefeed when she said breastmilk is the perfect food for babies. God designed it to be their food, doing this so perfectly that as time goes by and they do more studies they find out more about how perfectly it does meet their needs. Then formula companies have to scramble to try to catch up and cannot duplicate in some ways. Now, if a mom has to, she should not be made to feel badly for it, and that was obviously not Vicky's intent.
I personally wouldn't recommend limiting baby food to 1 to 4 teaspoons a day. If a child wants to eat more (let them, but pay attention to signals). If you notice one feeding your child will eat 1 jar or baby food a day, but no formula or breastmilk, then you might want to try reducing the baby jar food down to half and then giving them some formula or breast milk. Alterations do help at times. Pay attention to signals, so you do not overfeed. ;)
Definitely agree. ;)
Once again, I don't think it "should" be given at an age-type guideline. I think it all depends on each child. And I also think its a mother or father's choice on when they would like to do this, but in all perspectives, it can contribute to obesity if introduced too soon. Do not force feed, that's the worst you can do. It can contribute to your child having health problems in the long run.
I think blending is alright. It doesn't take away nutrients the child receives and it is healthy either way regardless, and it can be helpful for the mom-on-the-go type of thing. Though, keep in mind, you want your child to get use to chunks and lumps for better digestion.
Honestly, I think children should be introduced to various foods and shouldn't be sheltered away from one food or another. My mother is allergic to dairy products, do you think I'm going to shelter my daughter away from the prone allergy foods: dairy? Of course not! That would be non-sense!
I also think that if a child is going to be allergic to something, in all honesty, you cannot do anything to stop it, unless you use supplements or whatnot, but then again, if its going to happen - its going to happen. You can't prevent it. Its just that type of thing you cannot have control over. You can try to prevent it, but it doesn't mean it will happen to your liking. I think it should be handled IF it happens appropriately, but until then, you can't really do anything about the matter.
Any food takes time to adjust to and any transition is hard for anyone, so I definitely agree with giving time for adjustment in the food area. If you make a quick transition (without merging slowly), it is known to affect a child's body (especially a newborn) due to fact of the child's insides still maturing.
( Be on the lookout for rashes, diarrhea, vomiting, blood in the stool, or constipation, which could be signs of allergy or other reactions to the new food. Talk to your doctor if they occur. )
Any changes that occur with your child should be discussed with your health care provider immediately and taken serious.
Almost every child will make an odd face when trying a new food (that's why its called introducing). Adjusting doesn't usually take until about age 2, though each child is different.
Totally agree with starting vegetables early! :)
I have to totally agree with Vicky on this matter. Make sure you give small portions (and break it down). Give small chunks to babies (it helps with digestion) and prevents choking from occuring. Another suggestion would be, don't give a plate full of food to a baby, instead, give them a few bites on the highchair tray. Once they've ate what's introduced, then begin introducing more, to prevent a child from sholving it all down. It also prevents them from eating so fast and that's what I mean by digestion portion. Did you know chewing food more helps with digestion? Its recommended to many pregnant mommies. It also can be applied to children and even adults not pregnant. ;)
These foods are harder to digest, so its not recommended to start these type of foods until around age 24 months, but then again, some parents start sooner. Just be careful and use common sense when introducing these foods. ;)
Have you ever heard the saying : don't give cheese to dogs? Well, did you ever think it was because of harder to digest? Its also recommended that cheese (due to thickness) is harder to digest, so I'd also recommend, not to introduce cheese too early because of cheese being harder to digest.
Already responded to this one. ;P
Have a good morning everyone! :)