Nutrition
It is important for you to start your baby's life with healthy foods.
Breast milk is all that a child needs for the first 6 months. Breast milk helps to keep your baby healthy.
Suggested times for adding new foods are as follows:
- Birth - breast milk and/or iron fortified formula
- 4-6 months - Infant cereal (plain), rice, barley and oats
- 6-7 months - Vegetables (unsalted and strained) such as carrots, squash, green beans, green peas; Fruits (unsweetened and strained) such as applesauce, banana, peaches, and pears
- 7-9 months - Other infant cereals such as Wheat, Mixed Grains, and High Protein; mashed vegetables and fruits; cottage cheese; mild cheese; can drink formula or juice from a cup with help; fruit juices (unsweetened - dilute adult juices to half strength); Limit juice to 4oz each day
- 8-9 months - Strained meats (plain) such as chicken, lamb, veal, beef, liver, or ham; egg yolk
- 10-12 months - finger foods such as toast squares, cooked vegetables, peeled soft fruit, Small tender pieces of meat; Food from the family table such as vegetables, fruit, cereal, pasta, noodles, bread, beans, fish, meats, chicken and cheese
- One Year - May continue breastfeeding; Can Drink Whole Milk; Weaned from bottle; Whole Egg
- Do not add salt, sugar, honey or fat to baby's food.
- Do not give baby nuts, seeds or any hard, small foods such as popcorn that may choke baby.
- Do not give baby hard, raw vegetables such as carrots unless mashed or finely shredded.
Some Important Things to Remember
- At feeding time, you and your baby are learning about each other. Relax, talk to your baby and hold your baby close. Love is just as important as milk for your baby's health.
- Offer small amounts of food at first. Make food thin and smooth by mixing it with a little breast milk or formula.
- Add one new food at a time. Wait for about five days before offering each new food. This gives your baby time to adjust to the new food. If there is a reaction, it's easier to determine which food may have caused it.
- Never force your baby to finish a bottle or food. Your baby is the best judge of how much to eat. Overfeeding can lead to weight problems later in life.