First Foods for Your Baby: The Solid Truth
Transitioning your baby from breastmilk or formula to solid foods is a big milestone. Your baby gets to try new tastes and textures and feel more independent as they start to feed themselves. Knowing when it鈥檚 time to and what鈥檚 best for your baby helps you and your little one navigate this new phase of life together.听
When to Start Solids听
鈥淕enerally, we recommend starting solid foods between 4 and 6 months of age,鈥 says Elizabeth Odom, M.D., instructor in pediatrics at 富二代成版人app Medical College and assistant attending pediatrician at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. 鈥淭he biggest thing we鈥檙e looking for is babies having really good head control and sitting upright with support.鈥听
Other signs that babies are developmentally ready for solid foods include:听
- Grabbing small objects, such as toys or food听
- Opening their mouths when offered food听
- Showing interest in the foods you eat听
For the first year of life, babies should get most of their nutrition from formula or breast milk, but introducing solid food gives them a chance to explore new tastes and start enjoying healthy fruits and vegetables.听听
What Foods First, When and Why听
The best first foods are baby cereals fortified with iron. Iron-fortified cereals and foods are a good choice because, though we all have iron stores in our bodies, babies鈥 iron levels start dropping between 4 and 6 months old. Iron-rich foods help replenish their iron stores.听
Baby oatmeal cereal is a great choice. Mix it with breastmilk or formula to a soupy consistency and spoon-feed your baby. Note that rice cereal is no longer recommended because it can contain arsenic, a harmful compound.听
After several successful cereal feedings, you can start trying pureed vegetables and fruits. Some options include sweet potatoes, carrots, avocados and peas.听
鈥淚 recommend babies wait three to four days after trying a new food before introducing anything else that鈥檚 new,鈥 Dr. Odom says. 鈥淲e want to watch really closely for an allergic reaction. The biggest signs of an allergic reaction are rashes, hives, vomiting, swelling of the lips or tongue, and difficulty breathing. If you see any of these reactions, I recommend talking to your child鈥檚 doctor before you try giving that food again.鈥澨听
You can choose store-bought baby food or make your own in a blender. If you decide to , be sure to cook hard vegetables to make them easier to puree or mash foods until they鈥檙e smooth.听听
Introducing Milk and Juice to Baby听
Until babies are 6 months old, they should drink only breast milk or formula. When they are between 6 and 12 months old, you can begin offering them 4鈥8 ounces of water per day.听
After the first year, you can introduce milk, preferably dairy, because it contains so much nutrition. If your little one has a milk allergy or you prefer nondairy milk, soy milk is the next best choice.听听
Babies younger than 12 months should and foods and drinks with added sugar. Whole fruits are more nutritious. Toddlers 1 to 3 years old can have up to 4 ounces of 100% fruit juice a day.听听
Have questions about your infant鈥檚 nutrition? at 富二代成版人app.听