Feeding Stages for Infants

A Healthy Start

• For the first months of your baby's life, breast milk is the ideal food. It increases immunities in the baby, increases good health in mother and baby and is easy for a baby to digest easily. Breast feeding takes some work to perform comfortably and consistently; ask for help if you need it. If you can't breastfeed, choose not to breastfeed or choose to use complementary bottles when you are unavailable to breastfeed, use an infant formula as the best substitute. Many different types of formula are available, including soy for babies who have milk allergies. Babies should eat only breast milk or an infant formula approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics during the first three months of life. Other foods do not help and may harm the baby. Colicky babies are not calmed by solid foods, and babies do not sleep better at night when they eat solid foods.

Four to Six Months

• Sometime between the age of 4 and 6 months, infants can begin to eat iron-fortified infant cereals. Purchase baby-specific cereals that mix with water or formula to make a thin porridge. The recommended choice for the first baby cereal is rice cereal because it is mild and easiest for most babies to digest. Do not use a bottle to give a baby cereal. All feeding should be done with a spoon. Try tiny amounts at a time. If the baby pushes the spoon out, wait a few days and try again.

Six to Eight Months

• Once your baby is eating several types of cereals comfortably from a spoon, begin introducing other foods into the diet. Begin with vegetables. Introduce one new food at a time, and wait about five days before introducing a new food to see if there are any allergic reactions to the new food. If there are no reactions, then you can add a new food. Use prepared baby foods or steam vegetables and fruits and mash them to make your own. Avoid adding salt or sugar to the foods. You can freeze homemade baby food in ice trays, then remove it and wrap each block in plastic and store in the freezer in a freezer bag. When you are ready to feed, simply thaw the blocks. Introduce eggs, wheat and fish before eight months of age to reduce the chance of a baby having allergies to these foods.

Seven to 10 Months

• During this time, babies develop the small motor and chewing skills that allow them to self-feed. Start with soft fruits or vegetables, such as peas and pieces of banana. After they master soft foods, add dry cereal, small crackers, toast squares or pieces of soft tortillas. Finger foods should be added in addition to other foods served with a spoon. Babies should continue to have only formula or breast milk as their milk drink, but you can add infant fruit juices and water as other beverages. Introduce them in a cup rather than in the bottle to begin teaching the baby to use a cup.

Later Months

• Between eight and 10 months, babies can eat finely chopped meats, poultry and cottage cheese. After they reach 12 beyond 12 months, they can start drinking whole cow's milk instead of formula. Avoid feeding babies hot dog pieces, seeds, nuts, raw vegetables or popcorn until they are at least a year old. Some babies need to wait longer. Avoid honey until after a baby is 12 months old due to the risk of botulism. Continue using iron-fortified cereals until the baby is 18 months old. Remember, just because you don't like a food doesn't mean you don't give it to your baby. Let the baby try everything.