Solid foods for babies are soft, thick liquid, or paste-like foods. They may be sold as baby food or may be made at home. Make sure that every food you give is nutritious. ‚
Get your baby ready to eat. ‚
- Sit your baby in a comfortable infant seat or highchair with a safety strap. You may also want to hold your baby on your lap.
- Let your baby hold a spoon. This may increase interest in eating. Use a soft-tipped plastic spoon.
Get the food ready. ‚
- Decide what you will feed your baby. You may start with any one kind of baby food. Some people start with baby rice cereal. Others start with a fruit or vegetable.
- Make sure the food has more liquid than solid parts. Try mixing it with breast milk or formula to make it runny.
Feed your baby. ‚
- Offer your baby a small amount of the food on a spoon at a time. If your baby is interested, go ahead and offer a little more. Slowly increase the amount you are giving. You may also begin to make the food a little thicker as your baby gets better at eating.
- Offer the same food once or twice a day. Wait 4 to 5 days before giving your baby a new food.
- Add new foods every 4 to 5 days if your baby is not having any problems. You may also begin to mix two kinds of foods together, like a fruit and a vegetable. Increase how often you feed your baby to 3 to 4 times each day.
- Let your child touch and play with the food.
Keep a close watch on your baby. ‚
- Look for signs that your baby is full. Some babies turn their head away from the spoon. Others hold their mouth closed when a bite is offered. Some children lean back in the chair. Others start playing with the food when they are full.
- Watch for signs of a food allergy. Some babies have a rash. Others may have loose stools or throw up if they have problems with a food. The signs do not always show up right away.
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What will the results be?
Giving your baby solid foods is about helping your baby learn to eat. Your baby will learn to eat and enjoy new flavors and foods. This will allow your baby to get the right amount of vitamins and nutrients needed to grow and be healthy. ‚
What foods are good to eat?
There are three steps when choosing what types of food to give your baby. Do not add salt, sugar, or spices to your babys food. ‚
- First foods should be pureed with only one ingredient. Do not add salt or sugar. The puree should be more liquid. Start with a fruit or vegetable.
- Second foods should be pureed or mashed with two ingredients. Fruit and vegetable mixtures are ideal. The texture should be thicker than the first foods.
- Third foods are a mix of different food types. Meat and vegetables with grain is a good mixture. By this time, you may also give your baby small pieces of finger foods. Some finger foods that you can give your baby are:
- Plain crackers
- Well-cooked and cut-up potatoes or vegetables
- Soft fruits like bananas
- Unsweetened cereal
- Small pieces of unsalted, well-cooked meat
You can give your baby small amounts of 100% fruit juice with vitamin C. Give your baby 4 ounces or less each day. Offer it when your baby is having a full meal or snack. ‚
When feeding your child baby food from a jar: ‚
- Store the baby food carefully. This will help avoid spoiling after it is opened.
- Serve the baby food in a bowl. This will keep the unused part in the jar from getting germs.
- Throw away open baby food after 2 to 3 days.
What foods should be limited or avoided?
Do not feed these foods to your baby. They can cause your baby to choke: ‚
- Uncut or large pieces of food
- Raw vegetables
- Raisins
- Cherries
- Gum or hard candy
- Hot dog slices
- Marshmallows
- Nuts or seeds
- Peanut butter
- Popcorn
- Whole beans or grapes
Will there be any other care needed?
- Always stay with your child when eating. Then, you are able to help in case of choking.
- Dont force your baby to eat.
- Let your baby feed himself by using hands and fingers.
- Give enough time for food to cool down if the food is hot.
- Keep giving your child breast milk or formula even when your baby can eat solid foods.
- Start cleaning your baby's teeth by using a clean wet washcloth after every meal.
When do I need to call the doctor?
Call for emergency help or go to the ER right away for: ‚
- Signs of food allergies. These include rash, swollen lips, throwing up, loose stools, coughing, and trouble breathing.
- Signs of choking. These include bluish hue of the lips, breathing troubles, and pale skin.
Where can I learn more?
Caring for Kids ‚
http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/feeding_your_baby_in_the_first_year ‚
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/feeding/feed47m.html ‚
Raising Children Network ‚
http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/when_to_introduce_solids.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚