Pediatric Healthy Eating: Introducing Solid Foods HF#207

 

Your baby is ready for strained/pureed foods when s/he can do all of these things:

 

• Hold head up and sit with support in an infant seat or high chair.
• Put fingers and toys in mouth
• Show interest in food and opens mouth when s/he sees food
• Close lips over spoon and does not push spoon out with tongue
• Keep food in mouth and swallow (some dribbling early on is normal, however)
• Can turn his/her head and mouth away to stop feeding

 

Some general guidelines:

 

• Every baby will advance with feedings at their own rate. Don’t worry if s/he refuses a meal.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting until your child is 6 months of age before introducing solids.
• Once your baby learns to eat one food, wait 2-3 days before trying a different food. This gives you time to notice any allergic reactions such as rashes, diarrhea, or vomiting.

*If your family has food allergies or your baby was born early, talk to your doctor before adding solid foods to your baby’s diet.

• Baby cereal has been the traditional 1^st food, but experts agree that foods may be started in any order. Babies who are mainly breast fed will get more of the iron and zinc they need if their 1^st food is baby meat.

Http://www.healthychildren.org is sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics and is an excellent source of information.

 

 

This is a general timetable for introducing solid foods into your baby’s diet

Age	Food Items	Daily Amounts	Comments
Birth to 6 months	Breast milk and/or iron-fortified formula	8-12 feedings per day	You baby is not ready for solid foods yet
4 to 6 months	Breast milk and/or iron fortified formula	5 or more feedings per day
	Iron-fortified cereal [Traditional first food for formula fed infants)	1-2 tablespoons	You may start with plain rice, orat or barley cereal mixed with breast milk or formula.
	Meats First food for breast milk fed infants [American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation for more iron and zinc]	1-2 tablespoons	Use plain, strained, pureed or baby meats. Do not use "dinners", eggs or beans and avoid meats high in nitrate and salt such as wieners, luncheon meats and bacon.
	Fruits and Vegetables	1-2 tablespoons of vegetables or fruits	Pureed, plain fruits and vegetables Do not offer juice unless directed to do so by your doctor.
6 to 8 months	Breast milk and/or formula	3-5 feedings or 24-32oz of formula	You may start offering some breast milk or formula in a cup. Offer the cup to your baby with all meals by 8 months.
	Vegetables	3-4 tablespoons	Offer pureed vegetables with some soft, cooked, small pieces of vegetables mashed up with a fork or as finger food.
	Fruits	3-4 tablespoons	Offer different kinds of pureed fresh fruits. Avoid “desserts”.  Offer juice only in a cup, limit to a few ounces per day.

 

	Meats, egg, beans		1-2 tablespoons	Meats may have already been introduced if your baby was breast fed. You may now introduce egg* and beans as well.
	Iron-fortified cereals or enriched hot cereals		4-6 tablespoons	Offer rice, oat, barley and wheat cereals to provide variety in flavor and texture.
	Toast, crackers, dry cereal		4-6 tablespoons	Iron-fortified, unsweetened  cereals may be used as finger foods 1-2 times per day. Small pieces of toast or crackers may be given.
9 to 12 months	Breast milk or formula	3-4 feedings or about 24-32 oz formula		Continue providing a cup at all meals.
	Meats, eggs, beans	1-3 tablespoons		Make sure meats are soft and cut into small pieces. Do not offer large chunks.
	Fruits	3-4 tablespoons		Offer fruits and vegetables that require some chewing if your baby chews on cereal or crackers well. Offer more finger foods and less mashed food.
	Vegetables	3-4 tablespoons		See above.

 

Fun Tips

Do:

• Make sure your hands and all bowls, spoons and the high chair are clean.
• Spoon the amount of food you think your baby will eat from the baby food container into a bowl. The original container may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. After 2 days it needs to be thrown away. If you feed your baby from the baby food container, any food that is left after the feeding is done must be thrown away. Dipping your baby’s spoon back in the jar after it has been in your baby’s mouth will cause bacteria to grow and make it unsafe for your baby to eat.
• Meal times will be messy. Relax and have fun! Throw an old tablecloth under the highchair to help with clean up.
• Let your baby touch and handle food. Keep a clean rag ready for clean up.
• If your baby does not like a food, offer it again at a different meal. It may take many times of trying a food before your baby decides if s/he wants to eat. 

Do Not:

• Heat food or formula in the microwave because hot spots in the food or formula can burn your baby’s mouth.
• Use honey. Honey may contain bacterial spores which can cause infant botulism and make your baby sick.
• Give your baby sweetened drinks like Kool-Aid, soda pop, punch or others.
• Put your baby to bed with a bottle. This leads to tooth decay.
• Feed your baby foods that are high in nitrates/nitrites (beets, turnips, collard greens or spinach). These foods can make babies less than 6 months of age sick. (The level of nitrates/nitrites in commercial baby food is checked for safety so this rule only applies to homemade baby food). Older babies can handle these foods.
  • If you would like information on making your own baby food, ask a Registered Dietitian.

 

Suggestions for finger foods

 

Cooked macaroni	Dry cereal	Soft, peeled diced fruit
Graham crackers	Bread sticks	Mandarin orange sections
Dry toast pieces	Arrowroot cookies	Small pieces of mild cheese
Small pieces of soft, well cooked vegetables

 

Avoid foods that cause choking

 

Nuts, Seeds	Hot dogs	Candy
Popcorn	Grapes	Hard Candy
Chips/pretzels	Raw vegetables	Gum
Peanut butter	Raisins/dried fruit

 

    

Teach Back:
What is the most important thing you learned from this handout?

 

 

 

What changes will you make in your diet/lifestyle, based on what you learned today?

 

The Spanish Version of this Nutrition Care for You is #419

 

If you are a UW Health patient and have more questions please contact UW Health at one of the phone numbers listed below.

 

 

American Family Children’s Hospital, 1675 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792 Pediatric Specialty Clinics - Nutrition (608) 890-8298 or (608) 263-6420 Appointments

The information provided should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

Last Updated: 02/19/2013

Copyright © 02/19/2013 University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. All rights reserved. Produced by the Department of Nursing. HF#207

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