Start with foods that contain iron, which babies need for many different aspects of their development. It’s common to start with a single grain, iron-fortified infant cereal such as rice or barley. Meat, poultry, cooked egg yolk and well cooked legumes (beans, lentils, chick peas) are also good sources of iron.
* Introduce new foods one at a time, waiting about 3 to 5 days before trying another. That way, if your baby develops a reaction, you’ll have a better idea of what food might have caused it.
Healthy foods that your family eats are good to start with as long as they are plain, with no added salt, sugar or spices. You can also use commercial baby foods, as long as you check the label to ensure there is no added salt or sugar.
* Grain products. At 6 to 9 months, offer your baby up to 30 to 60 mL (2 to 4 tbsp.) of iron-fortified infant cereal, twice a day. Then try other grain products such as small pieces of dry toast or unsalted crackers. At 9 to 12 months, offer other plain cereals, whole grain bread, rice and pasta (or mashed noodles).
* Vegetables. At 6 to 9 months, offer your baby puréed cooked vegetables—yellow, green or orange. At 9 to 12 months, progress to soft, mashed cooked vegetables.
* Fruits. At 6 to 9 months, offer puréed cooked fruits, very ripe mashed fruits (such as bananas). At 9 to12 months, try soft fresh fruits, peeled, seeded and diced or canned fruit, packed in water or juice (not syrup).
* Meat and alternatives. At 6 to 9 months, offer puréed cooked meat, fish, chicken, tofu, mashed beans, egg yolk. At 9 to 12 months, mince or dice these foods.
* Milk and milk products. At 9 months, you can offer dairy foods like yogurt (3.25% or higher), cottage cheese or grated hard cheese. Wait until your baby is 9 to 12 months old before introducing whole cow’s milk (3.25%). After 12 months of age, your baby should not take more than 720 mL (24 oz.) of milk products per day. Too much milk can lead to iron deficiency anemia.
How much to feed your baby
Follow your baby’s cues for how much to feed. Start by offering a teaspoon or two, and don’t rush. Some babies need to try a food many times before accepting it. If she’s not hungry, she’ll turn her head and close her mouth. If she’s hungry, she’ll get excited and open up.
Never trick or coax her to eat more by playing games or offering sweetened foods. Babies who are allowed to follow their own hunger cues are much less likely to overeat later in life.
Trying foods with different textures helps babies learn how to handle foods in their mouth. So it’s important to vary both tastes and textures when serving foods.
Your baby’s development
How often to feed
Type of food
Sits with support
2-3 times a day*
Puréed, mashed food and semisolid foods
Sits on own
2-3 times a day*
Family foods, small amounts of soft mashed foods without lumps
Crawls
3-4 times a day*
Family foods, ground or soft mashed foods with tiny soft lumps; crunchy foods that dissolve, such as whole grain crackers
Walks
3 meals and 2 snacks a day*
Coarsely chopped foods; foods with more texture; toddler foods; bite-sized pieces of food; finger foods
*Plus breast milk, formula, or whole cow’s milk, depending on your child’s age
Water and juice
Babies who are exclusively breastfed don’t need extra water. When your baby begins to eat other foods, you can start to offer water occasionally.
Babies and children don’t need to drink juice. Too much juice, especially apple juice, can cause diarrhea. It can fill up small stomachs and decrease your baby’s appetite for nutritious foods. Too much juice can also cause early childhood tooth decay.
When you do offer juice, be sure it is only 100% fruit juice. Always offer it in a cup, as part of a meal or snack. Offer water to babies and young children between meals and snacks if they are thirsty. Limit juice to 120 to 180 mL (4 to 6 oz.) per day.
Foods not recommended
* Don’t give babies sugary drinks or foods, such as candies, soda/pop or energy drinks.
* Don’t give honey to babies under 1 year old, as there is a risk of infant botulism (food poisoning).
* To reduce the chance of an allergic reaction, avoid giving egg whites until your baby is 1 year old.
* If you have a family history of allergies, you may want to wait until your baby is 3 years old before introducing peanuts, tree nuts (such as pecans or walnuts) or shellfish.
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