Starting Solid Foods
When Milk is No Longer Enough
When babies are born, they receive all the nutrition they need from breast milk or formula. Breast-fed babies should also receive a vitamin D supplement, as breast milk is an inadequate source of this important vitamin. Starting at 4 to 6 months, however, babies start to need other sources of nourishment. Signs that your baby is ready for solid foods include being able to sit in a high chair, grabbing for things with their hands and putting things in their mouths. Whether you start solids at 4 or 6 months does not, at this time, appear to be important. Try to read your baby's cues and start when he or she is ready.
Four to Six Months
A baby’s first foods should consist of single ingredient, well-pureed fruits and vegetables and single grain cereals. These first foods should be thin, smooth and fed from a spoon. Cereals should be mixed with formula or breast milk, about 1 tablespoon cereal with 4-5 tablespoons of milk. It is best to introduce one new food at a time (every 2-3 days) to make sure there is no allergy or intolerance. The serving size will be very small at first, often only 1-2 spoonfuls, once a day, increasing gradually in size and frequency.
These first foods can be bought pre-made in jars or can be made at home. If you are making your own food, cook the fruit or vegetable until very soft (or left raw if naturally soft, like a banana or ripe peach) and puree until smooth. You can then divide the food into ice cube trays and freeze for future use. Baby stores carry special ice cube trays with individual lids for this purpose.
Breast-fed babies also need an additional source of iron by 6 months, when their iron stores from birth have been depleted. Fortified cereals are a good source of iron, as are pureed meats. An easy way to give this iron is by changing from vitamin D drops to an iron-containing multivitamin drop. Of note, these drops can stain teeth and clothes, and do not taste good.
Six to Nine Months
By around 7 months, most babies have gotten used to single ingredient, pureed foods and can be advanced to a wide variety of foods fed over 3 meals a day. These meals should contain a mixture of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and proteins. Homemade soups, mashed beans, cereals, pureed or ground meats and yogurt can all be offered. Theonly food that should not be introduced until after 1 year is honey, due to the risk of botulism. All other foods are ok, as there is no evidence that delaying the introduction of any food decreases the risk of being allergic to it.
Nine to Twelve Months
As your baby reaches 9 months, finger foods can be introduced. Soft cooked egg, cooked vegetables, diced fruit, tofu and shredded cheeses are all good options. It is important to avoid choking hazards, such as whole nuts, raisins, whole grapes and pieces of hot dogs. During this time, babies can transition to eating the same foods as the rest of the family, being careful to minimize spices and keep foods soft and cut into small, soft pieces.
Trying, and refusing, new foods is all part of the learning process. All people naturally like foods that are salty and sweet. It takes multiple introductions for a child to appreciate other foods.
One Year and Beyond. Start a family tradition of cooking.
When planning how your family will eat meals in the future, try to plan on cooking at home, at least sometimes, from the outset. Meals prepared at home have significant benefits. They tend to be healthier, containing less fat, sugar, salt and calories than fast foods. Homemade meals are more likely to include fruits and vegetables. Children who eat at home also drink less soda and eat less fried food than those who eat fast food. Given our current obesity epidemic, minimizing consumption of these empty calories is imperative.
Eating as a family has been shown to have social benefits as well. A study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse in 2005 showed that, in families who eat dinner together at least five times a week, teenagers were less likely to smoke or drink alcohol, and more likely to confide in their parents for a serious problem and get A’s and B’s in school.
Each family can help prevent obesity, promote a love of healthy foods and establish family bonding by creating a tradition of home-cooking. Starting at the beginning is best, but it is never too late to steer your family towards a healthier, and more joyful, approach to eating.