Starting Solid Foods

This information is about starting your baby on solid foods. It provides general guidelines; so you should also talk about your baby's particular needs with your baby's pediatrician or doctor.

First, don't begin solid foods until your baby is six months old. Before that, breast milk or formula provides all the nutrition your baby needs. Babies under four to six months old do not swallow and digest solid foods easily, and solid foods before this age have been associated with obesity and allergies.

When you start solids, begin with one feeding a day, before breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. Occasionally you may need to breastfeed or give some formula to your baby before trying solid food because your baby may be too hungry and frantic to accept the solid food. However, only give a small amount so that the baby will not be too full to accept any solid foods. Gradually increase solid foods to two or three feedings a day.

A good food to start with is rice cereal, mixed with breast milk or formula. Offer it with a spoon and not with a bottle or infant feeder. Then add other cereals, one at a time. Use only single grain cereals. That way, you can tell if your baby tolerates each type of grain.

Offer a new food about every three or four days -- and only one food at a time. That way, you can see whether the food causes problems such as a rash, vomiting, or diarrhea. Small changes in the stool can be expected, but stools should remain soft. If a particular food does not agree with your baby, do not offer it again for at least several weeks.

When your baby is used to a variety of cereals, begin other foods. You can start with yellow vegetables such as carrots and squash; then add green vegetables. Next, your baby can begin meats, and fruits. If you use commercial baby foods, it's more nutritious to use pure meat dinners rather than mixed dinners, which are mainly noodles or vegetables. The order in which you introduce new foods is not very important. What is important is to introduce a single food at a time.

Instead of using commercial products, you can make your own baby food economically in a blender or food processor. You can prepare a large amount of a food, freeze it in an ice cube tray, and then thaw and use the cubes as needed. All food should be cooked and strained for easy chewing, and you should not add any salt.

At about eight months, your baby is ready to start chewing. Give pieces of soft foods, small enough so your baby will not choke on them.

If you have a history of allergy in your family, you may want to omit foods that tend to cause reactions in babies. Avoid giving eggs, citrus fruits or juice, and peanut butter until your child is a year old.

Here are some guidelines for feeding your baby.

• Meals should be a relaxed, enjoyable time for both parent and baby.
• Don't worry about making your baby eat a certain amount of food, and don't force your baby to eat.
• Your baby may simply not be hungry or may not like the food. When children are hungry, they eat; they don't starve themselves.

If children think they can get sweets, they will often refuse nutritious foods. Offer your baby wholesome foods. Avoid sweets and junk food. Cookies and candies provide only "empty calories" and do little to develop healthy bones, teeth, and muscles.

Keep track of your baby's weight by coming in for your baby's regular checkups. If your baby is gaining weight too rapidly, your baby's health care provider can discuss ways to avoid a problem with childhood obesity. Remember: fat babies are not healthy babies.

Remember these key points:

• Don't begin solid foods until your baby is six months old.
• Use a spoon to feed your baby, don't use the bottle or an infant feeder.
• Begin with rice cereal and gradually add single grain cereals, one every three or four days. Then begin yellow vegetables, green vegetables, fruits and meats.
• You can make economical baby food at home, freezing it for future use.
• Don't force your baby to eat.
• Offer wholesome foods and avoid sweets and junk foods.
• Be sure to bring the baby in for regular health checkups.
• If you have any further questions, talk with your baby's pediatrician.

We recommend this book: Caring For Your Newborn.

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