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Baby solid food feeding bottle


Formula Feeding FAQs: Starting Solids and Milk (for Parents)

Whether you plan to formula feed your baby from the start, want to supplement your breast milk with formula, or are switching from breast milk to formula, you probably have questions.

Here are answers to some common questions about formula feeding.

When Can My Baby Try Solid Foods?


Doctors recommend waiting until your baby is about 6 months old to start solid foods. Some babies may be ready for solids sooner than 6 months, but wait until your baby is at least 4 months old.

Babies who are ready to eat solids foods:

  • are interested in foods (for example, they may watch others eat, reach for food, and open their mouths when food is near)
  • hold up their heads well, and sit up with little or no help
  • don't push food of their mouth (which is a natural tongue reflex that disappears when babies are 4–6 months old)
  • usually weigh twice their birth weight, or close to it

Talk to your doctor about the right time to start solid foods.

How Do I Introduce Solid Foods?

When the time is right, start with a single-grain, iron-fortified baby cereal. Start with 1 or 2 tablespoons of cereal mixed with breast milk, formula, or water. Feed your baby with a small baby spoon. Don’t add cereal to a baby's bottle unless your doctor recommends it.

When your baby gets the hang of eating the first food, introduce other foods from all food groups, such as puréed meats, fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, and yogurt. Wait a few days between introducing new foods to make sure your baby doesn't have an allergic reaction.

You can include foods that are more likely to cause allergies — such as peanuts, eggs, cow’s milk, seafood, nuts, wheat, and soy — among the foods you introduce to your infant. Waiting to start these foods does not prevent food allergies.

Talk to your doctor before giving foods that contain peanuts if your baby has severe eczema or an egg allergy, as these conditions make an allergy to peanuts more likely. Eating peanut-containing foods early on may lower a child’s chances of developing a peanut allergy. But your doctor will need to decide if you can give peanuts to your baby, and the safest way to do it. Usually, this requires allergy tests.

Should We Avoid Some Foods?

Yes, don’t give your baby:

  • foods with added sugars or no-calorie sweeteners
  • high-sodium foods
  • honey until after the first birthday. It can cause botulism in babies.
  • unpasteurized juice, milk, yogurt, or cheese
  • regular cow's milk or soy beverages instead of breast milk or formula before 12 months. It’s OK to offer pasteurized yogurt and cheese.
  • foods that may cause choking, such as hot dogs, raw carrots, grapes, popcorn, and nuts

Always supervise your child when eating. Make sure your child is sitting up in high chair or other safe place.

When Can My Baby Have Cow's Milk?

Before their first birthday, babies still need the nutrients in breast milk or formula. But after that, they’re ready to switch to cow's milk.

Most kids under age 2 should drink whole milk. If a toddler is overweight or there is a family history of obesity, high cholesterol, or heart problems, your doctor might recommend switching to reduced fat (2%) milk.

If your child can’t drink cow’s milk, choose an unsweetened soy beverage fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Other milk alternatives, like almond, oat, rice, or coconut milk, have less protein and may not be fortified.

How Do We Switch to Cow’s Milk?

You can switch your baby from formula to whole milk by replace bottles of formula with bottles — or sippy cups — of milk. By 1 year old, your baby should be eating a variety of solid foods and drinking about 16 to 24 ounces (480–720 milliliters) of milk per day.

When Can I Start Giving My Baby Water and Other Drinks?

In their first 6 months, healthy babies drinking enough formula usually don't need extra water. Once your baby is eating solid foods, you can offer a small amount of water between feedings, up to 4–8 ounces a day.  

Water that has fluoride helps prevent tooth decay. If your water does not have fluoride, talk to your doctor or dentist about fluoride drops.

Do not give juice to babies younger than 12 months. After your child’s first birthday, limit 100% fruit juice to no more than 4 ounces a day. Always serve juice in a cup, not in a bottle. Don’t give your child sugar-sweetened beverages, including soda, juice drinks, sports drinks, and flavored milks.

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD

Date reviewed: November 2021

Baby Cereal Bottle Feeder | Bottle-Feeding Tips and Tricks

Your little one has just reached six months of age. Congratulations! It’s the perfect time to introduce your baby to solid foods and create more memories in this chapter of your family life.

But as exciting as it gets, it’s also a delicate phase that needs your utmost attention. Everything associated with feeding a baby—food, bottles, bowls, and little spoons—must be safe and appropriate to use. Otherwise, it can cause trouble for your little one’s sensitive body.

A crucial choice you have to make is which baby cereal bottle feeder to use. Unfortunately, not every product sold in the market is 100% safe. You have to familiarize yourself with them to ensure your baby’s protection. If you’re having difficulty learning it all, take a seat and read this guide.

Learn about baby feeders, feeding baby cereal through a bottle, some bottle-feeding precautions, and things to look for when buying a bottle feeder.

What Is a Baby Feeder Bottle?

Feeder bottles or baby feeders are a safe way to feed solid food to a baby. These foods are made into smaller pieces to minimize choking hazards.

There are five most common types of baby feeders, namely:

  • Spoon feeder – A silicone storage with a dispensing spoon. You fill the silicone with soft solid food and squeeze it towards the spoon to feed the baby.
  • Mesh feeder – A small mesh bag attached to a ring that babies can hold on to. You can put digestible pieces of frozen fruits or other foods in the bag to feed the baby. It’s also used as a teething feeder.
  • Silicone feeder – A feeder with a small handle that’s suitable for babies around four months of age. In addition, they’re smaller and made for purees instead of larger solid food.
  • Bottle feeder – A feeder that comes with a pacifier-shaped silicone feeder inside a bottle so you can squeeze out the food.
  • Pouch feeder – A reusable squeeze pouch to feed pureed foods to your baby.

Is It Safe to Put Solid Foods Like Cereal in a Bottle?

As a new parent, you’ve probably seen or heard many parents putting cereal, frozen fruits and vegetables, and other homemade baby foods in a bottle. It’s almost like a tradition, so you might think that it’s okay. However, while it does help you introduce different food flavors in small and digestible pieces, it can also be risky.

There are essential things you need to know. Here’s what the experts say:

  • Start bottle- or spoon-feeding only when the baby is at least 4 to 6 months old.
  • It is best to start bottle-feeding when your pediatrician advises it. If not, it can increase the risk of choking.
  • You also risk overfeeding. Putting it into a bottle can make the baby consume a large amount similar to milk, which is not ideal for solid foods like cereal.
  • It doesn’t help improve sleep, despite some claims you might have been hearing.
  • Babies 4 to 6 months or under might develop food allergies. During this period, their immune system is still developing a response to multiple food sources.
  • It can lead to excessive weight or stool inconsistency.

What if the baby’s already six months old? Should I still worry about these things? It is best to keep their utmost safety in mind at all times. Even though they reach an age where they can deal with solid foods better, choking and overfeeding are still possible.

4 Things to Look for When Buying a Cereal Bottle Feeder

As you approach your baby’s first cereal feeding in a bottle, ensure that you know the right tool to use before actual feeding. That way, you can minimize the risks and make a wonderful, unforgettable memory with your little one. Seek the following factors when choosing a baby feeder.

A Safe and Easy to Clean Material

The golden rule when feeding babies is safety first. The most preferred feeder material is high food-grade silicone. It’s free from compounds that cause potential harm, such as bisphenol S, bisphenol A, latex, phthalates, lead, and petroleum. In addition, you can easily clean it in the dishwasher or by using warm water and soap.

A Handle With the Right Size and an Easy Grip

A baby feeder helps the baby develop self-feeding skills. The baby’s still trying to adjust, therefore, the tool should be easy for them to handle. A feeder should have a small handle that matches the baby’s hand size and offers an easy grip.

An Eye-Catching Color

Feeding your baby can be difficult if they’re not in the mood and keep refusing to eat. If you’re looking for a solution, visuals are an effective way to get their attention! It stimulates their brain and engages them in more activities. Choose a bottle feeder with bright colors to help you feed them effortlessly.

A Feeder With Extra Features

Feeder products sell through their unique points. You might find a feature from one brand that you won’t see in their competitors. When choosing a baby feeder, check the highlighted features and evaluate whether they can be of good use or not.

For example, get a baby food bottle feeder with great storage capacity, so you don’t have to keep refilling it. Having more than one feeding facility or an anti-colic bottle to reduce excessive workflow are also good options.

Bottle-Feeding Tips for Your Little One

You may have the correct and safe feeder, but it’s not going to do you any good if you don’t know how to feed properly. So before beginning with bottle feeders, check out these tips on how to bottle feed the right way.

Start Small

Offer small amounts of food in the bottle as a start. Babies have a delicate digestive system, so you have to be careful not to cause overfeeding and choking. Only when the baby shows signs of hunger should you start adding more.

Be Mindful of Signals

The baby’s signals are the best and quickest ways to learn the ropes of feeding. These cues show whether they feel full and want to stop, or the other way around—they want more food! Be very attentive to these cues to help you with safe and adequate bottle-feeding.

Get the Right Feeding Position

One thing to note on bottle-feeding positions is that you shouldn’t put the baby to bed while feeding. It can cause choking, tooth decay, and ear infections. Instead, aim for a sitting position and hold your baby close.

You should hold the baby at a slight incline and keep the bottle at an angle instead of in a straight position. Doing all this prevents choking hazards, difficulty burping, and allows the baby to have more control over their food intake.

Practice Safe Food Bottle-Feeding With AshtonBee

First times are often difficult, especially when tending to a baby’s needs. They are extremely delicate, so you must ensure that everything they consume is safe and appropriate for their age. With this article, we hope you can find a baby bottle feeder that fits your needs.

You can check out Ashtonbee’s Baby Fruit Feeder Pacifier for a start! It’s safe, easy to use, multifunctional, and low maintenance. We make purposeful designs to emphasize function above anything else, ensuring your baby’s safety and enjoyable experiences for your family.

Philips AVENT - Solid Food

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    Solid food

    At the age of 4 to 6 months, milk alone is no longer enough for the baby, and he begins to show interest in "adult" food. This is a sure sign that it's time to introduce complementary foods.

    Purchasing and preparing fresh solid foods for your baby is the best way to retain as many nutrients as possible. By preparing food yourself, you will know exactly what this or that dish is made of.

    The foods themselves, how they are stored, how they are prepared and prepared also affect their nutritional properties, so we have put together a few tips for you to help prepare the most healthy food for your baby.

    Steam cooking

    Steam cooking is one of the best cooking methods that preserves the nutritional quality of food. Cooking with the Philips Avent Steamer Blender preserves nutrients, as the juices released during steaming can then be mixed with food using a blender.

    Preparing and storing

    • Cook in a clean room, use clean utensils to ensure food hygiene.
    • Wash your hands before preparing food, wash your child's hands before feeding.
    • Baby food must be thoroughly cooked and cooled before serving.
    • Food is not heated evenly in the microwave oven and you or your child may burn yourself. Always thoroughly stir and cool food heated in the microwave. Use the Philips Avent Bottle and Baby Food Warmer to heat food evenly and safely.
    • Do not reheat baby food.
    • Store food according to instructions, including date of preparation.
    • Most cooked meals can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
    • Cooking and freezing portions in ice trays or containers such as Philips Avent VIA cups can save you a lot of time.
    • VIA Containers are a hygienic and convenient way to store food, and are easy to write the name of the product and date of preparation.
    • Refer to your refrigerator's instructions for how long food can be stored in the freezer. Usually it is 1-3 months.
    • Do not refreeze food that has already been defrosted.

    A few words about the ingredients

    • Before cooking, all fruits and vegetables must be thoroughly washed and some peeled.
    • Do not add salt to baby food.
    • To make your meal tastier, season your food with herbs and mild spices, just like you would when cooking at home.
    • Do not add sugar to baby food. The exception is sour fruits, which can be served with a little sugar.
    • Some foods, such as raw shellfish, liver, soft unpasteurized cheeses, and honey, are not suitable for children under one year of age.
    • Eggs must be hard boiled.
    • If you are unsure if a product is right for your child, please consult your doctor.

    Please note that the information contained in these articles is only general advice and should not be used as a substitute for consulting a physician. If you, your family member, or your child develop symptoms or illnesses that are severe or persistent, or if you need professional medical attention, see your doctor. Philips Avent accepts no liability for damages resulting from the use of the information provided on this site.

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    The Spoon Ejection Reflex: Why Babies Spit Out Solid Food

    Every parent welcomes a new stage in their child's development. The first laugh, the first steps - the baby grows and learns the world every day. The introduction of complementary foods into the baby's diet is one of such exciting moments. The spoon ejection reflex may be the reason why a child is not yet ready to eat solid food. Learn more about why and when to introduce complementary foods to your baby.

    Your baby's development

    For the first four to six months of life, your baby gets all the nutrients it needs from breast milk or formula. As it develops (and with your pediatrician's permission), you can start giving your baby 4 to 6 month old solids, which are baby foods that are thicker than breast milk or formula. But the child can push pieces of food out of the mouth with the tongue. Is it picky?

    Spoon ejection reflex

    According to of the Union of Pediatricians of Russia , when a child pushes solid food out of the mouth with the tongue, this is called the “spoon ejection reflex”. This is one of the protective instincts of an infant. The baby's body develops, and the expulsion reflex protects him from choking or swallowing foreign objects in the first months of life. If something accidentally enters his mouth, the reflex causes him to push it back out. In addition, the swallowing mechanism of the baby is not yet sufficiently developed to cope with solid food. Thanks to this reflex, breast milk or milk formula is the only thing that enters his tummy. The reflex does not work when breastfeeding or bottle feeding, but may work when you offer solid food to your baby.

    Feeding basics

    The timing of the introduction of solid foods into an infant's diet is determined individually, so it's a good idea to talk to your child's pediatrician first. The Union of Pediatricians of Russia recommends that children start complementary feeding at the age of 4-6 months. However, sometimes even after the permission of the doctor, the baby continues to push food out of the mouth.

    Learn more