When to add baby food

When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods | Nutrition

For more information about how to know if your baby is ready to starting eating foods, what first foods to offer, and what to expect, watch these videos from 1,000 Days.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend children be introduced to foods other than breast milk or infant formula when they are about 6 months old. Introducing foods before 4 months old is not recommended. Every child is different. How do you know if your child is ready for foods other than breast milk or infant formula? You can look for these signs that your child is developmentally ready.

Your child:

Sits up alone or with support.
Is able to control head and neck.
Opens the mouth when food is offered.
Swallows food rather than pushes it back out onto the chin.
Brings objects to the mouth.
Tries to grasp small objects, such as toys or food.
Transfers food from the front to the back of the tongue to swallow.

What Foods Should I Introduce to My Child First?

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that for most children, you do not need to give foods in a certain order. Your child can begin eating solid foods at about 6 months old. By the time he or she is 7 or 8 months old, your child can eat a variety of foods from different food groups. These foods include infant cereals, meat or other proteins, fruits, vegetables, grains, yogurts and cheeses, and more.

If your child is eating infant cereals, it is important to offer a variety of fortifiedalert icon infant cereals such as oat, barley, and multi-grain instead of only rice cereal. Only providing infant rice cereal is not recommended by the Food and Drug Administration because there is a risk for children to be exposed to arsenic. Visit the U.S. Food & Drug Administrationexternal icon to learn more.

How Should I Introduce My Child to Foods?

Your child needs certain vitamins and minerals to grow healthy and strong.

Now that your child is starting to eat food, be sure to choose foods that give your child all the vitamins and minerals they need.

Click here to learn more about some of these vitamins & minerals.

Let your child try one single-ingredient food at a time at first. This helps you see if your child has any problems with that food, such as food allergies. Wait 3 to 5 days between each new food. Before you know it, your child will be on his or her way to eating and enjoying lots of new foods.

Introduce potentially allergenic foods when other foods are introduced.

Potentially allergenic foods include cow’s milk products, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and sesame. Drinking cow’s milk or fortified soy beverages is not recommended until your child is older than 12 months, but other cow’s milk products, such as yogurt, can be introduced before 12 months. If your child has severe eczema and/or egg allergy, talk with your child’s doctor or nurse about when and how to safely introduce foods with peanuts.

How Should I Prepare Food for My Child to Eat?

At first, it’s easier for your child to eat foods that are mashed, pureed, or strained and very smooth in texture. It can take time for your child to adjust to new food textures. Your child might cough, gag, or spit up. As your baby’s oral skills develop, thicker and lumpier foods can be introduced.

Some foods are potential choking hazards, so it is important to feed your child foods that are the right texture for his or her development. To help prevent choking, prepare foods that can be easily dissolved with saliva and do not require chewing. Feed small portions and encourage your baby to eat slowly. Always watch your child while he or she is eating.

Here are some tips for preparing foods:

Mix cereals and mashed cooked grains with breast milk, formula, or water to make it smooth and easy for your baby to swallow.
Mash or puree vegetables, fruits and other foods until they are smooth.
Hard fruits and vegetables, like apples and carrots, usually need to be cooked so they can be easily mashed or pureed.
Cook food until it is soft enough to easily mash with a fork.
Remove all fat, skin, and bones from poultry, meat, and fish, before cooking.
Remove seeds and hard pits from fruit, and then cut the fruit into small pieces.
Cut soft food into small pieces or thin slices.
Cut cylindrical foods like hot dogs, sausage and string cheese into short thin strips instead of round pieces that could get stuck in the airway.
Cut small spherical foods like grapes, cherries, berries and tomatoes into small pieces.
Cook and finely grind or mash whole-grain kernels of wheat, barley, rice, and other grains.

Learn more about potential choking hazards and how to prevent your child from choking.

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When Can My Baby Start Eating Solid Foods? (for Parents)

A friend just started giving her 3-month-old applesauce and rice cereal. My son is just 2 weeks younger than hers, and I am wondering if I should be introducing solids soon too. When should I start?
– Taylor

Doctors recommend waiting until a baby is about 6 months old to start solid foods. Starting before 4 months is not recommended.

At about 6 months, babies need the added nutrition — such as iron and zinc — that solid foods provide. It’s also the right time to introduce your infant to new tastes and textures.

Some babies may be ready for solids sooner than 6 months, but don't start until your baby is at least 4 months old.

How do you know it’s the right time to start solid foods? Here are some signs that babies are ready:

They have good head and neck control and sit up in a high chair.
They're interested in foods. For example, they may watch others eat, reach for food, and open their mouths when food approaches.
They don’t push food out of their mouths, which is a natural tongue reflex that disappears when they’re between 4–6 months old.
They weigh twice their birth weight, or close to it.

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

How Should I Start Solids?

When the time is right, you can 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 or other food to a baby's bottle because it can lead to too much weight gain. Let your baby practice eating from a spoon and learn to stop when full.

When your baby gets the hang of eating the first food, introduce others, such as puréed meat, fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, or yogurt. Try one food at a time and wait a few days before trying something else new to make sure your baby doesn't have an allergic reaction.

Foods that are more likely to cause allergies can be among the foods you introduce to your baby. These include peanuts, eggs, cow’s milk, seafood, nuts, wheat, and soy. Waiting to start these foods does not prevent food allergies. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about food allergies, especially if any close family members have allergies, food allergies, or allergy-related conditions, like eczema or asthma.

Infants with severe eczema or egg allergies are more likely to have allergies to peanuts. Talk to your doctor about how and when to introduce these foods to your child.

When starting your baby on solids, avoid:

foods with added sugars and 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 drinks before 12 months instead of breast milk or formula. It’s OK to offer pasteurized yogurt and cheese.
foods that may cause choking, such as hot dogs, raw carrots, grapes, popcorn, and nuts

Also, do not give fruit juices to infants younger than 12 months old.

Over the next few months, introduce a variety of foods from all the food groups. If your baby doesn't seem to like something, don’t give up. It can take 8 to 10 tries or more before babies learn to like new foods.

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD

Date reviewed: February 2021

How to properly dilute infant formula

Properly prepare milk formula - it would seem that it is easier, read the instructions on the box and do as it is written. But sometimes the simplest things, especially when they concern a newborn, can simply put parents in a stupor.

How to properly dilute the mixture
How to prepare infant formula
How long is reconstituted infant formula
What water to dilute infant formula
Water temperature for infant formula
Preparing Night Feeding Formula
Infant formula on the road

You should know that no formula, even the most modern adapted formula, can completely replace mother's milk. Transferring a child to artificial feeding should be a conscious and forced step, and not the advice of a friend and the desire to make life a little easier for yourself, to have freedom of movement or your own guesses and assumptions that there is not enough breast milk. The deficit that is formed in the child's body without mother's milk cannot be filled with anything.

How to properly mix

The first thing to do is read the instructions from the manufacturer. It always describes how to prepare infant formula. It is worth paying attention to the following important points:

in what proportion to dilute the milk formula (often, one scoop per 30 ml of water)
at what temperature is the mixture prepared
recommended amount of ready-made formula for children of different ages
how long and under what conditions can an opened package be stored

How to properly prepare formula for a newborn

The intestines and mouth of a healthy baby are sterile. The task of the parent is to give the baby the opportunity to gradually adapt to the surrounding space, before starting to acquaint him with pathogenic microflora (in other words, microbes).

In all cases of contact with children's things, food and the child himself, be sure and always wash your hands with soap and water. Of course, in any case, the baby will have to get acquainted with the surrounding microorganisms, but when he is a few days old, it is too early.

Since you need to prepare the formula just before feeding, be prepared to do this under the heart-rending cries of a hungry baby. It is possible that under such conditions it will not be possible to prepare sterile bottles in cold blood - it is better and more convenient to have at least two of them.

It is better to prepare and cover a clean bottle with a dry towel in advance than to rush around the house and remember where to put it after feeding when the baby is crying from hunger. Of course, in theory you need to wash the bottle immediately after feeding, but in practice, babies miraculously make adjustments to your schedule.

So, when all the necessary preparations are made, according to the instructions, we determine the desired ratio of water and dry mixture according to the age of your baby. Pour water of the required temperature into a sterile bottle or bring it to the desired temperature in the bottle. We pour the required number of measuring spoons, after removing a slide from them (you can use the back of a knife).

The measuring spoon must be dry. Follow this strictly and store infant formula in a dry place. Milk powder is very hygroscopic and perfectly absorbs moisture, and if the rules are not followed, the mixture will instantly begin to clump.

Close the bottle with a cap and shake very well so that there are no lumps left in the mixture (you can check for light). Just in case, we check the temperature of the mixture by dropping it on our wrist. After feeding, pour out the rest of the mixture.

Some mothers, trying to feed the baby more satisfyingly, increase the concentration of the dry mixture in the water. Doing this is strictly prohibited. This can lead to obesity or other metabolic disorders in the child.

To some, these measures may seem superfluous, and, of course, no one can force you to do this. But do not forget that the first three months of a child’s life without this will complicate colic and aggravate the situation with hastily washed bottles, believe me, it’s not worth it.

How long can reconstituted infant formula be stored

A very common question of interest to all parents is how long can prepared infant formula be stored? Ideally, ready-made milk formula is eaten immediately and not stored. The longer the mixture is prepared, the more chances are given to multiply harmful microbes that love heat and milky environment. And not just the necessary bifidobacteria, for which you lovingly created the optimal temperature. The storage time of reconstituted infant formula should be kept to a minimum. Remember that prepared milk formula should be stored is impossible even in the refrigerator.

The bottle and nipple must be washed and sterilized before each formula preparation. You can learn more about sterilizing feeding bottles here.

What kind of water to dilute infant formula

An urgent question for parents - is it possible to dilute formula with infant water? For decades, boiled water has been used to prepare the mixture. Now they began to think about the fact that boiling kills water, deprives oxygen and other trace elements. Today you will not surprise anyone with special baby water for drinking and formula preparation. It does not need to be boiled, it is enough to heat it to the optimum temperature.

What are the benefits of baby water?

at all stages of harvesting, water undergoes strict sanitary control
cleaning uses a multi-stage filter system
unlike boiled, it is not devoid of oxygen and other useful trace elements
mineralization decreases in baby water (in dry mixtures, they try to choose the optimal ratio of trace elements and water with increased mineralization can disrupt these proportions)

If you want to use water from a well, it is better to hand it over for analysis to a sanitary and epidemiological station.

Water temperature for infant formula

The water temperature is of fundamental importance for the preparation of formula, which must be indicated on the packaging. Almost all mixtures now contain bifidobacteria that are beneficial for the child's intestines. Beneficial bacteria, unlike harmful ones, are rather gentle microorganisms. At a temperature higher than that indicated in the instructions, they will simply die.

In addition, of course, the temperature of the water simply needs to be comfortable for the child, 36 - 37 ºC. This is the temperature of mother's milk. Therefore, if possible, use a thermometer to prepare infant formula. Fortunately, the assortment of baby stores is now replete with products that make life easier for moms. Well, if there is no thermometer, it does not matter. Put a few drops of the prepared mixture from the bottle on your wrist. If the temperature of the mixture is optimal, then you will not feel it on your wrist.

It is not advisable to heat the finished mixture. Adapted infant formula is not a product that can be heated and cooled without consequences. It's good bacteria, remember? And not only. But if it so happened that while you were preparing for feeding, the mixture has cooled down, warm it up under running hot water.

Do not use the microwave to heat up the mixture! You will not be able to control the degree of heating of the liquid bottle, which can lead to an irreversible change in the structure and composition of the formula.

Night feeding formula

The safest option for the baby and gentle for the mother is to pour water into a sterile bottle in the evening and put it in the warmer. Most warmers are capable of maintaining a constant set temperature in the bottle. Pour the dry mix into the dry mix dispenser.

Now you can prepare the mixture on autopilot at night. All that remains to be done is to get from the dispenser into the bottle and mix thoroughly. Just in case, do not forget to check the temperature of the prepared mixture. Ready. You can start feeding a hungry baby.

Infant formula on the go

All modern parents want to be mobile. We must pay tribute to the manufacturers of children's goods - it has now become much easier to provide a child with food on a trip than it was, say, in the last century. It sounds ridiculous, of course, but that was only fifteen years ago.

If you are traveling with a small child, take water and powdered milk separately with you. For cars, heaters have already been invented that work in the car from the cigarette lighter. Special bags-thermoses are convenient, where you can put a bottle with a little warmer water than you need. If there is not enough time to keep warm in a special bag, you can warm up a bottle of water for feeding by putting it in a container with another hot water, for example, made of titanium, if you are traveling on a train.

Remember, your task is to keep the water and dry formula separate for as long as possible, combining them just before feeding. Of course, ready-made diluted mixtures in tetrapacks are also on sale, but each mother decides for herself whether to use them or not.

Baby food

Baby food and the healthy diet of a child are, of course, of concern to all parents. How and what to feed? When, how much? All this is important for moms and dads to know in order to navigate the diverse world of baby food in order to raise a healthy child.

20 most interesting facts about baby food, which will be useful for parents and will help establish a healthy and proper diet for the child.

20 most useful and interesting facts about baby food

1. Breast milk is the most important product in a baby's diet, neither infant formula nor cow's or goat's milk can replace it. Pediatricians have proven that breast milk protects the baby from gastrointestinal infections, helps to avoid many respiratory infections, and protects the baby from allergies.

2. Taste habits are acquired in the mother's womb. The baby catches the aroma of the products that the expectant mother consumes during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Subsequently, the child perceives and digests these products easier. So the diet of a nursing mother and a pregnant woman should be especially healthy and varied.

3. Surprisingly, but true: breast milk intended for boys contains more proteins and fats than milk for girls.

4. Adding salt and sugar to baby food is not recommended until at least 1.5 years old, because salt overloads the kidneys, and sugar overloads the pancreas. It should be borne in mind that until the age of one, the kidneys of a child cannot process more than 1 g of salt per day - just as much salt is found in foods without added salt.

5. It has been proven that those who were given sweets by their parents in childhood suffer from excess weight in adulthood.

6. According to the standards of the World Health Organization, a 6-month-old child should eat 60-70 g of fruit and vegetable puree every day. A one-year-old baby requires about 100 g of fresh vegetables and fruits.

7. Iodized salt is much healthier than non-iodized salt. The mental development of a child is related to the amount of iodine he receives daily.

8. The shelf life of iodized salt is of great importance because iodine breaks down over time. So you should not consume iodized salt if more than 6 months have passed since the date of its packaging.

9. Semolina is the most useless porridge, because, in addition to carbohydrates, it practically does not contain trace elements and vitamins necessary for the child.

10. Oatmeal should not be given daily to a child, because it contains phytins, which interfere with the absorption of calcium.

11. Excess weight in a child is often associated with untimely introduction of cow's or goat's milk into complementary foods, which contains 3 times more protein than breast milk.

12. According to research, every year vegetables and fruits contain less and less vitamins and microelements. For example, over the past 30 years, the amount of magnesium in apples has decreased by 1.5 times, the content of iron in white cabbage from the beginning to the end of the 20th century has decreased by 2 times, calcium by 5 times and magnesium by 4 times.

13. As a result of heat treatment, vegetables and fruits lose more than 20% of vitamin B, more than 60% of vitamin C and most of the other vitamins. Only starch and fiber remain.

14. Juice cannot completely replace fruits and vegetables or purees from them, because fruit and vegetable purees and pulp contain much more nutrients. Juice does not contain fiber at all, but it is necessary for proper digestion. In addition, fruit juices contain a high concentration of sugar, which is bad for a child's teeth.

15. Baby food marked with the words “for children” is enriched with the necessary vitamins and microelements in accordance with the norms of the Ministry of Health and WHO. As a rule, these are beta-carotene, iron, iodine, potassium, vitamin C.

16. It is prohibited by law to add preservatives to baby food. Duration of storage is ensured by special heat treatment, aseptic packaging, as well as the addition of vitamin C, which is not harmful to children.

17. The main advantage of commercially produced baby food - fruit, vegetable juices and purees, meat and fish dishes - is that the raw materials for its production are grown and obtained in ecologically clean areas where the presence of chemical industry enterprises is not allowed.

18. According to pediatricians and WHO, about 50% of babies under the age of one year receive too little meat in their daily diet. But it is at this age that children grow the fastest, so their bodies require meat products that contain the necessary iron, zinc and proteins. As a result of the lack of meat in the diet, children suffer from iron deficiency anemia.

19. Many children, according to psychologists, do not want to eat, not because they are not hungry, but because the process of eating food seems boring and too long for them.