Here is information of food for your child:

• Starting My Baby on Food

• 6 to 24 Months

• Healthy Snacks

Starting My Baby on Food

Signs that a baby is ready for food:

• Double birth weight AND over 13 pounds
• Good head control
• Consistently drinking over 36 ounces / day or nursing more frequently, especially if suddenly waking more at night on a regular basis
• No tongue thrust
• Interest in food (tries to eat your food)

1. Breast milk or formula has all the nutrients that a baby needs until they are 6 months old. Starting food too early may cause problems like allergies, constipation, diarrhea or gas and may promote obesity. Food given before a baby is ready may not be well digested. Breast milk and formula are specially designed to allow the baby to digest it easily.

2. Start with baby cereal. Rice is least likely to cause allergic reactions, but may make some babies constipated. If this is a problem, try oatmeal. Start cereal mixed with water or breast milk (or formula). Then use Juice (baby juice labeled vitamin C fortified) to mix with the cereal, or different fruits and vegetables, in any order, but one at a time, for several days for each new food.

3. Start with 1 meal per day, at a time of day when you are relaxed. An ideal time is about 1 hour before the baby usually eats so s/he is hungry but not starving. Meals should be fun, but may also be messy and time consuming, so be prepared.

4. It is fine to make your own baby food, but may be difficult to get foods as smooth as “first foods” or “Stage 1” foods. All utensils should be clean, food fresh and properly cooked. Consider using organic fruits and vegetables if you are preparing them yourself

5. Babies don’t need juice. Use it to mix with cereal only.

IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER:

• Use only single ingredient foods. Read the label.
• Start foods one at a time and give each new food for several days (4-5). Look for allergic reactions (diarrhea, rash, vomiting).
• NEVER put food in the bottle. If the baby is ready for food, s/he is ready to eat it from a spoon.
• NEVER add salt, sugar, butter, etc. Read labels to make sure these are not added.

For the first year, avoid: honey, fish, nuts and peanut butter, chocolate and milk and choking hazards (hot dogs, popcorn, nuts, hard candy, seeds, raw veggies, any hard to chew food).

If food allergies run in the family, you may also be advised to avoid eggs, corn, wheat, soy and all dairy products.

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6 to 24 Months

A DAILY FOOD GUIDE FOR YOUR CHILD

This daily food guide will help you give your child the kinds of foods s/he needs at different ages. Consult your pediatrician for the appropriate time to introduce your child to solid foods and finger foods.

AGE	FOOD ITEMS	AMOUNTS
BIRTH TO 6 MONTHS	Breast milk & / or iron-fortified formula	Varies with baby’s growth and development
4 - 6 MONTHS	Iron-fortified infant cereal.  Start with rice cereal, then other infant cereals.  Plain fruit juice, unsweetened, vitamin C-fortified to mix with cereal Breast milk & / or iron-fortified formula Water	4 -8 Tbsp. prepared cereal   2 - 4 ounces   As desired
6 - 8 MONTHS	Strained fruit, plain Strained vegetable, plain (no combination meat & vegetable dinners) Iron-fortified infant cereal, mixed with fruit, veggies, juice Toast or crackers Breast milk & / or iron-fortified formula Water	1 -2 Tbsp. 5 - 7 Tbsp.   4 - 6 Tbsp. 1 small servings 24 - 32 ounces as desired
9 - 10 MONTHS	Fruits, vegetables and meats, well-cooked soft, finely diced or mashed Iron-fortified infant cereal Fruits * &  Vegetables * Meat *, poultry, yogurt, cottage cheese Cheese Breast milk & / or iron-fortified formula Water * texture based on what your child likes.	small servings   4 - 6 Tbsp. 6 - 8 Tbsp. 4 - 6 Tbsp. 2 oz. 24 - 32 ounces as desired
11 - 12 MONTHS	Infant cereal, as long as possible.  After 1 year of age, plain, ready-to-eat cereal as a finger food Bread, crackers, toast, cooked noodles Fruits & Vegetables:  soft, in bite sized pieces, fresh, canned or cooked. Meats:  pieces of tender lean beef, chicken Cheese Breast milk & / or iron-fortified formula Water	4 - 6 Tbsp.   1 -2 small servings   1/2 cup   2 oz. or 1/2 cup chopped 2 oz. 16 - 24 oz. as desired

See foods to avoid below.

SAMPLE MENU FOR YOUR CHILD

CHOKING HAZARDS:  nuts; seeds (e.g. sunflower); popcorn; raw carrots, celery or green beans; hard candy; hot dogs; thickly spread peanut butter; whole grapes or tomatoes, large chunks of food.

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HEALTHY SNACKS

1. 8 oz. can V-8 juice and 3 saltines or whole wheat crackers.

2. 1 cup popcorn popped with oil but no added butter or 2-1/2 cups air-popped popcorn.

3. Fruit shake -- strawberry or fresh peach. 1/2 cup skim milk, 3-4 strawberries (fresh or frozen) or 3-4 fresh peach slices. Blend in blender wiht 2 ice cubes.

4. Raw vegies and dip: raw carrots (if over 3-4 years old); cauliflower, cherry or grape tomatoes, green pepper (total or 1 cups) dipped in 1/4 cup yogurt dressing: 1 cup plain yogurt with 1/2 package dry salad dressing mix.

5. 1/2 medium banana, slice and topped with 2 tablespoons plain yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon.

6. 8 cucumbers slices topped with 1 teaspoon cottage cheese on each slice.

7. 1/2 of small (4-5 inch) whole wheat pita bread

8. 1-1/2 to 2 inch wide by 6 inches long slice of watermelon.

9. 3/4 cup canned pineapple tidbits (packed in own juice).

10. 1/4 cup cottage chees with 1/2 apple cut into slices.

11. 1/2 - 3/4 cup dry unsweetened cereal, preferably with 2 or more grams of fiber per serving (read label).

12. 2 teaspoons peanut butter on 3-4 celery stalks, 3 saltines, or plain whole wheat crackers.

13. Piece of fruit: 1/2 banana, apple, orange, pear, tangerine, peach, 25 grapes.

14. Low calorie hot chocolate.

15. Uncoated yogurt bar.

16. Jello Fruit bars.

17. Jello Gelatin Pops.

18. Jello Fruit & Cream Bars.

19. Fruit Roll-ups (Not the candy, but real dried fruit -- read the label).

20. Rice Cake with 1 teaspoon all fruit jelly and 1 teaspoon peanut butter.

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Last modified: 02/16/11