Fyi..... Have a great day, Vincent-Ivana-Valerie ------------------------------------------------------- Sent: Friday, August 20, 1999 1:30 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This BabyCenter article was sent to you by Valerie: intro solid INTRODUCING SOLID FOODS WHEN SHOULD I INTRODUCE SOLIDS? Nutrition experts maintain that solid food should rarely be started before the fourth month. Many pediatricians go even further and suggest waiting until your baby is at least six months old. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics recently changed its recommendations and now advocate exclusive breastfeeding ( http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/1003.html ) for the first six months of your baby's life. There are plenty of good reasons to wait until your baby reaches the half-year mark. Breast milk and formula http://www.babycenter.com/glossary/F.html#formula ) are still easiest for your baby to digest, providing all the calories and nutrients your baby needs during this two-month period. Also, the chances of developing allergies ( http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/73.html ) are greatest during infancy, so feeding your baby a diet of breast milk or formula for as long as possible reduces the risk of introducing allergens. As your baby's digestive system matures, she will be better able to handle different foods without an allergic reaction. There is another very practical reason for waiting until your baby is developmentally ready for solid foods: It will shorten the transition time between when you have to spoonfeed your baby and she begins feeding herself. ---------------------------------------------------- WHAT CUES INDICATE MY BABY'S READY? Introducing solids should be coordinated with when she is developmentally ready. Look for the following cues. Your baby: Has head control It's important that your baby be able to maintain a steady, upright position in order to eat solids from a spoon. Sits well when supported. You may have to support her initially-a highchair ( http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/1460.html ) can be pulled into action a bit later when she's able to sit up all by herself. Makes chewing motions Your baby should be able to move food to the back of her mouth and swallow. As your baby learns to swallow efficiently you may notice her drooling decrease. Shows significant weight gain. Most babies are ready to eat solids when they've doubled their birth weight, which may take place before or after their sixth month. Displays curiousity about what you're eating. Your baby begins eyeing your steak or reaches for your forkful of mashed potatoes as it travels from plate to mouth. ---------------------------------------------------- HOW SHOULD I BEGIN INTRODUCING SOLID FOOD? Let her first nurse or bottlefeed. After she's sated, give her about one or two tablespoons of dry cereal and mix it with enough formula or breast milk to make a soupy solution. (The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends iron-enriched infant rice cereal.) Give this to your baby on a rubber-tipped spoon once a day. It doesn't need to be the morning feeding; pick a time that's convenient for both you and baby. At first, your baby will seem to eat very little cereal, and it may take a while to get even that small amount into her. Be patient with your little one and remember she's learning new eating skills. When your baby is eating two to three tablespoons of cereal a day, add another cereal feeding. As she begins to eat and develops more of a side-to-side grinding motion, add a little less liquid so the texture becomes thicker. This allows your baby to work on chewing (gumming) and swallowing. Your baby should be able to eat about a half cup of cereal a day before you add any other solid foods. Your baby's appetite will vary from one feeding to the next so watch for cues that she's full. A baby who refuses to open up for the next bite, turns away, or starts playing with her food is probably full. ---------------------------------------------------- DO I STILL NEED TO BREASTFEED? Yes. Breast milk is designed to be the perfect food for your baby's first year. Both breast milk and formula provide important vitamins, iron, and protein in an easy-to-digest form. Even though solid foods will eventually replace some of your baby's feedings, they can't nutritionally replace all of the nutrients that breast milk or formula provide during her first 12 months. ---------------------------------------------------- HOW CAN I HELP MY BABY DEVELOP HEALTHY EATING HABITS? You can help your baby learn to eat right by following these simple rules: * Offer a varied selection of foods. * Avoid feeding your baby too much. * Give your baby a balance of protein, carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables. Use sweets, salts, and fats in moderation. * Don't bribe or reward your child with food. Instead, offer her plenty of hugs, kisses, and attention. ---------------------------------------------------- HOW LONG DOES COMMERCIAL BABY FOOD LAST ONCE OPENED? There's some debate on this question. Many parenting and child care books maintain that an opened jar of baby food lasts only 24 hours in the refrigerator. The majority of the baby food manufactures claim that meats, vegetables, and dinners may be kept refrigerated for 48 hours. Fruits and single serving juices have a refrigerator shelf span of 72 hours. It seems prudent to follow the guidelines on the side of whatever baby food jar you buy. When using commercial baby food, spoon a small amount from the jar into a bowl. When your baby is finished eating, throw away any remaining food. Don't feed your child directly from a jar and don't put uneaten food back in the jar because germs from your baby's spoon can contaminate the jar. ---------------------------------------------------- IS IT SAFE TO HEAT BABY FOOD IN THE MICROWAVE? Check the jar to see if it's okay. After heating, be sure to stir it thoroughly and let stand for a minute. Always check the food's temperature before serving it to your baby. ---------------------------------------------------- HOW SHOULD I INTRODUCE OTHER SOLID FOODS? Solid foods should be introduced slowly, one at a time. Your baby needs time to get used to each new taste and texture. Also, a methodical introduction will allow you to watch for signs of an allergic reaction http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/73.html ), such as diarrhea http://www.babycenter.com/glossary/D.html#diarrhea ), tummy aches, or rashes. If your baby is interested, add one new food every three to five days, starting with yellow fruits and vegetables, which are easiest for babies to digest. Some pediatricians advise beginning with green veggies, as babies can sometimes get stuck on the sweeter taste of fruits and yellow vegetables and won't give peas and beans a fighting chance. Start by offering your baby a few tablespoons of fruit or vegetables in the same meal as a cereal feeding. Good foods to debut with: applesauce, bananas, carrots, peaches, pears, sweet potatoes, and squash (any order is okay). At six months any food should be strained or mushy, since at this age babies eat by smushing food against the tops of their mouths and then swallowing. If you get a negative reaction from your baby, offer the food again about seven to 10 days later. She may always turn up her nose at some foods, but continue to offer them in hopes that they become more appealing. ---------------------------------------------------- HOW MANY TIMES A DAY SHOULD MY BABY BE EATING SOLID FOODS? By the time your baby is six to seven months old, she should be eating solid foods three times a day. A typical day's diet might consist of: * Breast milk or iron-fortified formula. Small amounts of juice (except for citrus juices). * Iron-fortified cereal. * Yellow and green vegetables. * Small amounts of meats, poultry, fish, yogurt, egg yolk, cottage cheese. * Fruit. Some general guidelines apply: * Each new food should be introduced no sooner than three to five days after the preceding new solid food. * Raw honey should not be given until after the first year of life because honey carries a risk of infant botulism. * Highly allergenic foods such as citrus, chocolate, fish, and egg whites should not be introduced until your child is a year old. * Your baby shouldn't have beets, turnips, and dark green kohl vegetables such as kale and broccoli until after she's a year old; they have too many nitrates for younger children. * Depending upon your infant's diet, vitamin and/or fluoride drops may be recommended. ---------------------------------------------------- WHEN CAN I MOVE ON TO FINGER FOODS? As baby grows more experienced, you can increase the thickness of the foods offered to include chunkier strained and mashed foods. At about eight months, your baby is ready for finger foods http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/105.html ) cut into safe, tiny bite-sized bits. Some ideal first finger foods that can be easily gummed and digested are: whole-wheat bagels and breads, ripe bananas and cantaloupe, tender cooked carrots and sweet potatoes, scrambled eggs and natural soft cheeses, and whole-grain cereals (Cheerios are universally popular) and pastas. ---------------------------------------------------- DO I NEED ANY SPECIAL EQUIPMENT? There's a dazzling array of feeding-related items ( http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/433.html ) you can buy, but none are essential. Nonetheless, there are a few that can make mealtime easier. A rubber-tipped spoon is important to protect your baby's sensitive gums, and a plastic dish with suction cups can keep Junior's meal on the tray table. To protect your floor, try a splat mat-it will make clean up much simpler. ---------------------------------------------------- WHERE SHOULD I FEED MY BABY? Once your child is old enough to sit up ( http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/6505.html ) on her own, feed her in a highchair ( http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/1460.html ) or feeding chair. Handing finger foods to a crawler on the move can result in choking and leave a trail of smushed bananas across your carpet. And if a child learns to associate eating with mealtime and the dinner table, she's less likely to develop the poor eating habits (constant snacking, eating in front of the TV, and so on) that contribute to obesity. Note: You will find when you add solid foods to your baby's diet that her stools may change color and odor. This is normal. Rice cereal, bananas, and applesauce may be constipating. If your baby's stools are so firm that they seem to be giving her pain, then switch from those types of foods to other fruits and vegetables and oatmeal or barley cereal. ---------------------------------------------------- RELATED TOPICS: Breastfeeding Guide ( http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/1003.html ) Feeding Supplies ( http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/433.html ) Highchairs ( http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/1460.html ) Developmental Milestones: Sitting http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/6505.html ) Developmental Milestones: Head Control http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/6579.html ) Finger Foods ( http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/105.html ) BBS - General Feeding Questions ( http://www.babycenter.com/bbs/1824 ) Introducing New Foods ( http://www.babycenter.com/expert/1963.html ) Introducing Solid Foods ( http://www.babycenter.com/expert/3573.html ) BBS - Your Baby's Development-Three to Six Months http://www.babycenter.com/bbs/6581 ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you'd like more information or features on any pregnancy- or infancy-related topics, visit BabyCenter ( http://www.babycenter.com ). 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