Why Should You Slowly Introduce Foods to Babies
Key facts
- Introduce solid foods at around six months only not before 4 months.
- Breastfeeding or bottle feeding should continue up to 12 months.
- Food can exist offered in any society every bit long as it is the right texture and is nutritious.
- Introduce 'allergy foods' when you are introducing solids.
- Always supervise your baby when they are eating.
When should I introduce solid foods to my baby?
Your baby simply needs breast milk or infant formula for the first 6 months.
At around vi months old, most babies – whether they are breast or formula fed – demand more than iron every bit well as other nutrients, such as zinc and protein. A infant's iron stores, which build up while they're in the uterus, become depression by six months. Their torso also demands extra kilojoules and nutrient-dense nutrient.
The current recommendation is to introduce solids at around 6 months simply not before iv months. Each infant is an individual and will show signs of readiness for solid foods at different times. Even so, all babies benefit from having solid foods past 7 months of age.
Babies also need solid foods, equally well equally breast milk or formula, to satisfy their hunger and meet their extra growth needs.
How will I know my baby is fix for solids?
Some babies seem very satisfied with breastfeeding or bottle feeding, even though they have reached 6 months. Post-obit your baby'southward atomic number 82 will help you decide when they are ready for solids.
Start with small amounts of soft, iron-rich, pureed foods. Your baby can be offered any food, in any order, as long as information technology is the right texture (see below) and is nutritious.
Your babe is ready for solids when they can:
- sit down upright in a highchair with their caput and dorsum unsupported
- they're not as satisfied with their milk and seem hungry after they've been breast or canteen fed
- might show an involvement in the nutrient you're eating and reach out to consume some, also
- show excitement about food
- open their oral fissure as y'all offer them a spoon
Why tin can't I requite my infant solid foods earlier half-dozen months?
Babies need to be developmentally ready to eat solid foods. Learning how to motility food from the front end of the natural language to the back of the oral cavity and so swallow is a skill that needs practice.
Until iv to 6 months of age, babies nonetheless have a 'tongue extrusion reflex' – this ways they push food out of their rima oris with their tongue. Giving solids before 4 to 6 months can be a choking risk. Until they're onetime enough, babies but know how to suck and swallow milk, not how to move more than solid textures to the back of their rima oris to be swallowed.
Giving solids before your baby is ready can also mean they fills upwardly on solids and won't drink the milk they need to grow and thrive.
For how long should I keep breastfeeding or bottle feeding?
Breastfeeding or formula feeding should continue until your baby is 12 months quondam. After that, water and cow'due south milk served in a loving cup should be your baby'due south main drinks. Cow's milk should exist limited to around 500ml per twenty-four hours. Some babies can have an intolerance or allergy to cow's milk, so they may need an alternative, such as soy. Follow your doctor's or allergy specialist's advice and read nutrient labels advisedly.
Breastfeeding tin can continue for as long as you and your baby are happy to proceed going, simply baby formula is non needed afterward 12 months.
Read more about balancing solids with milk feeds.
Tin can I give my baby 'allergy foods'?
Allergy foods are foods or potable that can trigger an allergic reaction. Common allergenic foods are peanut butter, cow'southward milk, wheat, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts (such as almonds, coconut and hazelnuts), sesame and soy.
The best time to innovate allergy foods is when you are introducing solids. Information technology is also recommended that you introduce allergy foods before your babe reaches 12 months old. Leaving it until they are older may increase the chance of your baby developing an allergy.
If you're concerned that your infant could have a food allergy, speak to your healthcare provider.
Acquire more here about how to introduce allergy foods.
How to start introducing solids
Solid foods can be introduced in any guild every bit long as they are fe-rich and the nutrient is the right texture. Look for signs that your baby'south ready for solids.
In that location is no clear recommendation virtually the best time of day to offer first solids. But it tin can be helpful to give your babe solids subsequently a milk feed, mid-morning, so if they're unsettled, information technology's less likely to impact their night-time sleep.
If you find your baby loves solid foods and so much that they're cutting back on their breastfeeds or bottle feeds, reduce the amount of solids you're offering. Breastmilk or baby formula is however an important source of diet for the kickoff 9 to 12 months of life.
What are the best foods and textures to outset with?
Offering your baby healthy, nutritious foods which will support their growth and development. When they first start on solid foods, they won't need much. I to 2 teaspoons is plenty until they larn what'southward involved in coordinating their oral cavity to open up, chew and swallow.
Start by offering your baby pureed foods that have a smooth and easy-to-swallow texture. Fifty-fifty though your babe won't take teeth to chew and grind their nutrient, they volition yet apply their gums to 'chew'. As they become older, they can eat foods with more than texture. Chewing also helps with jaw and speech development.
You can endeavour feeding your baby:
- iron-fortified cereals
- pureed or minced red or white meat, including fish
- cooked vegetables. Aim for white, orange, green and yellow vegetables in their diet each twenty-four hour period.
- fruit, either cooked or mashed
- cooked and mashed egg
- dairy foods — for example, unsweetened yoghurt and full-fat cheese
- wholegrain bread, cereal and pasta
As your baby grows, transition them from purees to mashed foods with lumps and textures. Yous can too serve minced or chopped food, then 'finger foods'. These are foods that are cutting into modest pieces which babies tin can choice up and eat themselves.
How important is diverseness?
Aim for variety when information technology comes to your baby'south foods. Colour, texture and sense of taste are all important characteristics of first foods.
Where possible, cook and prepare your baby's foods and so you know what'south in them. Aim for fresh fruits and vegetables, cooked with a minimum of water until they are soft enough to chew. Freeze small containers or ice-cube trays containing freshly cooked meals.
Most babies show some hesitation when offered new foods and textures. It'southward worth reoffering foods a few times until they prove involvement or information technology'due south clear they're not not bad and would prefer something else.
Share suitable food from your own plate and get into the habit of offering your baby different tastes. Avoid adding salt or potent-tasting additives or spices to your infant's food. Their taste buds are very sensitive and tin detect fifty-fifty the most subtle flavours. By around 12 months quondam, nearly babies should be eating more often than not the aforementioned food as the rest of the family unit.
Tips for introducing solid foods
- Until your infant is 9 months, offer them breast milk or formula feeds before solids. After 9 months, they can take breast milk or formula after their solids.
- Be sensitive to your baby'due south cues or signals that they are hungry or full. Don't force them to eat or keep offering nutrient if they're turning away, endmost their mouth or non swallowing.
- Give your baby plenty of time to practice their new eating skills. At first, they'll spit the food out, may seem unsure or pull faces at the gustation of sure foods. Remember, eating solids is as much about learning as it is about nutrition.
- Allow your babe make a mess. As soon as they are ready, offer them finger foods and the opportunity to pick up food and put it in their mouth.
- Always supervise your baby when they are eating solid foods. Small-scale, hard foods can be a choking hazard – although babies tin can choke on whatever food of any texture.
- Make sure you cook and shop your baby's nutrient safely. Never reheat food that has been reheated previously, or that has been sitting at room temperature for more than than 2 hours.
Are in that location any foods my baby shouldn't eat?
At that place are some foods that are non suitable for infants, including:
- moo-cow'southward milk as their chief milk beverage from half-dozen to 12 months
- reduced-fatty milk or unpasteurized milk and dairy foods
- whole nuts, popcorn, hard sweets, whole grapes, raw carrot, raw apples or other hard fruit and vegetables
- love — this can contain spores of botulism and should not be given to babies under 12 months
- cordial, soft drinkable or sweet drinks
- tea, java or free energy drinks
When can my baby have water to drink?
Once your baby has reached 6 months, they're former plenty to be offered water to drinkable. Cooled, boiled water can exist offered in a sippy cup at mealtimes and in-between.
As long every bit a breastfed or bottle-fed baby is offered enough of milk, they don't need extra water to beverage. Information technology's the practise of drinking from a cup which is useful.
Is a vegetarian or vegan diet safe for my infant?
Babies and toddlers fed a vegetarian or vegan nutrition can thrive every bit long as their food contains sufficient free energy (kilojoules) and nutrients for growth.
Iron is especially important from vi months. Nut pastes (such every bit peanut butter), avocado, wholegrains, tofu, healthy fats and oils are all great options. Fe-fortified cereal and green leafy vegetables are likewise essential.
If y'all are planning to offer your babe a vegan or vegetarian diet, speak to an Accredited Practising Dietitian before getting started.
Which is better – bought or homemade food?
Many babies consume a combination of bootleg and bought food. Store-bought food is user-friendly and easy to prepare. It'southward also handy for when you are not at abode or travelling. When buying store-bought food for your baby, read the labels and try to avoid foods that are high in sugar and salt.
Although making your own food might be a bit fourth dimension-consuming, the advantage is yous know what'southward in it. Making one big batch and freezing in portions will get forth way. Homemade food will help your babe become familiar with family unit cooked meals. You tin serve small portions of meals made for the rest of the family unit before whatever salt or spices have been added. Making your own baby nutrient is also more affordable.
Where can I go for more information?
For more than information on how to innovate solid foods, check with your child health nurse, or call Pregnancy, Nascence and Baby on 1800 882 436 to talk to a maternal child wellness nurse.
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Source: https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/introducing-solid-food
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