When your infant is able to sit up and grab for things to put in her mouth, it’s time to introduce solid foods. Start with a simple, basic food such as rice cereal, then move on to oatmeal. Introduce wheat and mixed cereals last because some babies may have allergic reactions to them.
• Look for infant cereals fortified with iron, which can provide about 30–45 percent of your infant’s daily iron needs.
• Introduce other solid foods gradually. After cereals, move on to vegetables and fruits. Most pediatricians recom-mend offering vegetables before offering fruits.
• Feed your infant small serving sizes to start—even just 1–2 small spoonfuls.
• Start new foods one at a time, every 2–3 days, so your infant can get used to the taste and texture of each new food. It can also help you identify any food sensitivities or allergies.
• When your infant is about 8–9 months old, give her foods that she can pick up and feed to herself.
• Do not give infants raisins, nuts, popcorn, or small or hard food pieces that can be aspirated or cause choking.
• Contact your doctor if symptoms (diarrhea, vomiting, rash) develop that seem to be related to particular foods.
Choose the rainbow
As your baby starts to eat solid foods more than once a day, you may wonder what puree to introduce next. Think of the rainbow. Offering fruits and vegetables in every color ensures that your baby gets all the nutrients she needs.
Red foods:
Cherries
Raspberries
Red-skinned apples
Red-skinned potatoes
Yellow & Orange foods:
Apricots
Butternut squash
Carrots
Peaches
Pumpkins
Sweet potatoes
Golden apples
Yellow summer squash
Green foods:
Avocados
Green beans
Peas
Zucchini
Blue & Purple foods:
Blackberries
Blueberries
Sources: A Parent’s Guide to Childhood Obesity: A Road Map to Health (© 2006 American Academy of Pediatrics); and Love in Spoonfuls (from the editors of Parenting, Chronicle Books, 2010)
More on babies and eating from NJ Baby:
- Skip The Spoon Babies may eat better when they feed themselves.
- Why Your Baby May Be Resistent to Nursing
- 10 Tips for Breastfeeding Success
