Am I Feeding My Baby Right?

If you are a normal parent, you have heard some of the following comments from well-meaning family members, friends, and even complete strangers. Something that should be so simple - feeding your baby - suddenly becomes a confusing catalog of do's and don'ts.

"You should not give them eggs before they are one."

"Give her some cereal before bed and she will sleep through the night."

"No wheat in her diet until she is one or she will have an allergy."

And the best: "You're feeding her THAT!?!?"

If you are looking for guidance about feeding your baby, talk first to your child's pediatrician. However, these guidelines should help clear the picture for you a bit.

Starting Solids Is Not That Important

For the first year of your baby's life he needs nothing more than breast milk or formula for complete nutrition. Most pediatricians recommend that babies can eat solids to help them adjust to eating, but the main source of nutrition is the liquid.

You can start some pureed foods when your baby is between four and six months old. When your baby starts to show a lot of interest in the food you are eating, can sit up with slight support, and opens her mouth when the spoon comes her way, she is probably ready to start solids.

Many parents start with a single item, such as rice cereal. Feed the first food to your baby for approximately a week and keep your eyes open for any kind of reaction or allergy symptoms. If she takes to cereal well, you can continue to introduce solids one at a time. Traditional advice says to start with veggies, followed by fruits, and then meats, but you can start with fruit if you prefer. Pureed meats are harder to digest and it would be wise to wait until your baby is at least 9 months old or older and more able to handle digesting these foods.

Transitioning to Table Foods

As your baby gets better at eating the purees, start making the texture chunkier so she gets practice at chewing. When she is good at chewing soft chunks, you can gradually transition to finely cut table foods, but make sure everything is very soft.

You will probably worry about choking as you start feeding your baby table foods. Babies can choke, but for most kids the gag reflux is strong enough to prevent this if they get a hold of something they are not ready for. Of course, do not let your baby eat unattended, just in case. Give your baby a variety of tastes, but do not worry about how much she is eating since her primary dietary needs are being met by breast milk or formula. Soon your baby will be eating like a pro, so enjoy these early days of feeding your baby, and keep your camera handy to catch the funny faces and messy meals.