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Recommended Foods for Baby

Having a baby is a great responsibility and raising one to be healthy requires a lot of time and care. One of the most important ways to keep your baby growing and developing normally is to provide proper nutrition. Babies have certain nutritional requirements at certain stages of their development and parents should educate themselves to know what foods to provide at what stage. Getting the right foods in infancy will provide a baby with a head start to a healthy life.

  1. 0 to 4 months

    • A newborn up until about four to five months requires nothing but breast milk or formula. Breast milk provides all the nutrients, fat, sugar, protein and even immune boosting antibodies that the baby requires to grow and develop healthily. There are a few types of formula, such as cow's milk based, soy based, hydrolyzed or specially formulated for certain needs. Formula has been developed to resemble breast milk as closely as possible and provide the necessary vitamins and minerals. Most types have been fortified with iron, vitamin D and DHA and ARA, which are fatty acids for brain and eye development. Babies fed with either breast milk or formula will decrease the amount they require over time but babies need this type of nutrition up until a year old.

    4 to 6 months

    • At this age, a baby's digestive system is ready to begin intake of solid foods. The introduction of solid food should begin with instant iron-fortified cereal, such as rice cereal, diluted with breast milk or formula. After baby has gotten used to the new texture and taste, other types of cereal can follow, such as oatmeal or wheat. Start with one new food at a time, waiting a few days before introducing a new type, watching for any allergic reactions.

    6 to 8 months

    • After your baby is used to cereal, start him off with strained, pureed or mashed cooked vegetables such as sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, squash, beets, or green beans. You can buy these baby food vegetables commercially or make your own. Fruits can follow or be fed simultaneously with the vegetables, as long as you wait a couple days between new foods to monitor for allergies. Fruit options include strained, pureed or mashed bananas, applesauce, pears, peaches, apricot, prunes and more. After fruit and vegetables, cooked and strained meats such as ham, turkey, or chicken can be introduced.

    8 to 12 months

    • At this age, a baby still requires breast milk or formula in addition to baby food. After a baby is comfortable with fruits, vegetables and meat, small finger foods such as pieces of bread, Cheerios or other cereal, crackers, biscuits or noodles can be introduced. Choking hazards such as raisins, nuts, whole grapes, berries, potato chips, hot dogs, raw carrots, popcorn or small, hard candy should be avoided. Continue to introduce new fruits or vegetables and table foods around a year old. For a baby's first year, common allergic foods like honey, peanut butter, citrus fruits, and egg whites should be avoided.

    After one year

    • Once a baby is a year old, whole milk can replace formula or breast milk. Avoid salty or sugary foods and fruit juices can be introduced but should be diluted with water. Toddlers can continue to eat the food you eat as long as it is cut into appropriate sized pieces.

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