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Breast milk or formula should provide most of the nutrition for infants from birth to six months of age. Breast milk is preferred. Breast milk is easier to digest, provides antibodies and breast feeding is good for mother's health as well. The flavor of breast milk varies with mother's diet so baby gets used to a variety of flavors, helping her adapt to new foods later. If you have trouble getting started with breast feeding try consulting a lactation specialist. Your doctor or hospital can probably recommend one. The La Leche League is a great resource. Their web site is listed on our links page in the For Moms and Dads area. There are links to other sites for more information about nutrition. Check out the books we recommend also. Keep in mind that anything you eat, drink, take in pill form or smoke may pass through your breast milk and affect your baby. If you must take any medication check with your doctor about its safety for your child. If it is not possible to breast feed, consult your doctor for a formula recommendation. Most infants who are not breast fed will thrive on a cow's milk formula. Those with lactose intolerance can be fed a lactose free cow's milk formula. Allergic infants may need soybean based formula or further processed formulas that are designed to be less allergenic. Regular cow's milk, powdered milk or goat's milk should not be given in the first year of life. Breast fed and bottle fed babies usually don't need additional water. In fact, too much water can be dangerous for an infant. When mixing formula for an infant younger than 3 months of age, it is a good idea to sterilize the water for one minute to remove any harmful bacteria. Boiling water for longer periods of time can actually be harmful as part of the water evaporates and the minerals may become too concentrated. Bottled water is not necessarily sterile and should also be boiled for infants of this age. You could also use ready to feed formula. Whatever formula you use be sure to accurately follow the mixing directions. If you are breast feeding, continue your prenatal vitamins to help ensure that your milk contains what your baby needs with the possible exception of vitamin D. There is a very small amount of vitamin D in most mother's milk. Vitamin D can be manufactured in the body when there is regular exposure to sunlight. Breast fed babies who are dark skinned or who don't have some exposure to sunlight on a regular basis may need to take a vitamin D supplement. A fully clothed Caucasian baby needs about two hours a week of exposure to natural light to produce enough vitamin D. Of course be aware that your infant can be very susceptible to sunburn so never expose his sensitive skin to direct intense sunlight. Check with your child's pediatrician if you think your child needs a vitamin D supplement. It is important not to give too much as it can be toxic. Commercial infant formulas contain all of the vitamins an infant needs, so vitamin supplements should not be given to a bottle fed infant. Be sure to give your baby a formula that contains iron. There is no evidence at all that the small amount of iron in formula causes constipation, and it is important for your baby's health. Fluoride supplements are not necessary for the first six months of life. Fortunately food allergies are not very common, but if you have a strong family history of allergies and asthma there are some precautions you may consider taking when feeding your baby:
Sometimes eliminating milk from mother's diet will help a baby with colic or eczema. If you do avoid milk make sure you talk to your doctor about taking calcium and vitamin D supplements. Formula fed infants who are colicky, have eczema or asthma, may improve when the formula is changed. What's to Eat? Starting Solids Sometime between four and six months of age your baby will be ready to start sampling solid foods. Before four months of age his digestive system and kidneys are not ready to handle anything but milk. Giving solids too early may also cause him to have allergies to foods. Contrary to popular belief, starting solids earlier has been shown to make no difference in how long he sleeps at night. After four months of age you can watch your child for signs that he is ready to expand his horizons. If he is able to sit with support, shows interest in what you are eating, and seems unsatisfied with his usual milk feedings, he may be ready for more. He should also have lost the 'extrusion reflex' which is the tendency to push his tongue out when food is placed in his mouth. So where do you start? An ideal first food is infant rice cereal diluted with breast milk, formula or water to about the consistency of thick cream. Cereal is easy to digest and provides some iron. When baby is consistently eating cereal once or twice a day, you can introduce other strained or pureed foods. If you make your own baby foods wash produce thoroughly before cooking and pureeing it. There is no need to add any sugar or salt. Never give honey or corn syrup in any form to a baby because of the danger of serious botulism poisoning. See our information on food safety for more details. Moving Right Along, Trying New Foods There are no hard and fast rules about the order of adding new foods. Personally, I don't think it matters much whether you start with fruits or vegetables. The most important thing to know is that you should give one new food at a time. For example you might try strained carrots for two or three days, then try applesauce for two or three days, then green peas. Don't give any mixed foods until your baby has had each of the ingredients separately. Don't offer anything but pureed foods. If she pulls a face or spits out a food just try it again later. Even a week or two is a long time in a baby's short lifespan. Pulling a face may not mean she doesn't like the food, but may just be a reaction to the new taste. She may need to taste a new food 8 to 10 times before she accepts it. Sometimes mixing a little of a new food with something you know she already likes will help her learn to appreciate the new taste. The quantity fed at this stage should be small. Start with a teaspoon or two and gradually increase up to 3 or 4 tablespoons of solids at each meal. The main purpose of solids at this tender age is to give baby some experience with tastes and textures and swallowing of solids. Breast milk or formula should still provide most of her nutrition. |
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