Another Information about Baby Solid Food

www.breastfeed-essentials.com

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www.essortment.com

Where should I feed my baby?

To establish good eating habits — like eating at the table instead of in front of the television — it's a good idea to feed your baby in his highchair whenever you can. Handing him finger foods on the run can also cause him to choke (not to mention trail mashed banana across the carpet). If your baby isn't ready for a highchair, seat him in your lap. Just make sure that he's upright enough to swallow well.

From : www.babycenter.com

Combined Baby Food Menus

It is important to note that not all babies will be eating the same amounts as others, nor will they be eating the same foods. This is due to the differing ages that babies start solid foods as well as the fact that all babies are not the same!

Do NOT feel as though your baby should be eating solid foods according to any schedule! Your baby will eat as much solid foods as your baby needs - trust your baby cues! Learn more about how to tell if

Your Baby Is Ready For Solids

Breast Milk and/or Formula are THE MOST IMPORTANT sources of nutrition for your infant up to 12 months old!! Do NOT replace a nursing or bottle-feeding with a solid food meal and do not feed the solids first until your pediatrician indicates this is right for your baby!!

This menu sample is for example/idea purposes. Always feed your baby according to his or her needs and cues and not strictly by any schedule.

This menu and sample schedule outlines examples and shows ideas for solid foods only. It does not account for, nor does it list, total daily Breast Milk or Formula intake. See a "Suggested "Milk" chart below.

Many breastfeeding moms supplement with formula as their milk supply may be low for a variety of reasons. We give kudos to those moms who continue to hang in there and offer their babies breast milk while supplementing! Hooray for you! You will find our menu samples include the use of both breast milk and formula, separately and together as a total "meal" solution!

As always, you should feed your baby according to his or her cues and needs! Always consult your pediatrician if you are worried that your baby is not receiving proper amounts of either milk or solid foods.

Babies 0-3 Months of Age

* Breakfast - Breast Milk and/or Formula
* Lunch - Breast Milk and/or Formula
* Dinner - Breast Milk and/or Formula

Notes:
- We have included the 3 basic "meals" for example purposes only and we do not suggest, nor do we imply, that you should limit your infant to 3 meals per day.
- ** At this age and stage, most infants are hungry continually and thus are fed "around the clock" and on demand. The best way to feed your infant is as often as your baby needs "on demand".

Babies (4) 6- 8 Months of Age

Early Morning Awakening
- Breast Milk and/or Formula

Breakfast
- Breast Milk and/or Formula first!
- Infant Cereal (Optional) - 1 food cube
- Fruit or Vegetable (Optional) - 1 food cube - serve mixed into the cereal or separately

Lunch
- Breast Milk and/or Formula first!
- Infant Cereal (Optional) - 1 food cube
- Fruit or Vegetable (Optional) - 1 or 2 food cubes of each, or mix the cubes together; for example, apples and carrots are Yummy together! Feed with or without the cereal

Snack/Dinner
- Breast Milk and/or Formula first!
- Fruit or Vegetable (Optional) - 1 food cube

Notes:
- Feeding Hints: Start out slowly, preparing a tablespoon sized portion of whatever food you have chosen to begin with. You will probably only manage to have baby eat 1/2 of the tablespoon sized portion the very first times you begin solids. As your baby becomes accustomed to eating solids, you will gradually increase the portion sizes.

- Pushing Food Out of the Mouth:
Many parents find their babies will push the food out of their mouths on the first few tries. This is normal however, it may also indicate that your baby is not yet ready for solid food; only you know your baby and will be able to decide if baby is truly ready for solids.

** (Optional) accounts for the fact that not all babies between (4)6-8 months of age will be eating "meals" of any or all of the suggested foods at a given mealtime **

Babies 8-12 Months of Age

Early Morning Awakening
- Breast Milk and/or Formula

Breakfast
- Breast Milk and/or Formula first!
- Infant Cereal - 1 food cube
- Fruit or Vegetable - 2 or 3 food cubes
- Dairy (Optional) - Yogurt - 1 or 2 food cube sized portions (or about 2 tablespoons)

Lunch
- Breast Milk and/or Formula first!
- Infant Cereal or Other Grain - (Optional) (i.e. pasta, rice) - 1 or 2 food cubes
- Meat/Meat-Protein Alternate - (Optional) 1 or 2 food cubes
- Fruit or Vegetable - 2 or 3 food cubes of each or mix the cubes together with the Grain Example: Rice mixed with Peas served with Pear Sauce on the side
- Dairy (Optional) - Yogurt or Cheeses
*A Lunch of Fruits, Veggies and a Protein without grains is an option. A Lunch of a Grain with Fruits and Veggies without a protein is also an option.

Snack/Dinner
- Breast Milk and/or Formula first!
- Grain (Optional) (i.e. pasta, rice) - 1 or 2 food cubes
- Meat/Meat Alternate - (Optional) - 1 food cube
- Fruit and/or Vegetable - 2 or 3 food cubes of each or mix the cubes together
Example: Tofu mixed with Avocado served with Applesauce & Blueberries on the side
- Dairy - Yogurt or Cheeses (Optional)

Notes:
- Breast Milk and/or Formula are THE MOST IMPORTANT source of nutrition for your infant up to 12 months old!! Solids play a larger nutritional roll between 9-10 months old. Do NOT replace a nursing or bottle-feeding with a solid food meal and do not feed the solids first :

until you thoroughly discuss a new feeding schedule with your pediatrician and
until your pediatrician indicates that replacing "milk" with solid food feeding(s) is right for your baby!!

- 3 Meals a Day? We would like to point out that many infants are not ready to eat 3 "meals" per day until well into the 9-10 month range. Still, many babies may begin 3 "meals" at 7-8 months old.

- Please keep in mind that many infants do not begin solids until 6 months of age and not all babies will be eating the same amounts or food items.

- There are many infants who may eat 4-6 ounces of food per day at 6 or 7 months old while others who are just starting solids will be within the 1-2 ounce range.

- These menus are to serve as examples of an infant's menu and schedule. The menus recommend meals based on age-ranges.

- You should follow the menu ideas in keeping with your infant's development and eating habits as well as your pediatrician's advice.

** (Optional) accounts for the fact that not all babies between (4)6-8 months of age will be eating "meals" of any or all of the suggested foods at a given mealtime **

From : www.wholesomebabyfood.com

10-12 months old-baby solid food

Pasta, veggies, and fruit should still all be soft cooked and possibly mashed with a fork or masher if your baby has trouble with textures. (Bananas need only be mashed.)

Meats and proteins such as egg yolk, should be cooked and pureed or chopped into small soft bits. Remember, baby will not have molars until sometime after the 12 month age range.

Foods should still be easily mashed between the gums!

SOLID FOOD INTRODUCTION For Babies 10-12 Months old

AGE/STAGETen to Twelve (10-12) Months old
- The AAP recommends that an infant not be started on solid foods until after 6 months of age.
- Many pediatricians still start babies on solids around 4 months of age.
- This chart accommodates all ages and stages up to 12 months.

CEREALS
- Break out the shapedPasta now!
- Create your own baby pasta salad with favorite veggies and cheeses!

FRUITS
- Begin making your own fruit combinations once baby has had several fruits without any reaction(s)
- Go slowly if introducing citrus fruits now and watch for possible reactions to the acidity!

VEGGIES
- Soft cooked veggies make for great beginner Baby Finger Foods!
- Try mixing up a soft cooked and diced veggie medley now!
- Slowly introduce tomato and other acidic foods; watch for reactions to the acidity!

PROTEIN
- Between 10-12 months old you should be able to introduce white-fleshed fish.
- Bake fish plain or breaded and offer with steamed veggies for a healthy meal!

DAIRY
- By 12 months old, baby may be weaning from breastmilk or formula to whole milk.
- Help ease the change by offering ½ breast milk and ½ milk or ½ milk and ½ formula mixed during the first few days of the transition.
- Breast-fed babies may also be weaning now.
- Remember, there is no reason to wean your breastfed baby until baby is ready!

Ten to Twelve (10-12) Months old
- Think about adding more texture and Baby Finger Foods to baby’s cuisine.
- Use the Chop or Blend selection on your Food Processsor or Blender; you may try to mash with a fork also!

CEREALS & GRAINS
- Pastas
- Wheat Cereals such as Wheetabix
- Bagels

FRUITS
- Berries
- Citrus
- Grapes* (cut in quarters or in a Baby Safe Feeder)

VEGGIES
- Artichokes
- Beets
- Corn
- Spinach
- Tomatoes (acidic, not necessarily an allergen!)

PROTEIN
- Whole Eggs (12 months)
- Fish (White Fish such as Cod and Haddock)

DAIRY
- Whole Milk (12 months)
- Stronger Cheddars
- Gouda
- Monterey Jack
- Muenster
- Provolone

From : www.wholesomebabyfood.com

8-10 months old-baby solid food

Solid Foods for Your 8-10 Month old Baby - We're Moving on!
Bring on some spices (8 months old) and the softly mashed, or chopped into fine pieces of fruits, vegetables, meats, pasta and dairy such as yogurt and cheeses.

Pasta, veggies, and fruit should all be soft cooked and possibly mashed with a fork or masher. (Bananas need only be mashed.) Meats and proteins such as egg yolk, should be cooked and pureed or chopped into small soft bits. If offering Tofu, you need not cook it first.

Remember, baby will not have molars until sometime around the 12 month age range. Foods should be easily mashed between the gums!

Your 8-10 Month old baby might be crawling and trying to pull herself up. At this stage, she may not have a big interest in eating! As we note in our Is my Baby a Picky Eater page, your baby may suddenly begin to refuse to eat. She's simply too busy to stop exploring her world and she may get quite miffed when you put her in her highchair to eat! With her independence growing, she may also begin to show preferences for certain foods and Refuse to be Spoon Fed!

SOLID FOOD INTRODUCTION For Babies 8-10 Months old

AGE/STAGE
- The AAP recommends that an infant not be started on solid foods until after 6 months of age.
- Many pediatricians still start babies on solids around 4 months of age.
- This chart accommodates all ages and stages up to 12 months.

CEREALS
- Try mixing together the grains that your baby has had without any reaction(s).
- Begin offering breads and muffins when baby has mastered mashing more textured foods.
- Pasta makes for great finger foods!

FRUITS
- Begin making your own fruit combinations once baby has had several fruits without any reaction(s)
- Venture into Papaya and Melon Swirl!
- After 8 months old – you may wish to try offering raw ripe fruits
- Soft cooked fruits make for great beginner Baby Finger Foods!

VEGGIES
- Soft cooked veggies make for great beginner Baby Finger Foods!
- Try mixing up a veggie medley now!
- Add some grated cheese for extra temptation & Yum!
- Saute or roast some onions or peppers to add to baby's food or serve as finger foods
- Make a Leek and Chicken Potato Mash

PROTEIN
- Once your baby has reached 8 months old, try an Egg Yolk Omelet – the perfect chance to slip in some veggies!

DAIRY
- Avocado mashed with a bit of cream cheese – YUM!
- Get adventurous with Cheeses and Yogurts now!
- Soft Cheeses such as Brie pose health risks so hold off on those!

Eight to Ten (8-10) Months old
- Think about adding more texture and Baby Finger Foods to baby’s cuisine.
- Use the Chop or Blend selection on your Food Processsor or Blender; you may try to mash with a fork also!

CEREALS & GRAINS
- Rice
- Barley
- Oat
- Wheat & Wheat Germ Flax
- Graham crackers (w/o Honey)
- Kamut
- Multi-grain crackers(Low salt or No Salt)
- Millet
- Multi-grain or plain Cheerio’s
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Breads

FRUITS
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe & Melons
- Cherries
- Cranberries
- Dates
- Figs
- Grapes (peeled and mashed into other foods only!)
- Kiwi
- Papaya

VEGGIES
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Eggplant
- White potatoes
- Onions
- Peppers
- Leeks
- Mushrooms
- Parsnips

PROTEIN
- Egg Yolks
- Beans/Legumes (split peas lentils etc)
- Lean Beef
- Pork
- Ham (natural Ham - watch for preservatives and sodium content!)

DAIRY
- Cream Cheese
- Cottage Cheese
- Colby
- Light Cheddars

From : www.wholesomebabyfood.com

6-8 months old-baby solid food

When thinking about starting baby on solid foods and introducing solids to baby, a good rule of thumb is to "Watch the Baby - Not the Calendar!"

If your baby is just starting solids at this stage, start out slowly, preparing a tablespoon sized portion of whatever food you have chosen to begin with. Some parents begin offering their babies solid foods by using their (clean and washed) finger as a spoon! They say that this helps their babies take to solid foods because the "new" spoon and the "new" food all at once seem to confuse baby!

Baby Led Weaning as a Method for Introducing Solid Foods.

More and more parents are opting to skip traditional baby food purees and choose Baby Led Weaning as a method for introducing solid foods. Baby Led Weaning means offering your baby (age appropriate) foods that soft-cooked and cut into small easily manageable pieces. These foods are then given to your baby to eat. You do the cooking, the dicing and the offering of the foods and your baby does the rest. As with breastfeeding on demand, Baby Led Weaning is a method of introducing solid foods that leaves it up to your baby to decide when and how much to eat. While not necessarily a "hands off" approach, Baby Led Weaning does advocate allowing your baby to make all food choices for him or herself. The foods listed on our 4-6 month old chart and those listed on the chart below make great foods for baby led weaning!

How much will baby eat at his first meal?

If your 6-8 month old baby is just starting solid foods, you will probably only manage to have baby eat 1/2 of the tablespoon sized portion the very first times you begin solids. If you are using a Baby Led Weaning approach, your baby may only manage to get a few pieces of food into his or her mouth. Don't fret if your baby does not "finish" a meal. Remember this is a new experience for your baby! As your baby becomes accustomed to eating solids, you will gradually increase the portion sizes. Remember, breast milk and/or infant formula are providing for the total nutrition of your baby at this stage!

Many parents find their babies will push the food out of their mouths on the first few tries. This is normal however it may also indicate that your baby is not yet ready for solid foods. Only you know your baby and will be able to decide if baby is truly ready for solids.

SOLID FOOD INTRODUCTION For Babies 6-8 Months old

AGE& STAGE
- The AAP recommends that an infant not be started on solid foods until after 6 months of age.
- Many pediatricians still start babies on solids around 4 months of age.
- This chart accommodates all ages and stages up to 12 months.

CEREALS
- Try mixing together the grains that your baby has had without any reaction(s).

FRUITS
- Begin making your own fruit combinations once baby has had several fruits without any reaction(s)
- After 8 months old – you may wish to try offering raw ripe fruits
- Soft cooked fruits make for great beginner FInger Foods; Learn about Introducing Baby Finger Foods!

VEGGIES
- Veggie combinations are great to offer now. Ensure that all veggies have been previously offered without any reaction(s) prior to mixing & matching.
- After 8 months old – you may wish to try offering soft cooked veggies in dices or tiny chunks and bits.
- Soft cooked veggies make for great beginner Baby Finger Foods!

PROTEIN
- Once your baby has reached 8 months old, try offering tofu finger cubes dusted with Cheerio “dust” or other cereal “dust”
- Many pediatricians are now recommending Meats as first foods due to the Iron content - ask your pediatrician!

DAIRY
- Around 8 months old, you should be able to offer plain whole milk yogurt and mild cheeses.
- Mix some yogurt with a favorite fruit puree for a breakfast offering

Six to Eight (6-8) Months old
- Continue mixing together the foods that you have already introduced without allergies or reactions
- Try a Banana-Cado mix of Bananas and Avocado for example

CEREALS
- Continue with Rice
- Barley
- Oat

FRUITS
- Apricots
- Avocados
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Plums
- Prunes
- Pumpkin
- Mangos

VEGGIES
- Carrots*
- Peas
- Yellow Squash
- Zucchini
- Parsnips (8 months)

PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Tofu
- *8 Months for Meats/Protein or when your pediatrician says it's ok*

DAIRY
- Plain -Whole Milk Yogurt (NOT whole milk for a drink!)

- * 8 months or when your pediatrician says it's ok

From : www.wholesomebabyfood.com

4-6 months old-baby solid food

When thinking about starting baby on solid foods and introducing solids to baby, a good rule of thumb is to "Watch the Baby - Not the Calendar!" This is true when introducing solid foods (complementary foods) for both breastfed and formula fed infants. Just because baby has turned 4 months old does not mean she needs to be introduced to solid foods!

Start out slowly, preparing a tablespoon sized portion of whatever food you have chosen to begin with. Some parents begin offering their babies solid foods by using their (clean and washed) finger as a spoon! They say that this helps their babies take to solid foods because the "new" spoon and the "new" food all at once seem to confuse baby!

How much will baby eat at his first meal?
You will probably only manage to have baby eat 1/2 of the tablespoon sized portion the very first times you begin solids. Don't fret if your baby does not "finish" a meal. Remember this is a new experience for your baby! As your baby becomes accustomed to eating solids, you will gradually increase the portion sizes. Remember, breast milk and/or infant formula are providing for the total nutrition of your baby at this stage! Read our How Much Food Should My Baby Eat page for more information.

Many parents find their babies will push the food out of their mouths on the first few tries. This is normal however it may also indicate that your baby is not yet

ready for solid foods. Only you know your baby and will be able to decide if baby is truly ready for solids.

AGE/STAGE
- The AAP recommends that an infant not be started on solid foods until after 6 months of age.
- Many pediatricians still start babies on solids around 4 months of age.
- This chart accommodates all ages and stages up to 12 months.

CEREALS
Rice and Oatmeal cereals are the least of the allergenic grains and thus most babies are started out with those cereals.

FRUITS
May be served raw after 8 months old – bananas and avocados do NOT need to be cooked ever

VEGGIES
Always serve cooked until after 12 months old or when baby can chew well enough so that no choking hazard is present. I.E. Shredded raw carrots, small cut up pieces of celery, pepper etc..

PROTEIN
Always serve cooked with no pink areas – NEVER give a small baby/child raw meat or fish

DAIRY
- NEVER replace breast milk or formula until after 12 months of age – serious health risks are possible.
- Never give a child under the age of 2yrs old low fat or skim milk products; whole milk is necessary.

Four to Six (4-6) Months old
- Try mixing together the foods that you have already introduced without allergies or reactions
- Try Rice Cereal mixed with Bananas for example

CEREALS
- Rice
- Barley
- Oat

FRUITS
- Apples
- Bananas
- Pears
- Avocado

VEGGIES
- Sweet Potatoes
- Acorn/Butternut Squash
- Green Beans

PROTEIN
None

DAIRY
None

From : www.wholesomebabyfood.com