There are things that you need to look out for when you are feeding your baby at the different stages of their development. Many parents make bad choices because they simply do not know the dangers of eating. This is especially true of new parents. New parents have not learned what is and is not appropriate when feeding their young children.
Babies always need to have their heads supported properly when eating and should be burped after every ½ ounce of formula. This will prevent choking, regurgitation and gas. Babies also should have no honey until they are at least one year old. This is because honey can have small amounts of botulism in it. Adult immune systems can handle this small amount of botulism, but the developing immune system of an infant cannot and it can make your baby very sick.
Parents should also avoid using too much formula mix or two little. Many parents believe that putting some extra formula powder in their baby’s bottle will help them sleep through the night, but this will not work. It can also make your baby very sick. The same goes for using too little formula. Always follow the instructions on the package precisely.
When your baby reaches one year old and can have cow’s milk they need whole milk. This is because they need the fat and calories for development. Once they reach two years of age you can give them lower fat milk if that is what you prefer. Do not give your child large chunks of food. All fruit, meat and cheeses should be cut into small pieces no bigger than a pea. Grapes, cherry tomatoes and melon balls should be cut into quarters before you serve them to your child.
Avoid hard foods like popcorn, nuts, seeds, raisins, dried fruits and hard candies. These foods are also choking hazards. Sticky foods such as marshmallows and jelly candies can also become lodged in your child’s throat. Peanut butter should not be given in large globs. Peanut butter should be spread in a thin layer on toast or crackers and can be further thinned out using apple sauce if necessary.
Feed your child in the high chair and not in front of the television. You should avoid letting your child walk around while eating too. Children should not be allowed to eat in the car because you cannot properly supervise them in this situation. Pay special attention to them when you are using tooth numbing agents because this can also interfere with their swallowing.
Once your baby has mastered baby food and finger foods you can move on to incorporating more table food into your baby’s diet. Hopefully you have fed your baby new foods in the right order and fostered good eating habits in your child. When your baby has more teeth, can swallow more easily, does not push food out with their tongue and is trying to use a spoon on their own, it is time to start feeding more table foods.
You can start giving your baby soft fruits cut into cubes or strips. It is also time to try soft, bite sized pieces of vegetables. Good ones are peas and carrots. You can also start letting your baby try well ground up meats and all types of beans cooked until they are soft. Combo foods such as casseroles and macaroni and cheese are also appropriate for this age group. Fruit juices, other than citrus, are also good as long as they are given in moderation.
Once your baby has reached 12 months they can start feeding themselves with a spoon. This may be very messy, but do not worry because they will get better at it. You can now start giving your baby whole cows milk. You also might want to try full fat yogurts and other types of cheese.
This is also the time that you start feeding your baby the same foods as the family eats. You just need to cut the food up into small pieces. Now is the time to introduce new fruits. Citrus is okay for your baby at this age and you might also want to introduce things like mango, melons and apricots.
Now is the time to really reinforce good eating habits. Start your baby on new vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower “trees”. The eating habits you start now will be with your child for life, so now is the time to get them going with good habits.
Even though your baby is growing, choking habits are still a big threat. When your child is young food should be cut up into pea size pieces. Also make sure you avoid any hard foods such as raisins, popcorn and nuts. Stay away from sticky foods like marshmallows, jelly candies and large globs of peanut butter. Spread peanut butter in a very thin layer on toast and crackers. Make sure that you do not let your child eat in the car because it is hard to supervise their eating.
When your baby gets through all of the cereals and is showing all of the signs that it is time for more solid foods it may be time to start feeding him or her baby food. Your baby should still be eating several tablespoons of cereal a couple of times per day, but you can start to add in vegetables when they are ready.
You should feed them a new food one at a time and allow at least three days before trying something new. This is important in case there is an allergy so that you will know which food triggered the allergy. You will initially start with one teaspoon of vegetables and increase this to about ¼ to ½ of a cup at two or three feedings every day.
Always start with vegetables and never fruit, because once your baby acquires a sweet tooth they will resist other foods. They have to develop a taste for the vegetables first. Vegetables available are peas, carrots, green beans, squash and sweet potatoes. If your baby does not like a particular vegetable do not give up on it, give them a few days and then try it again.
Once you have them eating all of the vegetables you can start with fruits. Fruit guidelines are the same as vegetables. You should start with a teaspoon and work up to ¼ to ½ of a cup at two or three feedings per day. Now is the time to teach your child good eating habits. You can start teaching them about good nutrition now. Your child will react more to you than they will the taste of a food. If you do not personally like a food, like peas, you have to put that aside. When you feed your child a new food smile and talk positively. This will have a lasting impression on them.
The next set of foods is finger foods. You know your child is ready for these when they can transfer things from one hand to the other. They can also grab objects with their thumb and forefinger, also called the pincer grasp. At this stage they are also putting everything in their mouths. Good finger foods are toasted bagels (cut up), small pieces of banana, teething crackers, low sugar O cereals and well cooked spiral pasta. You can also introduce proteins at this time. Try scrambled eggs, pureed meats, boneless fish, cooked, mashed tofu and mashed beans with soft skins. You can also introduce small amounts of cottage cheese, plain yogurt and soft pasteurized cheeses. Just remember no cow milk until your baby is one year old.
