Nutrition for infants

Babies are hungry beings. But for first-time parents, knowing what to feed your child is often a mystery. Breastmilk or formula will be your baby’s primary source of nutrition during her first year of life. After six months, your baby will be ready to eat solid foods, as well. Here, you will find information on vitamins, dos and don’ts of feeding your child and serving suggestions for recommended foods.

0-6 months

• Offer only breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula (about six feedings daily; 24 to 32 oz per day if you are using formula).
• Start vitamins by 2 months of age to ensure your child is receiving enough vitamin D.

Reasons to delay feeding solid foods until 6 months:

• Infants are not ready for textures and may choke easily on solids.
• Infants cannot signal when they are full and this can lead to excessive weight gain.
• By avoiding solids that your child’s intestines are not yet equipped to digest, you lower your child’s risk of developing food allergies, intolerance or malabsorption.

6-9 months

• Continue 4 to 6 feedings of breastmilk daily (24 to 32 oz formula). At this age, breastmilk or formula is your child’s major source of nutrition.
• Add 4 Tbsp of infant cereal daily.
• Start vegetables and fruits, about 1 Tbsp daily at first and increasing to 4 to 5 Tbsp once or twice a day.
• Breastfed babies need multi-vitamins with fluoride; babies fed formula need fluoride only.
• Vitamin D: 400iU daily is necessary if your baby is breastfed or taking less than 32 oz of formula a day.
• Avoid juice. It’s like soda for babies, just needless calories and sugar.
• Licks of peanut butter, almond butter, and other nut butters are now recommended to decrease the risk of nut allergy once a child is 6 months.  Be sure to observe your infant after the first feeding nut butters to watch for sudden hive-like rashes, vomiting, or other symptoms of rare allergic reactions.  If a parent or sibling has a nut allergy, do NOT feed your infant nuts until you speak to your pediatrician.

9-12 months

• Continue 3 to 4 feedings of breastmilk daily (24 to 32 oz formula).
• Offer vegetables and fruits three times, daily.
• Add more protein-containing foods, such as well-cooked, strained, or ground plain meats or commercially jarred “meals” containing meats.
• Offer finger foods and soft foods from the table such as pasta, cooked vegetables and dry cereals.
• Avoid leaving a child unattended while eating, due to the possibility of choking.

What is a serving size and how many servings of each food group should I offer my child?