6 - 9 months
From six months, babies need more than just milk, as they require extra iron and protein.
At first – around 6 months of age: introduce solids
How to introduce solids:
· Offer solids after a milk feed, as milk is still the main food.
· Offer 1-2 teaspoons of one new food at a time. A new food can be added every few days.
· Try each new food separately, and wait two to three days between introducing new foods, in case the baby has a reaction.
· Try new foods in the morning, when the baby is more likely to be interested, and in case the baby has a reaction.
· Don’t give up on the first attempt. New foods may need to be offered many times before a new food is eaten.
· Increase gradually to 1-2 tablespoons of solids, 2-3 times per day.
· Do not add any solids to the baby’s bottle. The baby needs to learn how to chew and swallow. The oral muscles develop when learning to chew and swallow, and are the same muscles needed for speech and language development.
What to introduce:
· Start by offering a smooth mixture of iron-enriched rice cereal mixed with expressed breastmilk, infant formula or cooled, boiled water after a milk feed.
· Then introduce a variety of bland, easily mashed or pureed foods.
Examples include: soft, well-mashed vegetables (e.g. pumpkin, potato, sweet potato)
fruits (e.g. ripe bananas, avocadoes, cooked apples or pears)
legumes (e.g. lentils, chick peas, baked beans, red kidney beans)
well-cooked lean meats (e.g. minced, stewed or grated beef, lamb, veal, chicken, pork) and fish (e.g. fresh or tinned, remove bones), and
cereals (e.g. pasta, rice, bread).
(Babies do not need pureed food for very long - this stage usually only lasts a few weeks or less).
· Gradually introduce thickness and texture as accepted by your baby
· Avoid foods that could make a baby choke – i.e. nuts, hard or raw fruits or vegetables, grapes, popcorn, or lollies
· Once your baby is eating 1-2 tablespoons, 2-3 times per day, solid foods can be offered before milk feeds
· Encourage babies to drink from a cup – offer cooled, boiled water, expressed breastmilk or formula in a supper cup during or after meals.
At first – around 6 months of age: introduce solids
How to introduce solids:
· Offer solids after a milk feed, as milk is still the main food.
· Offer 1-2 teaspoons of one new food at a time. A new food can be added every few days.
· Try each new food separately, and wait two to three days between introducing new foods, in case the baby has a reaction.
· Try new foods in the morning, when the baby is more likely to be interested, and in case the baby has a reaction.
· Don’t give up on the first attempt. New foods may need to be offered many times before a new food is eaten.
· Increase gradually to 1-2 tablespoons of solids, 2-3 times per day.
· Do not add any solids to the baby’s bottle. The baby needs to learn how to chew and swallow. The oral muscles develop when learning to chew and swallow, and are the same muscles needed for speech and language development.
What to introduce:
· Start by offering a smooth mixture of iron-enriched rice cereal mixed with expressed breastmilk, infant formula or cooled, boiled water after a milk feed.
· Then introduce a variety of bland, easily mashed or pureed foods.
Examples include: soft, well-mashed vegetables (e.g. pumpkin, potato, sweet potato)
fruits (e.g. ripe bananas, avocadoes, cooked apples or pears)
legumes (e.g. lentils, chick peas, baked beans, red kidney beans)
well-cooked lean meats (e.g. minced, stewed or grated beef, lamb, veal, chicken, pork) and fish (e.g. fresh or tinned, remove bones), and
cereals (e.g. pasta, rice, bread).
(Babies do not need pureed food for very long - this stage usually only lasts a few weeks or less).
· Gradually introduce thickness and texture as accepted by your baby
· Avoid foods that could make a baby choke – i.e. nuts, hard or raw fruits or vegetables, grapes, popcorn, or lollies
· Once your baby is eating 1-2 tablespoons, 2-3 times per day, solid foods can be offered before milk feeds
· Encourage babies to drink from a cup – offer cooled, boiled water, expressed breastmilk or formula in a supper cup during or after meals.
From about 8 months
Most babies can manage soft lumps soon after starting solids.
· Continue to offer a variety of foods including all fruits, vegetables and cereals (e.g. bread, rice, pasta, noodles, breakfast cereals)
· Then offer cheese, custard, yoghurt and cooked egg
· Encourage self-feeding by offering finger foods (e.g. toast fingers, cheese sticks, pieces of soft, peeled fruit and lightly-cooked vegetables and small, cooked pieces of meat or fish)
· Provide babies with their own spoon while you continue to feed them, until they are able to feed themselves
· Continue to breastfeed for as long as mother and baby desire. If breastfeeding is stopped, an infant formula should be used until 12 months of age
Over 9 months
· Offer family food that is mashed or chopped into bite-sized pieces
· Encourage snacks between meals
· Encourage babies’ efforts to feed themselves (even if it is messy!)
· Babies will continue to need 3-4 milk feeds per day, mostly after solid food
· Encourage snacks between meals
· Encourage babies’ efforts to feed themselves (even if it is messy!)
· Babies will continue to need 3-4 milk feeds per day, mostly after solid food
The "Infant Feeding Guidelines" from the National Health and Medical Reserach Council contains useful information and tips for healthy eating for infants. Click the link above or the image on the right to download
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