Keep breastfeeding or using infant formula until at least 12 months , as well as introducing solids. This means it might be time to reduce milk feeds. By around nine months, babies have generally developed enough chewing and swallowing skills to move from having milk before solids to having milk after solids.
Once your baby has reached six months, you can start to offer baby cooled, boiled water in a cup at mealtimes or at other times during the day. Once your baby has reached 12 months, you can offer fresh tap water without boiling it. These foods include cakes, biscuits, chips and fried foods. Introducing allergenic foods early can reduce the risk of your child developing food allergy. All babies, including babies with a high allergy risk, should try solid foods that cause allergies from around six months of age.
Solids during the first year are only meant to complement breastmilk, not take precedence over it or replace any breastfeedings. Your baby should still be allowed to nurse on demand, as your milk should be her primary source of nutrition until closer to the end of the first year.
Continuing to allow on-demand feedings also better ensures your milk supply. Introduce your baby gradually to solid foods.
A few bites once a day is enough in the beginning, but gradually increase. If you offer juice, limit to sips from a cup with meals and introduce it gradually just like any other new food.
Increase solids gradually if baby is interested, with a maximum of 2 meals per day. Increase solids gradually if baby is interested. If your baby is younger than a year and you are not weaning , make sure that you always nurse before offering solids. Babies who start solids early, and babies who eat a lot of solids tend to wean earlier.
It often works well to offer the solids about an hour after you nurse. If nursing has come before the solids you can continue feeding your baby the solids until she shows signs of fullness; i. These can be cooked, where necessary, and mashed or blended to a suitable texture. Cereals can be mixed with breast milk or first infant formula — or with pasteurised whole full-fat cows' milk or goats' or sheep's milk once your baby is over 6 months old.
Starchy foods include:. This food group includes meat, fish, eggs, beans and pulses and is suitable from around 6 months. As well as giving your baby protein, these foods contain other useful nutrients, such as iron and zinc, which are important for babies. Eggs produced under the British Lion Code of Practice stamped with the red lion are considered very low risk for salmonella, and safe for babies and toddlers to eat raw or partially cooked. Protein foods include:. Pasteurised dairy foods such as pasteurised full-fat yoghurt and cheese are suitable foods for your baby from around 6 months.
Full-fat, unsweetened or plain yoghurts are a good choice because they don't contain added sugars. Whole pasteurised full-fat cows' milk, or goats' or sheep's milk, can be used in cooking or mixed with food from around 6 months old, but not as a drink until your baby is 12 months. Read about the healthy way to eat eggs. Hopefully your baby will now be more confident exploring new textures. Offer more mashed, lumpier foods as well as a variety of finger foods.
Giving your baby finger foods helps them learn to feed themselves, develop hand-eye co-ordination and learn to bite off, chew and swallow small pieces of soft food. Babies take different amounts of time to get used to lumps, but it's an important skill they need to learn.
Just keep offering them lumpy textures and finger foods and stay with them so you can be sure they are swallowing it safely. You can offer a range of small, finger-sized, pieces of food. Some parents prefer baby-led weaning to spoon feeding, while others combine a bit of both. Start with one meal a day, then move up to two try one in the morning and one in the evening for the next month or so. As your baby gets older and approaches toddlerhood, you can work up to three solid meals a day with a snack or two in between.
A good rule of thumb when you're figuring out just how much to give your little one during each meal: Start small and work your way up. While your baby's first meals may have consisted of a teaspoon or two of solid food, once she gets the hang of eating, you can use the following baby feeding chart as a general guideline:.
General serving size recommendations can be helpful, but remember that every baby is different. Instead, focus simply on offering a variety of nutrient-rich foods in age-appropriate serving sizes and letting your little one take it from there.
Your new nosher has the ability to take in what her body is asking for. On the other hand? Trust your gut. Consider the solids you serve at first as healthy supplements and a chance for your sweetie to explore new tastes and textures.
When should you bring out a bottle or your breast, and when should you dish out solids? There's really no set rule. Some parents find that an appetizer of breast milk or formula is a good way to start off a meal, so their little ones aren't too hungry to settle down to eat.
Other parents offer solids as a first course and breast milk or formula for dessert.
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