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Infant Nutrition

Part of the process of learning about nutrition for your infant includes an infant feeding schedule, knowing when to introduce which foods, and what to avoid.

Infant nutrition [.pdf] is crucial to the health, happiness, and proper development of your little one.

In the first 0 to 6 months of age, an infant will squirm or cry to tell you it's hungry.

Babies who are picked up and fed right away will cry less than those who are allowed to fuss longer. Your infant feeding schedule will be based at this time on the baby's hunger.

Breast milk is the first choice for babies this age, since it provides all the appropriate calories, vitamins, and nutrients that a baby needs. If breast milk can't be used, use an iron-fortified infant formula recommended by a pediatrician or physician.

DID YOU KNOW?

Don't use cow's milk. It doesn't have the nutrition required for infants.

At 4 to 6 months you can try a little baby rice formula to see if baby likes it.

Of course, formula or breast milk should still be the baby's first and most important food, but the right solid foods can provide a good basis for your baby's nutritional needs.

Later, at 6 to 8 months you can offer some strained, pureed, or mashed, cooked vegetables. Steam or boil them lightly to maintain the vitamins you'll need for appropriate infant nutrition.

At 8 to 10 months old your infant feeding schedule can include some baby cereals, baby crackers, and small pieces of cooked meat with all the bones and tough parts removed.

And at 10 to 12 months infant nutrition has expanded to allow for small pieces of cooked or soft foods that the rest of the family eats, including cereals, fruits, yogurt, and cooked meat.

Just remember that the baby is unable to chew as well as adults, and all foods should be cut in small pieces to avoid choking.

Infant nutrition also has its list of "don'ts" including: don't feed your infant honey or corn syrup, since they can carry bacteria that can be fatal in infants. Don't overly salt or sweeten foods, since this is hard on the baby's kidneys, and displace healthy calories.

And don't give 6-month-olds more than 40 ounces of formula - you'll want to arrange your infant feeding schedule so that the calories and other nutrients from solid foods can play a part too.

Cow's milk shouldn't be fed until after the first birthday, and citrus fruits and strawberries can cause allergic reaction if fed before one year of age.

Finally, watch out for too much apple juice or pear juice - it can cause diarrhea or upset your baby's stomach.