Solid Foods (Baby Foods)

Definition

• This topic deals with how to introduce solid (baby) foods to young infants
• Baby foods are strained or pureed foods
• They are called solid foods only because they are not liquids

Types of Baby Foods

Cereals

• Cereals are usually the first solid food added to your baby's diet. The main reason is they are easy to digest. Babies only getting breast milk also can develop anemia from low iron. This is prevented by starting cereal at 6 months. Most baby cereals are iron-fortified.
• Mix the cereal with breast milk or formula. The cereal mixture needs to be a semi-liquid. It can be mixed a little thicker as your baby becomes better at swallowing it.
• Cereals should be fed with a small spoon. Don't mix cereal in the baby's bottle. This is because an infant should be taught to differentiate between what he eats and what he drinks.
• Start with rice, barley or oatmeal cereal. A mixed cereal should be added to your baby's diet only after each kind of cereal in the mixed cereal has been tried separately.

Vegetables and Fruits

• Next, introduce strained or pureed vegetables and fruits to your baby. The order in which you add these foods to your baby's diet is not important.
• However, introduce only one new food at a time.
• Try to wait 3 days before starting another new food. That way if your baby develops diarrhea, you will know what may have caused it.
• For all babies, introduce pure vegetable baby foods (no added fruit) before 9 months. Reason: may prevent later dislike of vegetables and bitter tastes.

Meats and High Protein Foods

• Next give strained or pureed meats. Other protein-rich foods include eggs, beans and peas. These solids can add to your infant's iron intake.
• Yogurt and cheese are also good protein sources (but low iron).
• Meats should definitely be added by 8 months at the latest. (Except for vegans)

Homemade Baby Foods

• Between 8 and 12 months of age, introduce your baby to mashed table foods. They contain small chunks. They are called stage 3 foods or junior foods.
• You can make your own baby foods if you want. Use a baby-food grinder or regular blender. Be sure to add enough water to get a consistency that your baby can easily swallow.
• For individual portions, you can pour these homemade baby foods into ice cube trays and freeze them. Then remove them and store them in plastic freezer bags. Defrost them and serve as needed.

Baby Food by Texture

• Stage 1 baby foods are pureed, smooth, runny foods. They are also single ingredient.
• Stage 2 baby foods are creamy but thicker in texture. They may also contain multiple ingredients such as mixed fruits or mixed veggies.
• Stage 3 baby foods contain some bits or chunks of food. They are comparable to mashed up table foods.

Preventing Food Allergies by Early Introduction of High Risk Foods

• The advice for preventing food allergies has changed in recent years. (AAP).
• Older advice: avoid high risk foods such as eggs until 2 years. Avoid peanut butter and fish/shellfish until 3 years. Research has shown that was bad advice.
• Current advice: Early introduction of these foods reduces the risk of food allergies. For example: early introduction of peanut butter puffs reduces peanut allergy by 90%.
• Current advice: High risk foods can be started after 6 months of age. Eggs and fish can be mashed up. A small amount of smooth peanut butter can be mixed in with normal baby foods. Better yet, give them as peanut butter puffs.
• Introduce other solid foods like cereals first for a few weeks.
• Add new foods one at a time. Try to wait 3 days before starting another.

Foods to Avoid for Babies

• Honey: Never give your child honey during the first year of life. Reason: It can rarely cause infant botulism, a muscle weakness disease.
• Cow's milk (whole milk): Avoid during the first year of life. Reason: in some babies it can cause anemia. Cow's milk formulas are fine.
• Choking on Foods: Avoid any foods your child might choke on. Some high-risk foods are grapes and hot dogs. These may block the airway and cause sudden death. Raw vegetables (such as carrots) and peanuts should be avoided until 4 years old. Reason: Young children can't chew them and they could be inhaled into the lungs. Also avoid large pieces of any sticky food (such as peanut butter).
• Heavy metals in trace amounts are found in the foods we eat. That includes some baby foods. The tiny amounts eaten are harmless.They can't be completely avoided. Reason: Heavy metals are normally present in the soil and water. They are absorbed by plants and get into the food chain. (AAP)

Iron Rich Foods

• Throughout our lives we need iron in our diet to prevent anemia. Certain foods are especially good sources of iron. Red meats, fish, and poultry are best.
• Some young children will only eat lunch meats, such as ham slices.
• Adequate iron is also found in iron-enriched cereals and beans of all types. Egg yolks, peanut butter, raisins, and other dried fruits are iron rich. Other good foods are plum juice and dark leafy greens.

Vitamins: When They Are Needed

• Formula fed babies get all the vitamins they need from the formula.
• Breast-fed babies need a vitamin D supplement. Start 400 units per day at 2 weeks of age. You can buy Vitamin D drops in most drug stores.
• After your child is 1 and eating a balanced diet, added vitamins are usually not needed.
• If your child is a picky eater, give him 1 chewable vitamin pill. Do this at least twice a week. Gummy vitamins are not as helpful. Reason: They contain all the vitamins, but not the minerals.