Women begin planning their children's meals well before they are born, as they are encouraged to make healthy food choices throughout their pregnancy. During a baby's first year, she will transition from breast milk or formula to solid foods. By the end of the first year and beyond, baby is often eating regular table foods. Making healthy choices throughout is simple if you follow a few general guidelines.
Newborns and Infants
A newborn's nutritional requirements are pretty simple: breast milk or formula. Breast-feeding mothers should continue to eat well, as they did throughout pregnancy, to ensure that their milk is nutritious for their baby's growth. Formula is generally fortified. Medline Plus reports that a baby is getting enough nutrition as long as he is gaining weight and growing on a healthy curve. Around the 4- to 6-month mark, infants are ready to try solid foods, though breast milk and formula continue to be the mainstay. Dr. Ari Brown, author of Baby 411, recommends sticking to baby cereal or Stage 1 fruits and vegetables, such as pureed banana or avocado. A few tablespoons at this stage is plenty, provided baby is getting 32 to 40 ounces of breast milk or formula.
Older Infants
Once a baby reaches the 6-month mark, solid foods become an increasingly larger portion of the diet. Dr. Brown recommends 6- to 9-month-olds gradually increase to three solid feedings consisting of a few ounces each. She also recommends adding more foods to the list, such as meats, a wider variety of fruits and vegetables and small amounts of dairy products. Some healthy, nutrient-rich choices for babies include whole milk yogurt, green beans, sweet potatoes, squash and applesauce. However, Medline Plus suggests infants try only one new food for a few days at a time, which makes it easier to pinpoint the cause of any allergic reactions. Do not cut back on baby's breast milk or formula until she is eating well, or your baby may lose weight.
Pre-Toddler Foods
Once babies reach the 9-month mark, they become more involved in their feedings. By this time they should be able to eat some finger foods without assistance. Healthy finger food choices include soft vegetables and fruits, toasted oat cereals, cheeses and whole-grain breads. Be sure to keep the pieces small to prevent choking: avoiding harder vegetables as well as airway-size foods. At this stage, Dr. Brown suggests babies get about three meals daily, with about three items per meal. Try to include fruits and vegetables at every meal, in addition to protein and dairy products. A baby's growth begins to slow down around this time; however, provided he is still developing on his growth curve this is perfectly normal.
Older Babies and Toddlers
Toddlers are notoriously pickier eaters than babies. However, to ensure adequate growth, it is vital to continue to offer them healthy food choices. After their first birthday, babies can begin to drink whole milk instead of formula or in addition to breast milk. Most of a baby's nutrition comes from solid foods by this point. While eating may vary from day to day, Medline Plus reports that toddlers who are given a wide variety of foods should get all of the nutrition they need. At the 1-year mark, Dr. Brown recommends three meals and two snacks daily, around 16 ounces of dairy such as milk or yogurt, and less than 6 ounces of juice.
References
- "Baby 411"; Denise Fields and Ari Brown, M.D.; 2010
- Medline Plus: Age-Appropriate Diet for Children
