Your child's first year of life is referred to as infancy, but her nutrient and meal requirements change greatly from birth until her first birthday. The foods you feed your infant have an impact on her eating habits for the rest of her life so it is important to offer nutritious foods in age-appropriate serving sizes.
Newborn
The only thing a newborn needs for his first four months is breast milk, formula or a combination of the two. Either one offers the nutrition he needs to develop and grow. By 2 months of age, your infant will likely be eating 5 to 6 oz. of breast milk or formula every 3 to 4 hours. If your baby primarily drinks breast milk, he may need a vitamin D supplement, which his pediatrician can prescribe. If you choose to feed your baby formula, be sure it is fortified with iron, which is needed for normal growth and to prevent learning problems down the road.
4 Months
At 4 months, many infants are ready to begin eating solid foods. Most pediatricians recommend starting with single-grain infant cereals such as rice, barley or oatmeal. Combine the cereal with breast milk, formula or water. Start with a very thin consistency and work up to thicker mixtures as your infant gets better at chewing and swallowing. Offer your infant 3 to 4 tbsp. of cereal twice a day and continue offering breast milk or formula 4 to 6 times each day.
6 to 8 Months
Between 6 and 8 months of age, your infant should begin eating baby food purees, which are available in fruit, vegetable, meat and combination flavors. Start with 1 tbsp. and gradually increase the amount your baby consumes at mealtime. This is a good time to begin feeding your infant when the rest of the family eats, which regulates his hunger cues and allows you to enjoy meals together. Offer one new food every 3 to 4 days so you can watch for signs of a food allergy. Prepare your own baby food purees or purchase those sold at supermarkets. Both offer the vitamins and minerals your infant needs to grow and reach developmental milestones. Continue offering cereal and breast milk or formula to supplement nutritional requirements. If your child turns her nose up at new foods, try mixing them with items she likes. For example, mix peaches with oatmeal or sweet potatoes with chicken.
9 to 12 Months
As infants get better at chewing and swallowing solid foods and begin to get teeth, you should begin serving finger foods, or table foods. Offer mashed fruits and vegetables, pasta, eggs yolks, beans, cheese, shredded meats and crackers or bread. A whole-wheat tortilla with melted cheese and diced avocado, toast with peanut butter and mashed bananas, and pasta with tomato sauce are good meals for infants 9 to 12 months of age. Be sure any food you offer is well chopped to prevent choking. Infants at this age will still need breast milk or formula 3 or 4 times per day.
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