It is common knowledge that an infant should not drink juice before 6 months of age. Pediatricians advise waiting for at least this amount of time before changing your baby's beverage from milk or baby formula so that she gets the full health benefit so essential for early growth. During this initial time, a baby will absorb all the essential nutrients she needs without you having to turn to other sources. When your infant is a little older, she will be ready to ingest baby juice, which is customarily 100% fruit juice containing the essential vitamins C, foliate, B6, iron, potassium and magnesium necessary for proper nutrition.
What to Look for
When shopping for baby juice, make sure it is 100% pure with no added flavors or sweeteners. Pasteurized juice is the only type of juice that is appropriate for your baby, as it guarantees that there is no possibility of bacterial growth during processing. Always dilute the juice when you give it to a baby. The correct proportion is 25% juice to 75% water. If you can't find a specifically made baby juice, you can feed your child organic juices where there are no traces of sugar, fructose, additives or colorings.
Common Pitfalls
Feeding juice to a baby can cause him to accept less milk, which can be detrimental to growth and nutrition. If you decided to give your infant baby juice, only give him 4 to 6 ounces per day. Do not give him juice before serving a solid meal, as your child will be less likely to eat the protein, vitamins and minerals found in healthy solid food sources. Too much juice throughout the day is also not advisable as it can cause abdominal discomfort and even diarrhea. Many pediatricians advise giving your baby whole fruit instead of baby juice, which contains important nutritional values coming from fiber. Make sure you clean the fruit thoroughly so that there is no danger of bacteria lurking on the surface. When feeding your infant baby juice, do not serve it in a bottle as fruit sugars and acids are likely to collect around your baby's teeth, causing tooth decay. Your need for variety as an adult is not applicable to your infant before the age of 6 months, so be patient and wait until the little one is slightly older to begin expanding his horizons.
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