Do's and Don'ts for Baby's First Foods

Breastfeeding has been shown to improve infant, child and maternal health outcomes, but how long should breastfeeding last and when should parents introduce solid foods?

Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for about the first six months of life. This means your infant receives only breast milk during this time. Exclusive breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition and health benefits. Infant formula provides a safe alternative when breastfeeding is not an option.

Introducing your baby to solid foods is an exciting milestone. When you start introducing children to the world of solid foods, you are helping them shape their relationship with food and establish a healthy eating style. Not sure how to get your baby started on solid foods? Consider these helpful tips.

Is Your Baby Ready for Solids?

Timing for introducing solid foods depends on a few factors. Signs a baby may be ready to start solid foods include sitting up with minimal support, demonstrating good head control, bringing objects to the mouth or grasping at small objects. Your baby’s risk of developing food allergies is another consideration. Your child’s pediatrician can help you determine if your baby is ready to start solids. For most babies, this will be between 4 to 6 months of age.

Getting Started

Whether spoon-feeding your little one or trying baby-led weaning, the following tips can help you set the stage for success:

• Set expectations. While it may be exciting to start solid foods with your baby, breastmilk or formula will continue to be your child’s primary source of nutrition until they are about 12 months old.
• Go slow. When first starting your baby on solids, only one new, single-ingredient food should be introduced at a time. This helps in identifying if your baby has any reactions to the food. This is especially important when introducing foods that are common allergens.
• Include foods that provide iron. Breastmilk is an excellent source of nutrition for babies. However, after the first six months of life, babies need an additional source of iron. Choices include pureed meats, poultry, beans and iron-fortified cereals.
• Don’t wait to introduce allergens. Research indicates that introducing foods that are common allergens before the first year of life can help to prevent allergic reactions to these foods as they get older.
• Check the ingredients. Avoid giving your baby food with added sugar and salt during the first year of life.
• Be alert for foodborne illness. Certain foods are more likely to cause foodborne illness, which can be deadly for infants. Avoid giving baby foods with honey, raw or unpasteurized milk or dairy products and raw meat, seafood, poultry or eggs.

Softer textures are very important when first introducing foods. Infants often start with pureed or mashed foods around 6 months. As infants develop chewing and motor skills, they are able to handle items like soft pieces of fruit and finger foods.

While spoon-feeding is what many caregivers think of when they begin introducing solids, another method of feeding that is gaining popularity is baby-led weaning. With this method, soft solids are provided and baby is allowed to feed themselves rather than being spoon-fed. This method allows the child to determine what and how much is consumed. While choking risks are a concern, research suggests this method may not pose a higher risk compared to traditional spoon-feeding when food is presented in age-appropriate shapes and textures.

Weaning From Breastfeeding

Many families choose to continue providing breastmilk after the first year. However, infants who drink formula should transition to plain, pasteurized whole milk or unsweetened soymilk after their first birthday. There is no need to provide specialty beverages such as “toddler milk” or “growing up” beverages.

For babies under 12 months of age who are weaning off breastmilk, iron-fortified infant formula should be provided. Dairy milk and nondairy beverages should not be given as a substitute for breastmilk or infant formula to infants younger than 12 months of age.

Food Safety Do’s and Don’ts

Food safety concerns for infants and toddlers include foodborne illness, as well as food allergies and choking risks. You can help reduce these risks with the following tips:

• Avoid giving baby foods with honey, raw or unpasteurized milk or dairy products and raw meat, seafood, poultry or eggs. Safer alternatives include pasteurized dairy and meat, eggs and seafood cooked to their appropriate internal temperature.
• Don’t feed your baby solid foods from a bottle. It can be a choking hazard and despite a popular misconception, putting cereal in a baby's bottle won't help with sleeping through the night. Other foods that are considered to be choking hazards are listed below.
• Always supervise your child while eating. Infants should be able to sit upright and face forward when you first introduce solid foods. This makes swallowing easier and choking less likely.
• Think twice before double-dipping. Feeding directly from the jar may introduce bacteria from your baby's mouth to the spoon and back into the food, creating a food safety issue. Instead, spoon some food into a separate dish first before feeding to baby. 

When it comes to safety, it’s important to serve food in an age-appropriate way. The following foods are not recommended for those under 4 years of age due to the risk of choking:

• Popcorn and whole kernel corn
• Nuts and seeds
• Large chunks of meat, poultry and cheese
• Candy, gum drops and jelly beans
• Hard, raw fruits or vegetables such as apples, celery and carrots
• Whole grapes and cherry tomatoes, unless cut into quarters
• Hot dogs, unless cut into strips and age-appropriate, bite-size pieces
• Sticky foods, such as peanut butter, which can get stuck in the back of the mouth; peanut butter is okay if spread thinly on bread.

For toddlers and preschoolers, chop grapes, meat, poultry, hot dogs and raw vegetables and fruits into small pieces (about ½ inch or smaller).

Nurturing Healthy Relationships with Food

Establishing a positive feeding relationship during infancy can have lifetime benefits. Keep in mind that children are responsible for how much and whether they eat, so always wait for your baby to pay attention to each spoonful before you feed them. Don't be afraid to let your baby touch the food in the dish and on the spoon. You wouldn't want to eat something if you didn't know anything about it, would you? In addition, know the cues that your baby is done eating. A common cue babies are full is head turning.

Whatever happens, don't get discouraged and do enjoy the experience. With a little patience and creativity, you can make your baby's first solid food eating experience fun for everyone involved!