Feeding Tips

Nurse baby at least 5-10 minutes on each breast. Six wet diapers a day is a good sign. There’s no need to force baby to finish a bottle. Putting baby to bed with a bottle could cause choking! Use of the microwave to warm breast milk or formula is not recommended. Do not prop the bottle while feeding. No juice unless recommended by your physician’s office. No baby cereal unless recommended by your doctor.

Feeding Tips

May need to start baby cereal (iron-fortified). Feed only one new cereal each week. There’s no need to add salt or sugar to cereal. Baby should be sitting up when eating solid foods. Do not force solids. If baby refuses, go back to formula or breast milk and try again later. Do not feed baby raw honey before 1 year.

Feeding Tips

Pureed vegetables first, then the fruits, one new food every 3-5 days. Monitor for adverse effects. Add mashed or finely chopped fruits and vegetables later on. Take out of the jar the amount of food for one feeding. Refrigerate the remaining food. Make sure all foods are soft and easy to swallow. Cut items into small pieces. Juice is not necessary, but no more than 4 oz of juice per day. Any fresh foods or vegetables should be cooked with no added salt or seasonings. If stools are loose or with mucus, reduce amounts of solids and add foods more slowly.

Feeding Tips

Introduce new textures, avoiding hard foods that can be a choking hazard. Add strained or finely chopped meats now. Feed only one new meat every 3-5 days. Offering a variety of healthy, tasty, and nutrient-rich foods is the best way to supply the nutrition that a growing child needs. A wide variety of foods is found in the 5 food groups. Be patient. Babies make a mess when they feed themselves. Always taste heated foods before feeding them to baby. Do not feed baby raw honey before 1 year.

Make sure no one food group is completely left out. If this happens for a few days, don’t worry. Prolonged neglect of a food group could keep your child from getting enough nutrients. Snacks make up an important part of childhood nutrition. Children must eat frequently. With their small stomachs, they cannot eat enough at meals alone for their high-energy needs. Three meals and 2 or 3 healthy snacks a day help children to meet their daily nutrition needs.

Feeding Tips

Add whole milk now. Offer small portions and never force your toddler to eat. A very irregular appetite is normal. Just offer foods from all food groups. Respect your toddler’s likes and dislikes. Offer rejected foods again. Make meals fun and interesting. Serve colorful foods that are crunchy, smooth, or warm. Toddlers need meals and snacks. Feed your toddler at least 2 snacks every day.

* If you are bottle feeding, use iron-fortified formula. Don’t worry if your baby eats a little more or less than this guide suggests. The suggested serving sizes are only guidelines to help you get started.