A baby’s first year is important. Everything the little one consumes contributes immensely to their mental and physical development. That’s why the foods you feed your baby from birth to 12 months old should always have some nutritional value. As much as he or she cries or begs for something else, sticking to an age-by-age plan is crucial.
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Here is a list of recommended foods for your baby at stages throughout his or her first year:
Birth to 4 months:
Your baby’s digestive tract is new and still developing. The only thing your baby is able to digest is breast milk or formula – whichever path you’ve chosen to begin with your little one. Absolutely no solid foods should be introduced to the infant at this time. Her body won’t be able to handle solids right now.
4 to 6 months:
By this point, your baby can hold up his head, sit in a highchair for feeding, can move food from the front to the back of the mouth and gained a good amount of weight. She’s very interested in food and doesn’t have the natural tendency to push food out of her mouth with her tongue. If you’re breastfeeding, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for about 6 months without including any solid foods. But if you’re ready to introduce a few solid foods, try pureed vegetables such as sweet potatoes or squash. Pureed apples and bananas, pureed meat and semi-liquid (iron-fortified) cereals are good solids, as well. Start off with 1 teaspoon of pureed food or cereal and gradually increase to 1 tablespoon.
6 to 8 months:
As suggested in the 4 to 6 months stage, it’s OK to still breastfeed or even provide formula milk. But if you’re looking to increase the solids your baby can eat, try adding pureed applesauce and avocado or pureed legumes. Your baby may like small amounts of unsweetened yogurt. Be sure it’s sans cow’s milk until age 1, though. Make sure to introduce these foods one at a time. Try waiting a couple of days before feeding her something new.
8 to 10 months:
By this point, your baby should be picking up objects with her thumb or forefinger and transferring things from one hand to the other hand. Your baby puts every single thing in his mouth. If these things are occurring, your little one is ready for more solids: mashed carrots, squash, potatoes and sweet potatoes. Finger foods like O-shaped cereals, small amounts of scrambled eggs and teething crackers. Proteins are always good – lentils, split peas, pintos and black beans. Try giving your baby 1 cup of fruit, 1 cup of vegetables and 4 tablespoons of protein-rich foods per day.
10 to 12 months:
By now, your little one can swallow food much more easily and even tries to pick up the spoon to feed herself. Some women choose to keep breast milk in their baby’s diet. It’s OK for your baby to eat mashed fruit or fruit cut into cubes and bite-sized vegetables. Also, try combo foods such as macaroni and cheese and casseroles.
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