Choosing when and what to feed your baby is never an easy task, especially for first-time moms. The decisions you make in the first few years of your child’s life can have a lasting impact on both you and your child. The first decision you must make as a new mom is whether or not to breastfeed your child. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to making this decision — it is all based upon personal preference and what works best for you and your baby.
Nature designed human milk especially for human babies. A mother’s milk has several advantages over cow’s milk or formula as it contains the appropriate amount of nutrients that are easily absorbed through your baby’s developing digestive system. Even if you only choose to breastfeed your baby for a short amount of time, or part-time, this is the recommended method for infant nutrition; however, not all mothers wish to breastfeed and are sometimes unable to do so.
If you are unable to breastfeed your newborn or prefer not to, iron-fortified formulas are a great alternative. These may be purchased at any grocery store and can provide adequate nutrition for your baby through key nutrients such as protein, fat, vitamins and minerals — all essential for proper growth. In contrast, formulas do not contain the immune factors that are found in breast milk that help to prevent infections in newborns. Regardless of which route you choose, you should keep your baby on either breast milk or formula until he or she is one year old.
When it comes to feeding your baby solid foods, be careful not to rush it. Typically, you’ll want to start your baby on solid foods when he or she is able to hold their own head up, can sit-up with your help and are no longer thrusting their tongue. This usually occurs between 4-6 months of age. When starting your baby on solid foods, begin with oat or whole grain cereal mixed with breast milk or formula on a spoon. Do not give your baby solids using an infant feeder or a bottle. Once your baby is consistent with eating cereal, begin offering vegetables and fruits, and eventually meats. It is ideal that your baby be eating table foods by his or her first birthday.
While it is encouraged to introduce your baby to a wide variety of foods, there are a few items that should never be given to children during their first year of life. Honey contains spores of a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum which can multiply and grow in a baby’s immature digestive system. This may cause infant botulism, a rare but serious illness that may have grave consequences. In addition, never give your baby foods that may easily be choked on such as hot dogs, peanuts, grapes, raisins or popcorn. Due to the high sugar content, juice should be limited to four ounces each day. Water is not necessary for infants.
Unless your child is known to have severe allergies such as vomiting, breaking out in hives or difficulty breathing, studies have shown that introducing your child to eggs and peanut butter as early as 4–6 months reduces the chance of him or her developing allergies to these foods. If you have any questions about the types of food to introduce to your baby and at what age, contact your child’s health care provider. If your child does not have a health care provider, please call 317-554-5200 to make an appointment.
Nydia Nunez-Estrada, M.D.
Family Medicine
Eskenazi Health Center North Arlington