* Introduce new
foods one at a time, waiting about 3 to 5 days before
trying another. That way, if your baby develops a
reaction, you’ll have a better idea of what food might
have caused it.
Healthy foods that your family eats are good to start
with as long as they are plain, with no added salt,
sugar or spices. You can also use commercial baby foods,
as long as you check the label to ensure there is no
added salt or sugar.
* Grain products. At 6 to 9
months, offer your baby up to 30 to 60 mL (2 to 4 tbsp.)
of iron-fortified infant cereal, twice a day. Then try
other grain products such as small pieces of dry toast
or unsalted crackers. At 9 to 12 months, offer other
plain cereals, whole grain bread, rice and pasta (or
mashed noodles).
* Vegetables. At 6 to 9 months,
offer your baby puréed cooked vegetables—yellow, green
or orange. At 9 to 12 months, progress to soft, mashed
cooked vegetables.
* Fruits. At 6 to 9 months, offer
puréed cooked fruits, very ripe mashed fruits (such as
bananas). At 9 to12 months, try soft fresh fruits,
peeled, seeded and diced or canned fruit, packed in
water or juice (not syrup).
* Meat and alternatives. At 6 to 9
months, offer puréed cooked meat, fish, chicken, tofu,
mashed beans, egg yolk. At 9 to 12 months, mince or dice
these foods.
* Milk and milk products. At 9
months, you can offer dairy foods like yogurt (3.25% or
higher), cottage cheese or grated hard cheese. Wait
until your baby is 9 to 12 months old before introducing
whole cow’s milk (3.25%). After 12 months of age, your
baby should not take more than 720 mL (24 oz.) of milk
products per day. Too much milk can lead to iron
deficiency anemia.
How much to feed your baby
Follow
your baby’s cues for how much to feed. Start by offering
a teaspoon or two, and don’t rush. Some babies need to
try a food many times before accepting it. If she’s not
hungry, she’ll turn her head and close her mouth. If
she’s hungry, she’ll get excited and open up.
Never trick or coax her to eat more by playing games or
offering sweetened foods. Babies who are allowed to
follow their own hunger cues are much less likely to
overeat later in life.
Trying foods with different textures helps babies learn
how to handle foods in their mouth. So it’s important to
vary both tastes and textures when serving foods.
Your baby’s development
How often to feed
Type of food
Sits with support
2-3 times a day*
Puréed, mashed food and semisolid foods
Sits on own
2-3 times a day*
Family foods, small amounts of soft mashed foods without
lumps
Crawls
3-4 times a day*
Family foods, ground or soft mashed foods with tiny soft
lumps; crunchy foods that dissolve, such as whole grain
crackers
Walks
3 meals and 2 snacks a day*
Coarsely chopped foods; foods with more texture; toddler
foods; bite-sized pieces of food; finger foods
*Plus breast milk, formula, or whole cow’s milk,
depending on your child’s age
Water and juice
Babies
who are exclusively breastfed don’t need extra water.
When your baby begins to eat other foods, you can start
to offer water occasionally.
Babies and children don’t need to drink juice. Too much
juice, especially apple juice, can cause diarrhea. It
can fill up small stomachs and decrease your baby’s
appetite for nutritious foods. Too much juice can also
cause early childhood tooth decay.
When you do offer juice, be sure it is only 100% fruit
juice. Always offer it in a cup, as part of a meal or
snack. Offer water to babies and young children between
meals and snacks if they are thirsty. Limit juice to 120
to 180 mL (4 to 6 oz.) per day.
Foods not recommended
* Don’t give babies sugary drinks
or foods, such as candies, soda/pop or energy drinks.
* Don’t give honey to babies under 1 year old, as there
is a risk of infant botulism (food poisoning).
* To reduce the chance of an allergic reaction, avoid
giving egg whites until your baby is 1 year old.
* If you have a family history of allergies, you may
want to wait until your baby is 3 years old before
introducing peanuts, tree nuts (such as pecans or
walnuts) or shellfish.