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Breastfeeding is recommended as a baby's only food until 6 months of age. At about 6 months, most infants are ready to start solid foods. Breastmilk continues to be an important part of your baby's diet for the first 2 years of life.
Why wait until at least 6 months to give solid foods?
- Baby's digestion is not ready for solid food before six months.
- Baby cannot take food well from a spoon before six months.
- Breastmilk or formula gives all the nutrition needed.
How can you tell if your baby is ready to start solids?
General guidelines that show a baby's readiness for solid foods include:
- A breastfed baby requires more than 8 to 10 feedings per 24 hours and always seems hungry
- A formula fed baby drinks at least 40 oz. (1.2 L) per day, and still seems hungry*
- Your baby shows interest when others eat
- Your baby has head and neck control and can sit up with support
- Your baby can move food from the front of their mouth to the back of their tongue to swallow
- Your baby can draw in their lower lip as a spoon is removed from their mouth
- Your baby's head turns or mouth doesn't open when there is no interest in food
* Talk to a public health nurse if you breastfeeding and not sure how much milk your baby is getting.
It is important to start introducing solids when your baby is ready. Start slowly and gradually add more. Solid foods are important to give your baby the extra minerals, proteins, and vitamins that they need to help them grow and learn.
Below are Tips: to help you introduce your baby to solids.
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Start with foods that are a good source of iron such as:
- iron-fortified infant cereals
- beef
- chicken
- turkey
- lamb
- fish
- pork
- egg yolk
- tofu
- well-cooked legumes such as beans, lentils and chickpeas
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Try one new food at a time
- Give your baby only one new food at a time. Wait 3-5 days before you give another new food.
- Baby shows signs of fullness by losing interest in eating, turning away and not opening the mouth.
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Start with small amounts
- Give one teaspoon or less of a new food; gradually give more.
- When you get started, breast milk or formula is still the best source of nutrition, so continue to offer milk first before solids.
- You may mix food with breast milk, but not in a bottle.
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Give unmixed, single foods
- Choose single foods like carrots instead of mixed vegetables.
- Don't feed mixed foods (mixed meat and vegetable dinners, mixed fruit, fruit and custard desserts and mixed cereal) to your baby until they have eaten many unmixed, single foods.
- Offer vegetables before fruit, so baby won't expect all foods to taste sweet.
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Try, try, and try again
- Offer new foods when your baby is happy, not tired.
- If your baby refuses to eat a new food, try it again in a week or two.
- Teething may upset your baby's schedule.
- Try not to be restricted by your own food likes/dislikes.
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Avoid these foods
- Foods sweetened with corn syrup, molasses or artificial sweeteners (eg. aspartame).
- Honey can cause food poisoning (botulism) if given to a baby under one year.
Try making your own homemade baby food and check out our sample menus for more ideas.
Food Allergies
The best way to prevent food allergies is to:
- Breastfeed until at least 6 months
- Do not introduce solids until 6 months
Food allergies are commonly caused by foods like peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish but can be caused by any food. Watch for signs of allergy when introducing new foods. A typical allergic reaction may be a skin rash, redness after eating, vomiting, diarrhea, or trouble breathing. More severe reactions can occur. Talk to your health care provider if you think your baby may be having, or has had, an allergic reaction to any food. If you, your partner or your baby's siblings have allergies, your baby may be more likely to develop food allergies. Talk to your health care provider if you have any concerns about introducing certain foods.
Constipation
When you introduce new foods it will take your baby time to adjust. The consistency and colouring of their stool will likely change. Expect some changes in you baby's bowel habits when you introduce solid foods.
Some babies may become constipated. Usually this is because if they don't get enough fibre or fluid. What you can do to help:
- Offer your baby 30 ml to 60 ml (1-2 oz.) of water occasionally between feedings.
- Offer more fibre-rich foods. A varied intake (for older babies) of fibre-containing foods such as whole grain breads and cereals, fruits (pureed pears, prunes), vegetables and cooked legumes in the baby's diet - they help get the system moving! Rice cereal may be constipating for some babes. Oatmeal is the baby cereal that is highest in fibre.
- Offer undiluted, 100% fruit juices like warm prune, apple and pear. Give juice from a cup, not a bottle. It may take some practice but they will get the hang of it very quickly.
- Try gently moving your baby's legs in a bicycle motion. Exercise helps loosen stools.
Do not give your baby or child laxatives, enemas, suppositories, or any medications without talking to your health care provider first. These may make constipation worse in the long term.
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