Whether you're a breastfeeding mother or you formula-feed your baby, it seems like all he does at first is eat. Before you can even answer the question, "Do I shower or eat now that the baby's full for five minutes?" he's ready to eat again. Since babies don't eat three squares a day, feeding your baby when he's hungry is the norm. But how do you know what to feed this voracious little creature?
Birth to Four Months
Babies get all the nutrition and water they need from infant formula or breast milk at this age. Formula fed babies generally need 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of their body weight in a twenty-four hour period.
Breastfeeding is trickier to measure, since you cannot see how much your baby is consuming. So long as he has five or six wet disposable diapers a day, you can hear him swallowing while nursing, and he's gaining sufficient weight, all is probably just fine. Another sign to check is whether your breasts are noticeably softer and feel empty after feeding. You can always have your pediatrician check your baby's weight if you're unsure.
If you're bottle feeding your baby, be sure you've thoroughly cleaned the bottles, nipples, and rings. Never prop a baby's bottle up and leave him with it. Until your baby can hold a bottle himself, always hold the bottle for him, making sure to take frequent burp breaks. Letting your baby go to bed with a bottle is bad for his dental health, so be sure he's all done eating before falling asleep.
If your baby has a dry mouth, sunken eyes, or doesn't produce tears, he may be dehydrated, and needs more formula or breast milk. Your baby will tell you if he's still hungry; his rooting reflex will let you know that he's looking for additional food.
Introducing Solids
Your baby watches you and your family eat, and he will start to exhibit interest in what the rest of the family is doing at mealtime. Once he's holding his head up, sitting in a high chair, making chewing faces, and no longer pushes food out of his mouth, he's ready to try solids.
Although these first foods are called solids, they're anything but. Prepared or homemade baby food is a puree that requires no chewing. Fruits and vegetables, starting with a teaspoon a day, increasing gradually, or iron-fortified cereals are the usual starter foods.
Be sure to have your camera handy to catch these first feeding moments: your baby will have more food on him than in his mouth, but he'll quickly get the hang of the spoon, and before you know it, he'll be impatiently grabbing it from you, wanting more.
If you introduce new foods one at a time, you'll be able to watch for signs of food allergies. Keep track of what you feed your baby and note any unusual reactions.
When using jarred baby food, don't feed the baby straight from the jar unless you plan to use the entire jar in one meal. Digestive juices from your baby's saliva, transferred on the spoon to the jar, will start to "digest" the leftover food.
Table Foods
Babies who can make a chewing motion, pick up items with their thumb and forefinger, and put everything in their mouths are ready for table food - that is, what the rest of the household is eating. Dry cereal is a great starter table food, as are rice puffs, small amounts of protein (tofu, egg yolks), mashed beans, bits of toast, and small chunks of non-citrus fruits.
Needless to say, the bites you feed your baby must be small enough for him to chew safely. Off-limit foods include honey, citrus fruits, peanuts, and peanut butter.
As your baby gets more teeth, he's ready for more foods. Your pediatrician probably has some easy-to-follow guidelines. Soft pasteurized cheeses, pastas, and yogurt are all good choices. So long as your baby doesn't have any food allergies, try experimenting to see what he likes. Enjoy watching your baby experience new textures and tastes; this is all part of his getting to know what he likes and dislikes. You can set the stage now for many future enjoyable mealtimes.
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