Saturday, July 3, 2010

Safely Introducing Solid Baby Foods


Image : http://www.flickr.com


You should start introducing solid baby foods to your infant at approximately 4 - 6 months of age. As with all stages of your baby's development, the introduction of solid food into their diet is something that has to be done with care and attention. Giving your infant the wrong kinds of foods can result in at the very least, severe digestive discomfort - at the very worst severe sickness and/or future food allergies.

4 Months
Start of at 4 months with baby cereals diluted with formula, gradually increasing the amount of cereal and decreasing the amount of formula (breast milk can be substituted for formula). The amount of cereal should be increased very slowly over the course of weeks, not days, as your infant becomes accustomed to solid baby foods. If your baby experiences digestive troubles, switch off the cereal for a day or two, then try to slowly introduce it again later.

6 Months
Fruits and vegetables are chocked full of vitamins and antioxidants our immune system needs to maintain proper health. However, as infants these foods need to be introduced slowly and with care. The fiber and natural sugar content in fruits and veggies need a strong digestive system to process them, while an infant's digestive tract needs time to gain strength.

8 Months
At the 7 - 8 month mark, you can start to introduced protein-rich, solid baby foods into your infant's diet. Yogurt, strained beans and meats, cottage cheese, and eggs (start with whites only). As your baby's teeth develop you can slowly introduce anything healthy that the rest of your family eats.

Slow & Steady Wins The Race
From the first day you introduce solid foods, it's important to introduce everything one at a time. If your baby has allergies or is sensitive to certain foods, you'll want to be able to eliminate them right away. For the first few years it's also crucial you avoid any nut products; due to possible deadly allergies and soy products should be closely monitored for the same reason.

Visit : Easter Product Store