From Birth to 6 Months: Feeding Your Child
Feeding your baby is the most important, and confusing, part of new parenthood. With so much advice from relatives, in-laws, friends and even mild acquaintances it can become inconsistent information and not very helpful. Thankfully, there are some absolutes that never change.
Some babies advance sooner than others, while many are premature and should be held back until they reach their “corrected” age. Every baby is different, so guidelines are not absolute. If you have concerns, check with your pediatrician or nutritionist who specializes in pediatric nutrition.
Starting out: Breast milk is the recommended and preferred first infant food for all babies and is encouraged by pediatricians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dietetics Association, as well as most other professional health organizations. Commercial infant formulas are the second choice and will allow most infants to grow well. Whichever method you choose, breast milk or formula is all your baby needs for the first 5 to 6 months of life.
As your infant grows, his stomach becomes more elastic, allowing it to stretch as he eats. New babies are “pre-programmed” to eat eight to 12 times every 24 hours. Nursing babies will eat more frequently because breast milk is easier to digest, where formula fed babies will eat around every three hours. Regardless of which milk you use, you will know your baby is getting “enough” if he wets six to eight diapers and passes stool at least three times each 24 hours for the first four to six weeks.
The rule of thumb for formula at 1 month is 2.5 ounces per pound in 24 hours or 3 to 4 ounces per feed, increasing to 4 to 6 ounces per feed (up to 32 ounces a day) at 2 months and beyond. Larger babies may take slightly more. Once a bottle enters a baby’s mouth, any leftover formula in that bottle must be discarded after the feeding to prevent bacterial growth and breakdown of nutrients.
Solid food readiness: A baby’s immune system is immature during those first few months. Breast milk will provide most of the immunities your infant needs, but formula does not. Introducing any solid food too early can trigger sensitivities or allergies, and many of the enzymes needed to digest solids are not yet available in sufficient amounts to allow the food to be properly metabolized. Most importantly, an infant does not possess the ability to manipulate and swallow solid foods until around 5 months, so offering them can cause gagging or choking.
Some very large babies are ready for infant cereal before smaller infants. Your pediatrician will guide you on when to start. Pre-term babies must be given a little extra time before solid foods are offered. Even though your baby was released from the hospital at 36 weeks, she is still four weeks younger physically than the full-term baby. Give her time to let her body catch up.
Generally, however, your baby is ready for solid foods when these things happen:
- She has doubled her birth weight
- She can sit in a high chair and support her head on her neck
- She opens her mouth when she sees a spoon approaching
