1. Feeding Infants 0-6 months old

2. What is responsive feeding?
• Responding to an infants’ cues for hunger and satiety (fullness)
• Hunger cues
Wake and toss
Suck on fist
Cry and fuss
• Satiety cues
Sealing lips
Decrease in sucking
Turning away from bottle
Spitting out nipple

3. What characterizes feedings for infants 0-4 months old?
• “Suck-swallow-breathe” reflex
• Exclusive diet of breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula
• 6-10 feedings per day

4. What characterizes feedings for infants 4-6 months old?
• More control over oral muscles
• Can sit up and hold head unsupported
• May begin consuming rice cereal in addition to bottle feedings
• 6-7 feedings per day

5. What foods should not be offered to infants 0-6 months old?
• Cow’s milk
• Juice
• “Table foods” – solid foods other than rice cereal

6. Why should solid foods not be introduced too early?
• Choking risk
• May not consume enough breast milk/formula
• Digestive system not developed enough to handle solids
• Increased risk of eczema, anemia and food allergies
• Disrupted sleep

7. How much should an infant receive at each feeding?
Age
Amount (ml)
Birth
60 ml
1 month
90 ml
2 months
120 ml
3 months
150 ml
4 months
5 months
180 ml
6 months
180ml
Approximations of breast milk/formula amounts required per feeding based on standard pediatrician recommendations.

8. How can you tell if an infant is eating enough each day?
• 6-7 wet diapers daily
• Consistent weight gain
• Wakes up to feed without prompting

9. How should you feed an infant?
• Hold an infant at a 45 degree angle
• Sit in a quiet place without distractions
• Feed one infant at a time
• Make eye contact
• Be responsive to nonverbal cues

10. How can negative feeding experiences affect infants?
• Bottle-propping and other negative early feeding experiences put infants at risk for
Choking (aspiration)  Pneumonia
Fluid in ears  Chronic ear infections
Insecure attachment

11. Bottle-feeding an Infant
Activity:
Bottle-feeding an Infant
See trainer’s guide for instructions

12. A program of With partner Sponsored by
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