Feeding the Healthy Infant The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service

Tips for feeding the healthy infant Feed only breast milk or iron fortified infant formula during the first 6 months of life If the mother is breastfeeding, breast milk can be pumped into a bottle for later feeding

Prevent tooth decay Never let the baby sleep with the bottle in their mouth

Only Feed Formula or Breastmilk for the first 4-6 months Iron-fortified formula and breast milk contain many more nutrient than solid foods Just compare the labels Breastfed or formula fed infants usually meet protein and calorie needs easily while infants fed solid too soon may not.

Continue Formula or Breast Milk Until 1 Year of Age Do not switch to regular cow’s milk until age one Cow’s milk is too low in iron and other nutrients

Vitamin D Standard infant formulas are supplemented with vitamin D Infants should have at least minutes of sunlight a day to meet the need for vitamin D

Fat Most infants receive fat from breast milk or formula No skim or low fat milk until age 2

Feeding positions Infants should be fed in a semi-upright position Prevents choking and the ear infection. More comfortable

Feeding Solids Infants should sit in an upright position in a high chair while feeding from the spoon. The person offering the food should sit in front making eye contact No solid food in the bottle!

When the healthy infant is ready for solid food Offer one new food at a time over 2-3 days Rice cereal rarely causes an allergy. Offer 1 or 2 meals a day in small portion sizes. Do not feed from the jar.

Signs of Hunger and Fullness The infant may cry when hungry or reach for food When full the infant will stop eating and turn away. Do not force feed!

Some foods infants eat Rice cereal, pureed fruits and vegetables Mix plain meat with plain vegetables Cheerios Cooked cream of wheat

Never feed an infant Popcorn Peanuts Raisins or grapes Uncut stringy meats Honey Gum or gummy candy Hard candy Hot dog pieces Hard raw fruit or vegetables

How much did you Learn? True or False 1.Solid food should be started before 3 months of age so the baby will sleep through the night. 2.Rice cereal rarely causes allergies. 3.Honey is a good thing to add to baby cereal.