Family Nutrition

WIC - Food for Baby's First Year

Food For Your Baby's First Year

Your baby grows quickly in one year! During his/her first year of life.

• Your baby's brain doubles in weight.
• Your baby's teeth start to come in.
• Your baby's length doubles and his/her weight triples.
• Your baby goes from just raising his/her head to standing without support

At about 4 or 6 months of age - when your baby has a good control of his or her head and neck and can sit up with support - your baby will be ready for solid foods.

Start with iron-fortified rice cereal. Offer 1 or 2 teaspoons. After introducing a new food, watch your baby for 4 or 5 days to make sure she does not have an allergic reaction before adding another new food.

After your baby has accepted cereal, then offer infant fruits and vegetables.Well-cooked, strained or pureed meats with iron can be offered next, after your baby has accepted fruits and vegetables.

Do not feed your baby honey or corn syrup until he or she is a year old. Honey and corn syrup can be a source of food poisoning in infants.

Keep giving your baby breast milk or iron-fortified formula for the first year. This milk is a major source of your baby's nutrition.

Let your baby learn to feed his or herself. Around 7 months, give your baby small pieces of food to pick up and eat with their fingers. Foods like crackers and well-cooked vegetables work well. Be patient, all babies make a mess when they eat.

Keep it simple. Your baby needs to learn how each food tastes. Choose plain foods, not combinations like casseroles or fruit desserts. Offer a variety of plain vegetables and fruits.

Give your baby a cup filled with water at mealtimes. By 12 months of age your child should be drinking water, milk and juices from a cup.

By 12 months, most of your baby's food should come from the table. Eating with the family should become an important daily ritual.

Do not give your baby foods that he or she can choke on. Peanuts, popcorn, hot dogs, sausages, raw vegetables, whole grapes and raisins, and hard candy are foods your baby can get stuck in his or her throat.

Do not give your baby soda pop, sweet drinks like Tang, and other sweets. They are not healthy foods and will cause tooth decay. Do not put juice and other sweet drinks in your baby's bottle. If your baby needs a bottle at bedtime, put water in it.

Check with your WIC staff or health care provider about your baby's diet.

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