When your child is about 6 months old, you can start introducing him or her to foods and drinks other than breast milk and infant formula. The foods and drinks you feed your child are sometimes called complementary foods.
Your child can begin eating solid foods at about 6 months old. By the time he or she is 7 or 8 months old, your child can eat a variety of foods from different food groups. These foods include infant cereals, meat or other proteins, fruits, vegetables, grains, yogurts and cheeses, and more.
Babies generally don't need any drinks other than breast or formula milk before they have started on solid foods. The information below gives advice on what drinks are suitable for your babies after they have started to eat solid food.
Throughout the ages and until the end of the 19th century, animal's milk was the most common source of artificial feeding. As mentioned earlier, pap and panada were used only as supplements to animal's milk when the infant failed to thrive.
Often babies and children prefer sweet tasting fluids; however sugary drinks such as fruit juice, soft drink or cordial are not necessary and may cause health problems, such as excess weight gain and tooth decay, if consumed in large amounts.
For babies under 6 months, water straight from the mains tap in the kitchen should not be used as it is not sterile. The NHS advises to boil the tap water first and then let it cool down. Bottled water is also not recommended as it may contain too much salt (sodium) or sulphate.
It's best to wait until after a baby is 12 months old before offering juice. But even then, pediatricians don't recommend giving toddlers juice often. That's because it adds extra calories without the balanced nutrition in formula and breast milk.
If you can't find any formula and your baby is close to one year old, talk to your pediatrician or other health care provider about using soy milk as a short-term solution. Avoid other plant-based milks, like oat or almond milk. Plant-based milks are generally not recommended for babies under one year old.
Breastfeeding is the safest way to feed a baby during an emergency and provides the nutrients and infection protection that babies need. Infants who are unable to breastfeed or be fed expressed breast milk can be fed with ready-to-feed infant formula, which does not require adding water for preparation.
Formula milk provides babies with the nutrients they need to grow and develop. However, it does not have the same health benefits as breastfeeding for you and your baby. For example, it cannot protect your baby from infections.
How Do We Switch to Cow's Milk? You can switch your baby from formula to whole milk by replace bottles of formula with bottles — or sippy cups — of milk. By 1 year old, your baby should be eating a variety of solid foods and drinking about 16 to 24 ounces (480–720 milliliters) of milk per day.
Goat's milk, by nature, is closer to human breast milk than cow's milk or soy, which means less processing and more natural goodness. It is high in oligosaccharides, similar in protein levels to human breastmilk, and is low in lactose, which makes it perfect for babies and toddlers with sensitive tummies.
Other methods for receiving fluids in: Fill little popsicle molds with breast milk or formula and let them suck on them. If your infant refuses to drink milk, you can give them an electrolyte solution such as Pedialyte.
If your baby seems constipated, consider simple changes to your infant's diet: Water or fruit juice. Offer your baby a small amount of water or a daily serving of 100% apple, prune or pear juice in addition to usual feedings.
According to most pediatric health experts, infants can be taken out in public or outside right away as long as parents follow some basic safety precautions. There's no need to wait until 6 weeks or 2 months of age. Getting out, and in particular, getting outside in nature, is good for parents and babies.
Once you start to give your baby solid foods at about six months, she can have diluted fruit or vegetable juice at mealtimes, although she certainly doesn't need it. Water is always the best choice as an extra drink alongside your baby's usual milk.
Once your baby is at least a month old, if you think they are constipated, you can try giving them a little apple or pear juice. The sugars in these fruit juices aren't digested very well, so they draw fluid into the intestines and help loosen stool.
6 to 9 months old: Offer full-fat (whole milk), pasteurized, plain yogurt. Greek yogurt is perfect for this age and will be easiest for babies to self-feed. Let baby scoop up the yogurt with their hands and/or eat from a pre-loaded spoon (passing the spoon in the air will make it easier for baby to grab).
At what age can I give my child MILO® products? MILO® powder & RTD are most suitable for children 4 years old and older. It is not suitable for infants and very young toddlers (i.e. less than two years).
Some studies suggest that introducing solid foods too early may lead to increased risk of chronic disease such as islet autoimmunity (the pre-clinical condition leading to type 1 diabetes), obesity, adult-onset celiac disease, and eczema; and introduction too late may increase feeding difficulties [5–8].
You can give your baby the entire egg (yolk and white), if your pediatrician recommends it. Around 6 months, puree or mash one hard-boiled or scrambled egg and serve it to your baby. For a more liquid consistency, add breast milk or water. Around 8 months, scrambled egg pieces are a fantastic finger food.