Feeding your baby - Health Promotion

1 Feeding your baby :introducing family by: Health Service ExecutivePublication date: January 2015 Revision date: January 2018 Order code: HPM00971 Feeding your baby :Introducing family mealsRevised Edition 2018 HSE LOGO ON A WHITE BACKGROUND WITH OUTLINE AROUND THE LOGO. HSE LOGO ON A WHITE BACKGROUND WITH WHITE BOX BEHIND THE LOGO. 1026/01/2015 14:34 Contents Introduction ---------------------------------------- ---------1 When to start ---------------------------------------- ------2 Introducing family foods at a glance -----------------4 First foods ---------------------------------------- ----------6 Food Allergy and Gluten ---------------------------------9 Getting started ---------------------------------------- ----10 Stage 1 (26 weeks) ---------------------------------------1 2 Stage 2 (between 6 and 9 months) --------------------13 Stage 3 (between 9 and 12 months)

2 -------------------16 Important vitamins and minerals -----------------------19 Drinks ---------------------------------------- -------------20 Commercial baby foods ---------------------------------22 your baby s teeth ---------------------------------------- -23 Common questions ---------------------------------------2 4 Recipes ---------------------------------------- -------------26 Feedingyour baby1 All parents want the best for their baby as theygrow. What babies and young children eat anddrink is important for their Health both now and inthe future. The information in this booklet is basedon up-to-date scientifi c evidence and will help youget your baby s healthy eating habits off to a goodstart.

3 By the time your baby is 1 year of age theyshould be able to eat most meals enjoyed by the rest of the birth, breastmilk or formula milk meets all your baby s needs for food and drink to help them grow and develop. By about 26 weeks they will begin to need more iron and nutrients than breastmilk or formula milk alone can provide. Introducing foods at this age also helps them develop important skills such as learning to feed themselves and the diff erent textures help develop muscles that are important for 17 and 26 weeks (4 to 6 months) of age your baby may begin to show some of the signs below.

4 Not fully satisfi ed with their milk feed, begin to demand milk feeds more frequently (this lasts for longer than one week), show more interest in food, may begin reaching out for foods, watches with interest when others are eating food, chews and dribbles more often, and is able to sit up with some signs show that your baby is ready for you to begin introducing foods other than milk. If breastfeeding you do not need to move to formula milk when introducing family foods. When to start2 From birth, breastmilk or formula milk meets all your baby s needs for food and drink to help them grow and develop.

5 From 26weeks they will begin to need more iron and nutrients than breastmilk or formula milk alone can provide. Introducing foods at this agealso helps them develop important skills such as learning to feed themselves and the different textures help develop muscles that are important for that your baby may be ready for solid foods: not fully satisfied with their milk feed, begin to demand milk feeds more frequently (this lasts for longer than one week), shows more interest in food, may begin reaching out for foods, watches with interest when others are eating food, chews and dribbles more often, and is able to sit up with some signs show that your baby is ready for you to begin introducing foods other than milk.

6 Babies who are breastfed can continue to be breastfed while they are starting family foods and up to 2 years of age and beyond. There is no need to move from breastmilk to formula milk when introducing solid food. 326/01/2015 14:34 326/01/2015 14:343If your baby was born early (pre term earlier than 37 weeks) you should begin introducing foods other than milk sometime between 4 and 6 months corrected age. It is important to look for signs that your baby may be ready for solids (see page 2). If you have concerns checkwith your doctor or public Health before 17 weeks(4 months) becauseTheir kidneys and digestivesystem are not mature enoughto handle food and drinks otherthan is an increased risk ofcoeliac disease, Type 1 diabetesand increases the risk of obesity in later later than 26 weeks(6 months) becauseTheir energy needs can no longer be met by breast milk or infant formula alone.

7 Iron stores from birth are usedup by 6 months and their ironneeds can no longer be met bymilk delays their opportunity tolearn important skills,including self different texturesstimulates the development ofmuscles involved in familyfoods at a glanceThe textureof first 426/01/2015 14:344 Stage 1 about 6 monthsPur ed foods, starts with quite thin ( runny ) consistency, gradually getting thicker as your baby gets used to taking foods from a 2 6-9 monthsMoves to mashed foods from a spoon, gradually becoming lumpier in texture. Soft finger foods introduced. Starts to take drinks from a beaker or 3 9-12 monthsMoves to minced and chopped family foods.

8 More textured finger foods. By 12 months of age bottles should be stopped and all drinks other than breastmilk should be taken from a beaker or rice mixed with milk Stewed appleImages reproduced with permission from Public Health Agency, Northern Ireland 526/01/2015 14:345 The aim is to introduce your baby to solid food and a variety of each food on its own for 2 days before introducing another food, for example baby rice, then pureed closer to 26 weeks your baby is when you introduce solids foods, the quicker your baby should progress to stage 2. The aim is to introduce variety into the texture of your baby s a wide variety of foods at this stage has been shown to increase the variety of foods accepted by a baby as they 7 months you should encourage your baby to take finger foods.

9 See page 14 for aim is to move your baby onto eating family meals without added gravies, sauces, salt or sugar. Introducing lumpyfoods is important to develop their ability to: speak, chew a wider variety of foods, and increase the variety of their diet in later childhood. Use breastmilk, formula milk or water to moisten their food to the correct consistency. Don t add salt or sugar to your baby s food. If making a family meal, remove their portion before adding salt. Don t use stock cubes, gravy, packets or jars of sauce when making family foods for your mashed carrot Well mashed potatoStage 1 about 6 monthsStage 2 6-9 monthsStage 3 9-12 monthsThe texture of first spoon feedsFirst 626/01/2015 14:346 Homemade food is best for your baby .

10 Preparing homemade foods means you know exactly what your baby is eating and that they become familiar with the tastes and textures of family foods. See page 26 for some recipes and tips on preparing first foods for your first foodsHomemade foods can be relatively cheap to prepare compared to ready-made shop bought baby equipment used to prepare foods for babies under 26 weeks (6 months) must be can prepare batches of food and freeze in small portions in ice- cube trays. Cover the filled trays with a lid (cling film or freezer bags) before placing in the freezer. Label and date with a waterproof marker.