Introduce solid foods when your baby is ready, around 6 months. | ||
It is recommended to wait until your baby is 6 months to introduce solid foods, but some health professionals may recommend introducing solids before 6 months (between 4 and 6 months). Babies will grow and develop at their own rate, and it’s possible that they would need to eat solids before six months. It is recommended to wait until your baby shows you signs that they are ready to eat before starting solids. Your baby is ready when they:
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Continue breastfeeding on demand as you introduce solids | ||
Parents may choose to offer complementary foods before, after or between breastfeeding, at their convenience and as per their child's cues. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that it does not matter if breastmilk is offered before or after complimentary foods. Parents can decide according to their convenience and the child’s cues which is offered first. It is encouraged to continue nursing as you introduce new foods and for up to two years or beyond, as long as parent and child want to continue. As you continue nursing, you should continue to give a daily vitamin D supplement of 400 IU up to 2 years of age. |
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Introduce an open cup at around 6 months |
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Create a healthy relationship with food |
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Children are born with the ability to regulate their hunger and fullness. Think of how a breastfed baby can tell you when they are hungry by reaching for you, turning towards the breast, and opening their mouth. They can also tell you they are full by not drinking actively, becoming calm and sometimes even falling asleep. Parents need to be aware of their child’s hunger and fullness cues to avoid under- or overfeeding them. Feeding your child in a responsive way may help them self-regulate their appetite later in life, maintain a healthy weight and to have a healthy relationship with food. The parent is responsible for: What is offered and when* The child is responsible for: how much they want to eat *Between 6-12 months, it is recommended to feed baby on cue when they show signs of hunger. The parent can choose to nurse or to offer solids based on the baby’s cues and their convenience. The WHO says that it does not matter if solid foods are offered before or after breastmilk, the parent can decide which to offer first based on their convenience and the child’s cues. By 8 months, you should offer solid foods three to five times per day, depending on their cues, and continue to breastfeed on demand. Around 12 months of age, you can begin having a regular schedule for meals and snacks, feeding your child about every 2 hours. See “sample meal plans for introducing solids” to see what a typical feeding schedule could look like. Signs of hunger and fullness Your baby may be hungry when they are:
Baby may be full when they:
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Baby-led feeding and spoon feeding |
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Baby-led feeding (often called baby-led weaning) is where the parent offers baby soft-cooked cut up finger foods right away, and let’s baby feed themselves. This is developmentally appropriate and encourages self-feeding from the onset, however both baby-led feeding and spoon feeding can meet baby’s nutrient needs by following the tips below.Choose the feeding method that works best for your family and adapt to your baby as they grow. :
Don’t mind the mess Your child may not consume a significant amount of the finger foods, but this is part of the learning process. For older infants, it’s important that finger foods are part of a diet that provides a variety of textures. To reduce waste, offer small amounts of food at first and then offer more based on your child's cues. |
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Gagging is natural |
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You may find that your child gags when eating solid foods. This can happen when they try to move the food around in their mouth and food accidently fall to the back before the swallow happens. Babies will protect themselves from choking by gagging. Fun fact – as long as an older infant is attentive, sitting upright, and is free from distractions, the risk of choking is the same as for an adult. There are however some food shapes and textures to avoid to prevent choking. |
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Food before 1 is not just for fun |
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Feeding baby solid foods before the age of one is certainly fun, but it’s so much more than that. Breastmilk will continue to be baby’s primary source of energy (calories) until they are about 12 months, so it is important to continue nursing on-cue. The WHO has noted that it does not matter if solid foods are offered before or after breastmilk, the parent can decide which to offer first based on their convenience and the child’s cues. Although breastmilk continues to be the main source of calories, eating solid foods around six months becomes necessary to help baby meet their nutrient needs, particularly their need for iron since breastmilk does not provide enough of this nutrient. Research also shows that offering baby a variety of textures by the age of 9 months can help them have healthier eating habits (less picky eating!) and consume more vegetables and fruits later in childhood. Lastly, feeding baby solids gives baby an opportunity to explore new tastes and textures and to participate in a fun family activity! |
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6 months – time for iron-rich foods & textures |
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The first foods you offer your baby, around 6 months, should be rich in iron to ensure they get enough iron for their brain development and other functions. You can also introduce a variety of textures right from the start, even if spoon feeding. Start with foods like:
When first introducing solids, start by offering 1-2 tbsp once a day and increase slowly based on baby’s cues. It is not necessary to wait a few days between each new food introduction, unless the food is a priority allergen. Between 6 and 12 months, you want to offer iron rich foods twice per day. Between 12 – 24 months, iron rich foods should be offered at each meal. |
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6 months – time for priority allergens |
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The Canadian Pediatric Society recommends introducing priority allergens early and often to prevent food allergies from developing. Priority allergens should be introduced around 6 months, but not before 4 months, along with other complementary foods that are rich in iron and continued breastfeeding. The most common causes of food allergy in babies are cow’s milk*, eggs, peanut, tree nuts, sesame, fish, soy and wheat. You can begin offering these foods around 6 months when your baby starts to eat solid foods to reduce their risk of developing a food allergy. When introducing priority allergens, give only 1 per day and wait 2 days before starting another common food allergen. This will help you to know which food caused a reaction. If there is a reaction, it will likely appear within 48 hours. If your baby does not have a reaction to the food, continue to offer it regularly. When introducing priority allergens to your baby for the first time, it’s recommended that you spoon feed them as opposed to having them self-feed. This is because food smeared on baby’s skin may cause skin irritation that can be mistaken for an allergic reaction. * You can introduce dairy to your baby safely at 6 months by giving them cheese and yogurt, but do not offer cow’s milk until baby is 9 – 12 months since their digestive system is not yet ready for this. For more information on priority allergens:
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6 – 12 months - meal timing & sample meal plans |
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Age 6 to 8 months: Slowly increase the number of meals and snacks so that by 8 months, you are offering solid foods three to five times per day. Baby may only eat 1-2 teaspoons at a time and that is OK! Start slowly and offer more if your baby wants more. From 6 months, baby can eat many of the same healthy foods enjoyed by the family, provided they are prepared with little or no added salt or sugar. Offer foods that in a variety of textures and continue to breastfeed on-cue during this time. Age 9 – 11 months: You can offer solid foods over 3 meals and 1-2 snacks, depending on their appetite. Continue to breastfeed on-cue during this time. You can begin introducing homogenized (3.25% M.F.) cow milk in an open cup at meals and continue to breastfeed on-cue during this time. Age 12 months: By the time baby is about 12 months, you can begin to have a regular schedule of meals and snacks. You can begin introducing homogenized (3.25% M.F.) cow milk in an open cup at meals and continue to breastfeed on-cue during this time. Remember! Always follow your baby’s hunger and fullness cues when introducing solids. It is normal for a child’s appetite to change day to day. Be patient when introducing new foods, it may take up to 15 tries for baby to want to try it. Never pressure your child to eat. There is no “right” amount of food that your baby should eat. Your job is to continue offering healthy foods and to let them decide how much they want to eat. For more information on what to offer your baby and when:
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All about milk |
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Water and milk are the only fluids children need.
Introduce cow milk around 9 – 12 months
You do not need to give “toddler” formula
Partly skimmed cow’s milk (2% and 1%)& evaporated milk
Plant-based beverages are not appropriate as the main milk source for a child under 2 years of age
Goat milk may be used as an alternative to cow milk
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Foods to avoid giving baby and choking prevention tips | ||
Foods to avoid giving baby
Choking hazards for your child under 4 Years
Examples include:
Choking prevention tips
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Want to speak with a Registered Dietitian?
Call Health Connect Ontario and ask to speak with a Registered Dietitian. Available Monday-Friday 9am-5pm by calling 811 (TTY: 1-866-797-0007) or starting a chat.
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