The major health organizations - including the American Academy
of Pediatrics (AAP), American Medical Association (AMA), the
American Dietetic Association (ADA), and the World Health
Organization (WHO) - agree that
breast milk
is the ideal form of nutrition for babies (especially during the
first 6 months). However, it's your choice to decide what's
best for you and your baby. And commercially prepared formulas are
designed and strictly regulated to provide the nutrients your baby
needs.
Whether you've decided to formula feed your baby from the
start, are supplementing your breast milk with formula, or are
switching from breast milk to formula, you're bound to have
questions. Here are answers to some common inquiries about formula
feeding.
When should I introduce solid foods?
Although in the past many parents started giving their babies
solids
early on, the AAP now recommends waiting until babies are 4-6
months old. Why? Because feeding solids earlier than this can
increase the chances of your baby developing food allergies.
Water, juice, and other foods are usually unnecessary during a
baby's first 6 months. Breast milk or formula provides
everything babies need nutritionally until they start eating solid
foods.
Watch for signs of solid-food readiness, such as your baby
having good head control, losing the tongue-thrusting reflex and
seeming interested in other people's food. Always start with
baby cereal (rice cereal is usually the best one to introduce
first) on a spoon before advancing to fruits and vegetables. But do
not
add cereal to your baby's bottle unless your doctor instructs
you to - it can be a choking hazard and can make babies
overweight.
Also, fruit juices should
not
be given to babies younger than 6 months, unless the doctor tells
you to do so. Even when your baby is older, keep fruit juices to a
minimum (no more than 4-6 ounces, or 120-180 milliliters, per day).
Offer it in a cup, not a bottle. Too much juice can fill your baby
up (leaving little room for more nutritious foods), promote
obesity, and put your baby at an increased risk for cavities when
teeth start coming in.
When you do give your baby juice, make sure it's pasteurized
and dilute it with water. And remember to never put your baby to
bed with a bottle or capped cup. Doing so can cause choking and
increase your baby's risk for cavities from the sugar in the
juice, formula, or breast milk.
When can I start giving my baby cow's milk?
Infants under 1 year still need the nutrients in breast milk or
formula. But at 1 year old, you can begin offering your little one
whole milk. Why not skim or 2%? Because babies need the fat in
whole milk for normal growth and brain development during the busy
early toddler period.
You can transition your baby from formula to whole milk by
beginning to replace bottles of formula with bottles - or sippy
cups - of milk. By 1 year old, your baby should be eating a variety
of other foods and only 2-3 cups (480-720 milliliters) of milk
per day.
If your baby was put on a soy or hypoallergenic formula for
a
milk allergy
, talk to the doctor before introducing milk.
Reviewed by:
Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: March 2009
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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