When is the right time for a baby to start eating Gerber or home made baby food..?

Question

and how much and how often should i feed him.. he eats alot.. just dont want to over feed him.. never less induce him to ovesity..

Answer 1

I am a nutritionist

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, and many other health organizations recommend that babies be exclusively breastfed (no cereal, juice or other foods) for the first 6 months of life. Some doctors may recommend delaying solids for the first year if there is a family history of allergies. I'm not going into the many health benefits of delaying solids here

Solids readiness depends on both the maturity of baby’s digestive tract and baby’s developmental readiness for solids. Although the maturity of baby’s digestive system is not something that we can readily observe, research indicates that 6 months appears to be ideal for avoiding the allergies and other health risks of too-early solids. After this point, different babies are ready for solids at different times -- developmental readiness for solids cannot be determined using a calendar. Most babies are developmentally ready for solids somewhere between 6 and 8 months.

Signs that indicate baby is developmentally ready for solids include:

* Baby can sit up well without support.
* Baby has lost the tongue-thrust reflex and does not automatically push solids out of his mouth with his tongue.
* Baby is ready and willing to chew.
* Baby is developing a “pincer” grasp, where he picks up food or other objects between thumb and forefinger. Using the fingers and scraping the food into the palm of the hand (palmar grasp) does not substitute for pincer grasp development.
* Baby is eager to participate in mealtime and may try to grab food and put it in his mouth.

We often state that a sign of solids readiness is when baby exhibits a long-term increased demand to nurse (sometime around 6 months or later) that is unrelated to illness, teething pain, a change in routine or a growth spurt. However, it can be hard to judge whether baby’s increased nursing is related to readiness for solids. Many (if not most) 6-month-old babies are teething, growth spurting and experiencing many developmental changes that can lead to increased nursing – sometimes all at once! Make sure you look at all the signs of solids readiness as a whole, because increased nursing alone is not likely to be an accurate guide to baby’s readiness.

Four- to five-month-old babies are sometimes very eager to participate at mealtime, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they are ready to eat solids - more often it's just the normal developmental urge to do what everyone else is doing. Research studies tell us that there are many health advantages to delaying solids for about 6 months for all babies, not just the babies who are not yet interested in mealtime.

common myths:

weight:
The American Academy of Pediatrics/World Health Organization recommendations for starting solids at 6 months or later has no exceptions for babies who weigh more. The research that I've seen on the health benefits of starting solids at 6 months and later holds for all babies, no matter what their weight.

It's the maturity of the digestive tract and baby's developmental readiness that makes the difference, not baby's weight.

sleep:
The popular belief that feeding solids at night will help baby sleep through the night has no basis in fact.


for when your baby is digestively ready to start solids:
Stage 1

At 6 months solid foods can be introduced but the weaning process should not be hurried if baby is content with breast milk alone. Pay attention to the signals baby gives out e.g. baby will probably be ready for solid food if they cry after breast-feedings or chew on the nipple. Even then, breastfeeding should be continued (alongside the introduction of solids) for as long as is comfortable for mother and baby.

The best time to introduce solid foods to baby is just before breast or bottle-feeding. Starting solids is a very gradual process so be patient and go slowly. The classic 'first food' is mashed banana, which is very digestible, sweet and a good introduction to foods. Suitable first foods are baby rice or pureed vegetables. Fruits are usually introduced after vegetables in order to allow acceptance of vegetables before the sweet tastes of fruits is experienced. Other popular first foods are carrot, sweet potatoes, parsnip, apples, bananas and pears. When they have had enough babies will turn away their head, clamp their mouth shut or spit the food out! These are signs that they have had enough.

When introducing solids to baby offer one type of food only and then observe how well it is tolerated. Start with around 1-2 tsp of food and gradually increase up to 6 tsp. How is fed to baby depends entirely on how much they will eat. A rough guide might be a quarter of a very ripe mushy banana for a few days (or for a week) and the following week another soft fruit such as apple sauce. This gives the baby's digestive system time to get used to each new food before the introduction of additional ones. If two or more foods are introduced at the same time and baby has diarrhoea, colic or other digestive problems, it will be difficult to identify the culprit. The foods during this first stage should be bland with a smooth consistency.

If the baby is not interested the first few times solids are introduced it is advised to try again in another week. When baby is ready they will let you know. Baby might be hungry at any time of the day or night. Babies cannot tell the time but they know what they need.

Prepare cooked vegetables plainly, do not add salt, sugar or spices. Good introductory vegetables are parsnips, sweet potatoes, yams and carrots. Still start feeds with breast or bottle but now very gradually increase the amount of solid food given afterwards. Solids should only be given by spoon or hand and never added to a bottle of feed.

Typical feed for one day at stage 1


* 1st feed - breast or bottle
* 2nd feed - breast or bottle
* 3rd feed - 1-2 tsp baby rice mixed with 1 tbs milk from feed or 1-2 tsp unsweetened fruit puree
* 4th feed - breast or bottle
* 5th feed - breast or bottle

Stage 2:

Try and move gradually from solid food at one feed in the day to solid food at two and then three feeds. Follow baby's appetite and move at baby's pace.

Avoid all baby foods that contain sugar or artificial sweeteners. Sugar contains no vitamins, minerals or protein and can lead to obesity, both now and later in the child's life. Sweetened foods also confuse and seduce the appetite tending to satisfy hunger quickly and displace healthful foods. Do not add salt to foods.

Typical feed for one day at stage 2:


* 1st feed - breast or bottle
* 2nd feed - breast or bottle followed by 1-2 tsp baby rice mixed with 1 tbs milk from feed or 1-2 tsp unsweetened fruit puree
* 3rd feed - breast or bottle followed by 1-2 tsp vegetable puree or 1-2 tsp pureed fruit
* 4th feed - breast or bottle followed by 1-2 tsp pureed fruit
* 5th feed - breast or bottle

Answer 2

At about 4 months start with single grain cereal, like Gerber rice(this is the most gentle), oatmeal and barley. The first feeding of cereal should be watery. Just make about a few tablespoons. After that you can gradually thicken it up to the consistancy of baby food. Once you thicken it, the baby can eat 1/2 cup. At about 5 months start on Gerber stage 1 baby food. Try the veggies first, then fruits. Make sure you give several days inbetween each new food to detect for allergies. Once all are tried out, you can start the dinners. I had this Q before and I went on the beechnut site and they sent me a pamphlet on their products. Here is an example of what a 6 month old should be eating:

Breakfast: 1/2 cup prepared cereal
2 oz. fruit

Lucnch: 1-1 1/2 oz. meat
2-4 oz. veggie
2 oz fruit

Snack: 1 serving of fruit or 4 oz. juice(make sure juice is diluted with half water)

Dinner: 4 oz. dinner
2 oz. fruit

And all through the day the baby should still be drinking about 24-36 ounces of formula/breast milk. The formula/breast milk could be given with or inbetween meals, usually in 5-6 seperate feedings.

I hope this helped you. Good Luck!!!

Answer 3

About 4 months. You can start with the cereal and baby food at that time. He still will be taking the bottle. At 4 months, I will start with half a jar because the jars will be the small ones. When you give the cereal can give that in the morning mixed with the bottle for the morning and then give him the rest of the bottom because you will not use all the milk for the cereal and that should be enough until next feeding time which should be a bottle and the jar food at dinner time.

Answer 4

If you don't want to overfeed him, then *no* solids until 6 months old. This is the current recommendation of all international health organizations for some very good reasons. Babies cannot digest solids before that age, and it can do serious harm to them.

When you *do* start solids, use fresh, *real* food, not so-called "baby foods". Real food is tastier and more nutritious than jars or boxes of anything. You don't need to "make your own baby food", either. To feed a baby, choose a food and give it to him. For instance...take an apple and grate a teaspoonful. Feed the baby. Or peel a banana and give him a chunk. You don't need to fuss and freeze...again, *real* food is healthier!

Answer 5

4 months for cereal and 6 months for fruits and veggies. Make sure to only introduce one thing at a time to watch for allergies. You should give the same food for 2-3 days to check. Your baby will guide how much he/she eats. They know when to stop. You do not want to limit an infant because they need all of the nutrients and fats to grow and for their brain development. Good luck.

Answer 6

Anywhere from 4-6 mos. Your baby will tell you when it's the right time. I started my little girl on solids (after checking with her pediatrician) when she started reaching for real food. Baby's tummies are small, and they'll eat what you give them. If your baby spits up after eating, you're feeding them too much.

Answer 7

This is a decision best made by mom and a pediatrician.Most babies are ready between four and six months.By then, he or she will be able to move food to the back of his mouth and swallow. Also, his digestive system will be better able to handle solid foods. (we are talking cereal not carrots:) ) Most doctors reccomend that you start with a baby cereal. Very small amounts that gradually increase. Good luck!

Answer 8

4-5months You didn't say how old he but around six months he should have one 6oz bottle of formula or breast milk then mid morning cereal and a jar of fruit then another bottle then for lunch and dinner 2 bottles of baby food with a bottle in between and if needed one more bottle before bed.You can't overfeed a baby they will let you know they are full just by pushing spoon or bottle out or turning their head or spitting the food out(more than usual)

Answer 9

I started giving my son cereal in his bottle around 4 mo. so i would say u could start around 5-6 months but i would only give like 1 jar a day if that. my son loved applesauce and the blueberry buckle when he got older.
Your baby will let you know if he's ready.

Answer 10

according to pediatricians and other health professionals you should start feeding your baby prepared baby food, jar or homemade around 5 months. veggies first than fruits at around 6 months. me, personally, started my daughter on them at 3 months. she was always hungry with just formula, breast-milk, and cereal. i introduced one food at a time and watched to see if her system could tolerate it. if it did, fine. if it didn't, then i wouldn't give it to her until thee recommended time. she is 7 months old and weighs 17 pounds, in the 90th percentile for babies her age. she has a healthy appetite but doesn't overdo it she knows when to quit. just use your own judgment. you know your baby more than anyone. good luck!!

Answer 11

4 months