Baby Nutrition

Here, let me google that for you.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=at+what+age+do+babies+need+more+than...

A year old or later. It's common to introduce other foods from months 7-12 because most babies are ready for some other flavors and textures during that period but breastmilk provides all the nutrition a baby needs for at least that first year. In a developed country like the US where safe, nutritious food is widely available it makes sense to switch to table foods at around a year old but in developing countries where access to clean and safe food and water is a challenge, breastfeeding is the main source of nutrition even longer.

Breastfed babies derive nearly all of their nourishment from breastmilk until sometime after 1 year, in general. My first had only very small amounts of solids at first, starting around 7 months. We introduced foods very slowly, little bits of things here and there, tiny bites of things the rest of the family was eating, and increased solids based on his interest. He was probably at something like 50/50 between 18 months and 2 years, then over to solids and cow's milk gradually between 2 and completely weaned at 3.
It was a little quicker with my second, because he wanted to eat everything his brother ate!
It really depends on your child and situation. WHO encourages exclusive breastfeeding as long as possible in some developing countries because it is the best, safest option available for feeding infants and toddlers in areas with water contamination issues. It is perfectly healthy, but in some places it is more of a life-or-death matter than others.

Exclusive breastfeeding to 6 months is the recommendation I keep seeing.
For most kids 6 months is about when the first teeth start coming in so introducing some foods right around when they are teething and chomping on everything makes sense.
Then you continue breast feeding along with introduction of solids till a year or longer.

The World Health Organization guidelines are here: http://www.who.int/features/qa/21/en/

I exclusively breast fed until 1 year. Then my kids went straight to table food. (I tried baby food and cereal at around 8 months but they didn't like it or want it so I stopped offering it to them since foods at that age are only to practice eating...not actual nutrition.)

You'll probably get lots of conflicting responses on this. I *think* 6 months is the general rule, but I have known people whose babies went longer. Mine didn't! :) I would ask your pediatrician.

Good question for your pedi. I am sure your pedi will have recommendations that vary and then you have to choose what is best for you and your baby.

Nursing or formula should be primary til the child is at least 1 yr old and I have read that it can be primary after that, especially in developing countries. My DD was nursed til 2.5, but nursing was not primary that last year. It was an important part of her diet, but she did eat solid foods. We started solids when she was 6.5 months old, but nursing came first.

What is the context for this question?

L.

Welcome to mamapedia!!

Have you talked to your pediatrician??? I don't know ANYTHING about you, your baby, your diet, etc.

With my kids? I exclusively breast fed until 6 months... please talk to your pediatrician.

Breastmilk only is recommended until 6 months. Many start baby food/cereal before then, but it's not necessary.

WIC starts giving infants rice cereal at 6 months.

Baby food is ONLY to teach an infant to chew and swallow. Your breast milk has all the nutrients needed for brain development and nutrition so always nurse first.

If you are going to wean at a year then you need to make sure the baby starts on table food, not baby food, around 11 months so they are adapt at chewing and swallowing and eating a well balanced diet. They do need to stay away from a lot of foods though.

There is much debate about what foods to feed a toddler and what to wait until later to intruduce. WIC gives a child peanut butter at age 1. Some say wait until they're 2 to reduce allergy issues. Most kids have peanut butter when they're 1-2 years old though. IT IS A CHOKE HAZARD.

Peanut butter is sticky/tacky/thick so a child CAN choke to death on it.. A cracker with a very very very see through coat of peanut butter is the best way to introduce this. This way they have the cracker to break the peanut butter up.

If you feed your child any fruits, veggies, meat, snacks etc...they should be in 1/4 inch pieces.

Grapes, marshmallows, and other foods like this are choke hazards. Gummy fruits are a choke hazard and I know one child that choked to death on a gummy.

Kids have a throat the size of a McDonalds straw. Think about what you feed them. Their tummy is about the size of their fists. Don't over feed them.

Lastly, my pet peeve.

If you feed a child a bunch of food and they seem to love it, of course they do. It's flavored with all sorts of stuff to make it appealing to their taste buds.

If they are starving a little bit later and gooble up MORE food, "they just love eating and are always good eaters". ......

Baby food has no nutrition. The amount of "nutrition" it has is very very very minimal. Please don't feed your infant baby food.

It smells good and they eat it up. Because they're starving for nutrients. That's why they gobble it up, to fill in that empty void in their stomach that formula or breast milk needs to fill.

The baby food fills them up but it's flavored goo, not nutrition. Even the producers of this food say breast milk and formula is nutrition and should be offered first.

Give breast or bottle first THEN offer small tiny amounts of food.

6 months-rice cereal made RUNNY in a bowl mixed with formula or breast milk. Give with a spoon but it needs to be so runny they can't keep it in their mouth. They can choke to death on it if it's more solid.

7-8 months. Slowly introduce other foods, fruits, veggies, 100% juice such as Juicy Juice (only 4 ounces of juice per day), one at a time for several days to make sure they're not allergic to that specific food.

8-10 months gradually build up tolerance to more baby foods and work up to blends such as Apples and Oatmeal, Rice and Turkey, etc....but still offer breast and bottle first.

10-12 months, continue offering breast or bottle first but start to introduce table foods too. When you're eating dinner baby should be at the table too. Their own food, some finger foods are good but watch like crazy, they'll stuff it all in at once and choke.

Your baby should be able to pick up small tiny bits of food by age 1. They still need the pieces to be tiny. 1/4 inch up to 1/2 inch at most.