Which Foods Are Important for a Baby?

A baby grows fast in the first year of life. A healthy infant will gain about 5 to 7 ounces a week from birth to six months and 3 to 5 ounces a week for the second six months, according to MayoClinic.com. By the time your baby is a year old, she will have tripled her birth weight. With that kind of growth rate, nutrition is important. A well-balanced diet for a baby should include protein, carbohydrates and fats as well as vitamins and minerals.

Breast feeding is the best source of nourishment for newborns, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. Breast milk is easily digested, contains all of the nutrients a baby needs and helps protect your baby from infectious diseases. Breast milk contains lactose – a milk sugar – fat and proteins called casein and whey, as well as the vitamins and minerals your baby needs.

By the time your baby is about six months old, her digestive system is ready for solid foods. Cooked cereal is often the first food doctors recommend, and of the grains, rice is the least likely to cause allergies, according to Britain’s National Health Service. Oatmeal is another good cereal choice, as is barley. Other starchy foods such as mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes or yams can provide carbohydrates.

Fruits and vegetables are good sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Bananas are easy for a baby to chew, even without teeth, and can be mashed with a fork. Cooked apples, peaches and pears are also soft and easily digested. Pureed carrots, peas, green beans and squash provide variety as well as nutrition. As your baby becomes used to eating solid foods, you can offer cooked spears of broccoli or cauliflower, green beans and carrots. Diced cooked vegetables and diced soft fruits are other ways to serve fruits and vegetables.

Protein is important for strong muscles and other body tissues. Cooked pureed meats such as chicken, beef, turkey and lamb provide amino acids, vitamin B12 and minerals such as iron to your baby. Eggs can be served soft boiled or scrambled, or hard-boiled eggs can but cut into small pieces or mashed. Cottage cheese is another protein food that is high in calcium and easy for babies to eat. Cooked pureed or mashed beans also add protein to the diet.

The exact foods you feed your baby are less important than ensuring you offer a wide variety; a healthy diet should contain many different foods to ensure your baby gets all the nutrients she needs. It is best to avoid foods that are highly sweetened or salted, and foods with little nutrition such as soft drinks or sweets. Some foods increase the risk of choking, so raw carrot sticks, grapes, cherry tomatoes, popcorn and sausage should not be on the menu until your baby is older.

Article reviewed by J. Betherman Last updated on: Apr 25, 2012

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