Starting Solids A HEALTHY FEEDING PLAN As one of the first things you do together, feeding is a time when you and your baby learn about each other. It's a time when babies explore their independence and discover how to interact. It's also the beginning of establishing lifelong eating . habits. Research shows that babies know how much food they need. And they'll tell you in many ways — smiling, reaching toward the spoon, opening their mouths. WHEN IS BABY READY FOR SOLIDS? ‘ Doubles birth weight and weighs at least 13 pounds. V Seems hungry after 8 to 10 breastfeedings a day or drinks 32. ounces of formula a day. Lifts and supports head, BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT CHECKUP Start feeding your baby some of the single-ingredient baby foods Usted in the Ist Foods Schedule. Here are some basic guidelines: / Start with 1 tablespoon single-grain cereal, _/ Add only one new food ata time, Feed each ‘mixed with 4 tablespoons breast milk, formula "new food 3 to 5 days in a row before starting or water. Decrease te amount of fluid as your another one. (To see how the food agrees. baby gets used to the consistency. with your baby). 1 Start a new food in the morning: if it doesn't J You can repeat a food already given, and agree with your baby, you'll know before pale familiar favorites on the spoon with bedtime. now foods 1ST FOODS SCHEDULE Product Variety Day One |Day Two | Day Three | Day Fours Single-Grain ‘O Rce Cereal Vtablespoon [2 tablespoons | 3 tablespoons | 4 tablespoons Cereal 2 Oatmeal plus breast mi, | plus breast milk, | plus breast milk, | per serving © Barley Cereal formula or water | formula or water | formula or water Single Vegetables | © Green Beans © Carrots Ker iar ‘lar 1 ar 25 ounce jar portion | O Peas © Sweet Potatoes © Squash Single Fruits ‘Applesauce © Bananas jar yar ‘sar ar 25 ounce er potion | O Peaches. Pears. © Prunes 100% © Apple Tfluid ounce | 1% Aid ounces | rxfuid ounces | 2 uid ounces Infant Juice 0 Pear Singleingeedient | © White Grape SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONSMEALTIME IS YOUR TIME TOGETHER / Atmosphere — Spend some quiet time together to create a relaxed atmosphere, V/ Preparation — Get your “tools” together before you start: bib, baby spoon, food, moist towel (expect a bit of a mess). Position — Hold baby in a slightly reclined, sitting position on your lap. Quantity — Place small tastes on the tip of a spoon and place in baby’s mouth. Never force a baby to eat. They “listen” to thelr hunger cues and do not under- or over-eat. / Very first tastes — Your baby’s first tries at swallowing solid food will be awkward. Your baby may need practice. Ifthe food is rejected, offer a few more spoonfuls Sit back and enjoy seeing your baby learn something new: how to eat solid foods. GERBER FOODS. Roland simran. ‘When Is Baby Ready? Which Foods Are Best? Cereal Introduce single grain cereal when baby: (© Doubles bith weight and weighs at east 13 pounds (© Seems hungry after 8 to 10 breast= feedings a day or drinks 32 ounces of formula a day (0 its and supports heed Introduce mltingredient cereals when baby: (© Has red a variey of singlesngredent Gerber* 15T FOODS baby foods (© Stare with Gerber ice cereal asthe fist food introduced © Choose iron fried infant cereal to help meet your ‘baby’s need for ron © Each serving of Gerber cereal provides 45% ofthe dally vals fr ion | © Cereal isan excelent fst choice because its easy to digest © Cereal consistency can be easily altered ty varying the ‘amount of quid added (© Always fee from a spoon. You should not add cereal toabotte 1sT FOODS Introduce 1ST FOODS when ba (O Pushes sel up with svaight elbows (© Sits with help an has control of head movements, © Single ingredient foods such as Bananas, Pears or Peas © Pureed for easy swallowing Foods without sugar, salt egg, milk, wheat, citrus Introduce jules when baby: (O Has tried a variety of single-ngretent Gerber 19T FOODS baby foods (0 Is ready to ty drinking from a cup (© Add vitarnin C-fortied 10096 juice to cereal to ‘boos iron absorption © Gerber ofes a variety ofready-toserve baby juices (© Juice isan easy way to teach new favors and introduce variety but should not replace breast milk or formula (© Juice is a fun way to introduce drinkin fram a cup ‘2ND FOODS Introduce 2ND FOODS when baby: (© Mixed ingredients, such as Garden Vegetable and 1 Sits independently ‘Apple Blueberry (O Rls over rom back to front © Smooth-textured foods (© Can hold small object in hand (© Protein dishes, such as meats and select (O Has red a varity of single-ngredient ‘Simpl Recipe” dinners Gerber 1ST FOODS. ‘3RD FOODS Introduce 3RD FOODS wien bal (© Larger portion sizes to kaso up with appetite b (© Leams to craw and pulls self up to stane (© Mathes food with gums (© Begins to expand taste preference (© Holes cup while derking (© Gente Seasonings and texture to encourage chawing (© Tasty selections such as rocco and Carrots with Cheese, Vegetable and Pasta Dinner (© Serve a variety to provide nutitlon needed for healthy blood (ron), growth (ie) and heathy gums (amin ©) FINGER FOODS Introduce Finger Foods~ when baby: (0 Has some upper end lower teeth (© Can stand alone and walk with some help © Gan easly pk up small objects with fingers (© Drinks from a cup with independence (© Good source of iron and zine |ust the right size and shape for baby to grasp (© Easy to chew and swallow foods lke Wagon Wheels ‘GRADUATES t Introduce Graduates when baby: (© Wales with asistance (© Feeds self easly with fingers Call the Parents Resource Center at 1-800-4-GERBER for answers to questions on feeding your baby or visit us at www.gerber.com. (O Calcium forties ulces Microwavable main dishes © Vegetable, fut and mixed dices ( Just the right sz, shape and texture saaon Gerber ©2002 GERBER Products Company