Feeding the Healthy Infant

1
Feeding the Healthy Infant

• The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
  Service

2
Tips for feeding the healthy infant

• Feed only breast milk or iron fortified infant
  formula during the first 6 months of life
• If the mother is breastfeeding, breast milk can
  be pumped into a bottle for later feeding

3
Prevent tooth decay

• Never let the baby sleep with the bottle in their
  mouth

4
Only Feed Formula or Breastmilk for the first 4-6
months

• Iron-fortified formula and breast milk contain
  many more nutrient than solid foods
• Just compare the labels

Breastfed or formula fed infants usually meet
protein and calorie needs easily while infants
fed solid too soon may not.
5
Continue Formula or Breast Milk Until 1 Year of
Age

• Do not switch to regular cows milk until age one
• Cows milk is too low in iron and other nutrients

6
Vitamin D

• Standard infant formulas are supplemented with
  vitamin D
• Infants should have at least 10-15 minutes of
  sunlight a day to meet the need for vitamin D

7
Fat

• Most infants receive fat from breast milk or
  formula
• No skim or low fat milk until age 2

8
Feeding positions

• Infants should be fed in a semi-upright position
• Prevents choking and the ear infection.
• More comfortable

9
Feeding Solids

• Infants should sit in an upright position in a
  high chair while feeding from the spoon.
• The person offering the food should sit
• in front making eye contact
• No solid food in the bottle!

10
When the healthy infant is ready for solid food

• Offer one new food at a time over 2-3 days
• Rice cereal rarely causes an allergy.
• Offer 1 or 2 meals a day in small portion sizes.
  Do not feed from the jar.

11
Signs of Hunger and Fullness

• The infant may cry when hungry or reach for food
• When full the infant will stop eating and turn
  away.
• Do not force feed!

12
Some foods infants eat

• Rice cereal, pureed fruits and vegetables
• Mix plain meat with plain vegetables
• Cheerios
• Cooked cream of wheat

13
Never feed an infant

• Popcorn
• Peanuts
• Raisins or grapes
• Uncut stringy meats
• Honey

• Gum or gummy candy
• Hard candy
• Hot dog pieces
• Hard raw fruit or vegetables

14
How much did you Learn?True or False

• Solid food should be started before 3 months of
  age so the baby will sleep through the night.
• Rice cereal rarely causes allergies.
• Honey is a good thing to add to baby cereal.