# Presentation: 108601

## 

Introducing 
Baby
 to 
Solids

**Introducing **
**Baby**
** ****to **
**Solids**

**Notes:**
Hello, my name is __________.  In today’s class we will be discussing introducing your baby to solids.  The information contained in this class are general recommendations.  If you have any doubts about feeding your baby, please call your baby’s doctor.  Does anyone know what signs say a baby is ready to have his first solid food?  Pause 3-5 seconds for discussion to start.

## When do I start solids?								2

****** ****sits with support**
****** ****holds head steady**
****** ****able to keep food in mouth and swallow**
**baby shows interest in food and eating**
**usually between 4-6 months of age****	**

**Notes:**
Here are the usual signs that your baby is ready for his first food.  (Go over list).

##  Are there dangers of feeding too early?																		3

- may trigger allergies
- may be linked to diabetes
- can not digest solids yet
- nutritionally not necessary

**Notes:**
Are there any dangers to feeding too early?  Pause 3-5 seconds for any discussion to start.  There are some concerns about feeding too early such as triggering food allergies.  Feeding before the 4th month has also been linked to developing diabetes later in life according to the American Medical Association.  You may also want to think about feeding too early as wasting the cereal you feed.  Babies usually can not digest the cereal that is fed so no nutrition is being gained from the food given.  Up until the 6th month, babies can get all the necessary nutrients from breast milk or formula. 

## How about feeding too late?														4

****** ****rejection of solids**
****** ****strong attachment to bottle**
****** ****may be linked to diabetes**

**Notes:**
Feeding too late isn’t dangerous, but it can make getting your baby started on solids challenging and difficult.  Starting feeding after the 6th month and beyond may prove to be difficult at best.  Baby may reject solids preferring to use the familiar route of getting nutrition...the breast or the bottle.  Recently, the American Medical stated that introducing food after the 7th month may be linked to diabetes as well.  So make sure to start solids when your baby shows readiness in the window period of 4-6 months.

## 		First Food											5

- Infant single grain rice cereal fortified with iron
-  Mix with breast milk or formula
- 		  Should be consistency of cream
- 			  Feed with spoon
- 		 Do not add cereal to bottle

**Notes:**
Baby’s first food should be single grain rice cereal specially made for babies.  Why do you think single grain rice cereal is recommended as the first food to introduce?  Pause 3-5 seconds for discussion.  Rice cereal is easy to digest, has low risk of the baby being allergic to it and is easy to swallow.  The   (Show box for example, should we do demo?)  Do not put cereal in the bottle this poses a serious risk of choking the baby.  The cereal should be fortified with iron.  Starting around 4-6 months babies need to be getting iron in their diets.  Especially breastfed babies.  Babies on formula that is iron fortified are getting iron in every bottle.  You may also try baby oatmeal and barley cereals.  Do not buy the cereal with fruit added.    

## What food is best to serve next?							6	

- pureed veggies and fruits
-  start with vegetables
-  5-7 months
- sit up without support
- beginning to chew
- Why?
- Babies are more likely to reject less sweet foods like vegetables if sweet things like fruits are introduced first.

**Notes:**
After cereal what food is best to serve next?  Pause 3-5 seconds for any discussion.  Vegetables are the best choice to serve next.  Around 5-7 months when your baby can sit up without support and begin to chew, it is appropriate to start fruits and vegetables.  Start with vegetables first.  Does anyone know why it is recommended that vegetables be served first?  Pause 3-5 seconds for any comments.  Babies are less likely to reject vegetables because they are less sweet if served first.  After baby has tried a couple of different vegetables, fruits can be served.

## Add one new food at a time								7

**Why?**
**Detection of allergic reactions:**
******rash on skin including diaper rash**
****** ****diarrhea**
****** ****gas **
****** ****wheezing**
****** ****runny nose**
******can try food again later in a month or so**

**Notes:**
Add each new food to baby’s diet as a single item and feed that for 3-5 days.  Does anyone know why this is recommended?  Each new food that is introduced should be given exclusively for 3-5 days while watching for any allergic reactions.  Allergic reactions include rashy skin, diaper rash, diarrhea, gas, wheezing, difficulty breathing and/or runny nose.

## What are the most common food  				allergies?										8					

- eggs					 wheat
- nuts and peanuts 		chocolate
-                                cow’s milk
- citrus
- 		strawberries				shellfish

**Notes:**
What are the most common food allergies?  Pause 3-5 seconds for discussion to begin.  Eggs are a common source of food allergies.  The egg white is the usual cause of allergy.  Wheat products which include white flour, cakes, cookies and bread.  Anything that has flour in it has a potential to cause an allergic reaction.  Cow’s milk should not be given until one year of age and then observe to allergic reactions.  Chocolate, citrus, (which includes limes, lemons, oranges, and tangerines) and shellfish (which includes shrimp, lobster, clams, and crab) are also common sources of food allergy and should not be added into the diet until at least one year of age.  Observe to signs of allergy.  If an allergy is present, most children will grow out of it by age 5.   What are your questions about this topic?  Pause 3-5 seconds before moving on.  

## What age is it okay to give meat?								9

- 7-8 months...protein foods
- grasp & hold onto things
- pureed meats
- pureed and strained beans
- cooked egg yolk mashed & thinned
- cottage cheese
- plain yogurt

**Notes:**
What age do you think it is okay to give meat or other protein sources?  Pause 3-5 seconds for comments.  Around 7-8 months when your baby is able to grasp and hold onto things protein items can be served.  

## How to make homemade baby food								10

-   baby food grinder or blender
-  cooked veg, fruit or meat
-  add formula, breast milk or water
-  thin consistency
- do not add anything else to food!

**Notes:**
Homemade baby food is inexpensive, nutritious and easy to make.  You can use a baby food grinder or your home blender to puree food for baby’s first meals.  Add formula, breast milk or water to thin consistency of food.  It is not necessary or recommended to add anything else to the prepared food.  So do not add spices or salt to homemade food.  Extra food can be made up ahead of time and frozen in an ice cube tray or small Tupperware style containers.  Heating food in microwave is not recommended as baby can get burned from uneven heating of foods.

## Do not serve homemade:								11

-  carrots
- 	 spinach
- 		 beets
- 			 turnips
- 				 collard greens
- before 6 months of age!

**Notes:**
Do not serve these homemade vegetables before 6 months because of possible nitrate poisoning which is rare, but can be very serious. (If further discussion is needed:  Nitrates are found in the soil and in making homemade baby food this substance is removed in the cooking process.  Commercially prepared baby foods of these foods are fine.)

## Purchased baby food								12

- choose single ingredient selections
- watch out for fillers
- avoid foods with water as #1 ingredient
- listen for jar lid to pop or click
- check expiration date
- do not feed from jar

**Notes:**
fillers such as tapioca and modified food starch.  water listed as first ingredient

## Do not give:					13

- Artificial sweeteners
- unpasteurized dairy, juice
- caffeine containing drinks
- herbal tea
- alcohol
- vitamin supplements other than MD Rx
- sushi

## 	No Honey!!!		14

- _!__Never_ give your baby honey
- !Foods made with honey
-        Can cause serious type of food     	poisoning or even death

**Notes:**
Before we talk about anything else today I want to make sure and impress upon you the importance of not giving a baby less than one year of age honey.  It can be deadly due to spores that honey can contain. (Honey may contain botulism spores which can paralyze muscles making it impossible to breath.  One of the first signs of botulism in a baby is constipation.)  After one year of age honey is okay because the digestive system is more fully developed.

##  Move on to texture...	    15

**signs of readiness for texture...**...
- baby can sit up well without support
-  uses gums/teeth to chew
-  usually around 7 months

## What can babies easily 		choke on?											16	

**	****	****	****	****	****        ****hot dogs**
**	****	****      ****nuts & seeds**
**	****	****	****	****	****	****             ****popcorn **
**	****	****	****   ****chips **
**	****	****	****	****	****       ****grapes **
**   ****raisins **
**                     ****	****	**** ****raw vegetables **
**	**
**peanut butter**

## Is it okay to give juice?			17

- juice can have more calories per ounce than sodas!!!
- dilute juice with half water
- starting at age 6 months ok in cup diluted
- 2 ounces (1/4 cup) juice per day only

## Summary

## Thank you for attending 
today’s class!

- today’s class!