Iron supplements may be indicated at 4 months if the formula is not supplemented with iron. Soy milk should not be substituted for soy formula in infants. Soy milk does not contain the proper ratio of protein, fat, and carbohydrate nor does it have enough of many vitamins and minerals to be used as the only food or almost only food an infant receives. Usually these signs occur when the child is developmentally ready to begin solid foods. Introduce one new food at a time to reduce the risk of allergy.
Many people use iron-fortified infant rice cereal as the first food.
This is a good choice as it is a good source of iron and rice cereal is least likely to cause an allergic response. Cereal can be mixed with expressed breast milk or soy formula so the consistency is fairly thin. Formula or breast milk feedings should continue as usual. Oats, barley, corn, and other grains can be ground in a blender and then cooked until very soft and smooth. These cereals can be introduced one at a time.