Know Your Baby’s Food: First 12 months

If you are expecting your first child then there are lots of thing you must remember. Although you will get all support from your family friends till birth. But after birth soon you have to take responsibility of your baby. Now the real struggle will begin, you will get confused while deciding many things for your baby. When you will face all these changes you might make some mistakes, usually people do this mistake in food/feeding. These mistakes can be dangerous for your baby; can cause any disease as well. But not to worry we are here to help you people and with this blog we will give you a brief overview about your baby’s food till 12 months.  

0-4 Months- First four months of child are crucial and thus you have to be double sure about the hygiene. Trust only breastfeeding for first four month, avoid pumps and infant formulas. 

Why avoid Pumps?

First of all pumps will take twice time then nursing, pumping is more painful and an unnatural way of feeding. Pumping can be easier sometimes, but if your baby gets familiar to bottles you will face issues while nursing. Further if breast pumps are useful only when you are facing engorgement issues. Usually such issues found when babies suddenly stop breastfeeding.

Apart from pumps you must avoid infant formulas because regular feeding of such formulas will develop unlinking towards breast milk. Again any infant formula will never beat mother’s milk. According to various researches and studies doctors suggest mothers to continue breastfeeding for at least 4-5 months.

4-6 Months- When your baby get 4months old then you can start feeding vegetables, cereals and Fruits in pureed form. 

Vegetables- Carrots, Squash, Green Beas, Peas, Sweet Potatoes
Fruits- Banana, Pears, Peaches
Cereals- Rice, Oatmeal, Barley

Here do not expect more, it won’t be more than few small spoons. You can decrease the nursing time and try to switch breastfeeding to regular cow milk.

6-9 Months- These months will be crucial and here you have to work a lot. Now you have to stop breastfeeding and completely switch to cow milk.  Now pureed vegetables, fruits and cereals will be increased

9-12 Months- When your baby is about to complete its first year it’s time to revise food chart and add some more things to it like cheese and meat with vegetables, rice, fruits with yoghurt.

During entire 12 months need not to force baby to eat things as milk will be the prime source of nutrition. But you have to add few things so that your baby gets familiar with them as well.

Further you have to keep your baby away from all types of fuzzy drinks, salt, raw or uncooked egg, food with gravy, tea, coffee and flavored milk. A most common mistake parents do in allowing honey in first year. This can show adverse effects on baby’s health as honey contains bacteria. Try to avoid honey as much as you can at least for 18-24 months.