I am your baby. I grow best with love and the right food.
Feeding is our special time
Hold me when you feed me. I feel safe in your arms.
Sometimes I stop eating to talk to you or look around. I am not full yet. Please talk to me. I love our time together.
I should drink breast milk or formula until I am 1 year old.
I know when I get hungry or full. I let you know by the way I act. Please feed me when I act hungry. Let me eat until I act full.
I might drink breast milk or formula 4 or more times a day. My tummy can hold 6 to 8 ounces at a time.
At 6 months, I may be ready to try other foods. Please go slowly. Talk with my doctor and WIC if our family has allergies or if I was born early.
You will know I am ready to eat other foods when I can:
Sit and hold my head steady
Show I want food by opening my mouth
Show I don’t want food by closing my mouth or turning my head.
1. Smooth: strained or puree
2. Mashed: smooth with a few tiny lumps
3. Chopped: more lumps
4. Tiny pieces of food.
Each stage gets a little harder. Be sure I can chew and swallow food from one stage before I try the next one.
I might spit it out or make a face. If I keep my mouth closed, don’t force me to eat. Try again some other time.
Give me safe food.
Wash your hands and mine before you fix my food or feed me. Do not heat my food in a microwave. It could burn my mouth. Put my food in a dish and feed it to me with a baby spoon. Throw out any food left in the dish and breast milk or formula left in the cup or bottle after feeding me.
Do not give me foods I can choke on like hot dogs, whole grapes, or hard candy.
