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Infant 6-12 months:
Getting Ready to Eat with the Family

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Your child's eating abilities will change every day.  How do you know what to offer?

Read below to learn more about how to start your baby on solid foods and advance him to table foods.

Feeding tips for 6-12 month olds

Step 1: Set the scene

The most important thing you can do to get your baby ready for table food is to get into the "meal habit" yourself.  

Feed yourself 3 meals a day and 1 -2 snacks.  Babies learn how to eat from watching you.  Try to time your infant's feeding times around your mealtimes.

If you aren't currently eating 3 meals a day, now is the time to start this important healthy habit!  If you need help with meal planning, get your family advocate to refer you to the Registered Dietitian.

Step 2: Dont start solids until your infant is ready

There are 2 things you can do now to prevent childhood obesity:

1) Wait to start solids until your child is ready

2) Stop feeding your baby when he shows signs of fullness, as seen in this video from the Ellyn Satter Institute

A full version of this video is available from your FA in English and Spanish.

Step 3: Don't Wait tooo long to start solids!

If your child has not started solids by 8-9 months, he is at risk for:

1) Delayed development

2)  Picky eating

3) Nutrient deficiencies

Why?  Watch the video to learn more.

Only Breastmilk and Formula in the bottle

Wait to give cow's milk until 1 year.

Give water in an open cup during meals.

Avoid juice, it is not healthy for your child.

No soda or other sweetened beverages for baby.

Give a source of iron at every meal

Pureed meats and fortified infant cereals are the best first foods for babies.  If not given, your baby may become iron deficient.

Video in Spanish not yet available.

Let your baby feed himself as soon as possible

Letting babies feed themselves can help prevent picky eating.

It also helps your child learn to use his hands!

 

video credit: Ellysatterinstitute.org 

Keep trying new textures

Babies who are fed purees too long become picky eaters.

 

It is VERY important to offer different foods, flavors, and textures. 

Watch this video to learn more.

Prevent your child from choking

Sit with your child during meals

Cut foods into 1/4 inch pieces

Avoid dangerous foods

Watch this video to learn more

Be savvy about allergies

Unsure when to offer peanuts, eggs, and dairy? 

 

Watch this video to learn how to prevent food allergies in infants.

What should your baby eat in the first year?
01:16
1,000 Days

What should your baby eat in the first year?

Promotion of this video is brought to you in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What should your baby eat in his or her first year? Introducing your little one to a variety of food groups, colors and textures is important when your baby is 6-12 months old. • Different food groups. Introduce your baby to a variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and proteins. • Different colors. Encourage your baby to eat brightly colored foods like green broccoli, orange sweet potato, yellow banana, red strawberries, black beans, and more! • Different textures. Between ages 6-12 months your baby will be ready to try different food textures including smooth, chunky and soft finger foods. But remember, your baby is still learning how to chew and swallow so be sure to watch your baby closely when he or she eats because anything could be a chocking hazard, especially foods that are small and/or hard. As a tip, you can soften foods by cooking them or pureeing them into a smoother texture. By introducing a variety of nutritious foods now you are teaching your baby healthy eating habits that can last a lifetime. So have fun with it. You’ve got this! And remember, talk to your child’s pediatrician or health care provider about any questions or concerns. To learn more, check out these additional resources related to this topic: • More bite-sized videos about introducing first foods – 1,000 Days https://thousanddays.org/for-parents/ • Foods and Drinks to Encourage– Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/foods-and-drinks/foods-and-drinks-to-encourage.html • When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/foods-and-drinks/when-to-introduce-solid-foods.html • Starting Solid Foods– American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Switching-To-Solid-Foods.aspx About 1,000 Days 1,000 Days, an organization by moms, for moms, understands parents need quick, practical and trustworthy advice. As the leading non-profit organization focused on improving nutrition in the critical 1,000 days from a woman’s pregnancy to her child’s 2nd birthday, 1,000 Days is pleased to partner with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide accessible and reliable information about what, when, and how to feed infants and toddlers. Check out more videos: https://thousanddays.org/for-parents/. Email us at info@thousanddays.org and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/1000Days.
What foods should my baby avoid?
01:51
1,000 Days

What foods should my baby avoid?

Promotion of this video is brought to you in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Before your baby turns 1, there are some foods you should avoid giving him or her. Some foods should be avoided because they could cause sickness or safety concerns, while other foods should be avoided because they are unhealthy. Foods to avoid include: • Cow’s milk: Drinking cow’s milk before age 1 may put your baby at risk for intestinal bleeding. Instead of cow’s milk use breast milk or infant formula before age 1. • Alternative milks: Alternative milks like soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, oat milk, etc. should not substitute breast milk or formula in the first year. • Honey: Honey (even as an ingredient) may cause a serious health problem called botulism. Your child can start to try honey and foods that contain honey only after he or she is 1-year-old. • Sugary drinks: Sugary drinks like fruit juice (even 100% juice), soda, tea/coffee or horchata encourage babies to crave sugary foods and can cause cavities, even before your baby has all of his or her teeth. • Salty foods: Foods that are high in salt, also known as sodium, should be avoided because babies’ kidneys can’t handle too much salt. Check food labels to find foods low in sodium. • Choking hazards: Small, hard foods pose high risks of choking. Common foods that are most risky include nuts, popcorn, hot dogs and whole grapes. As a tip, you can cut grapes into small pieces and then serve them to your baby. And just remember, anything can be a choking hazard so be sure to watch your baby carefully as he or she eats. By knowing the foods to avoid, you can keep your baby healthy and safe! And remember, talk to your child’s pediatrician or health care provider about any questions or concerns. To learn more, check out these additional resources related to this topic: • More bite-sized videos about introducing first foods – 1,000 Days • Foods to Limit – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) • Starting Solid Foods – American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children • Choking Hazards – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) About 1,000 Days 1,000 Days, an organization by moms, for moms, understands parents need quick, practical and trustworthy advice. As the leading non-profit organization focused on improving nutrition in the critical 1,000 days from a woman’s pregnancy to her child’s 2nd birthday, 1,000 Days is pleased to partner with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide accessible and reliable information about what, when, and how to feed infants and toddlers. Check out more videos here: https://thousanddays.org/for-parents/. Email us at info@thousanddays.org and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/1000Days.
How to cook baby’s first meat
00:59
1,000 Days

How to cook baby’s first meat

Promotion of this video is brought to you in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meat makes a great first food as it’s rich in iron and zinc. Here’s how to cook meat for your baby. As your baby begins to try foods for the first time, it is important that he or she eat foods that are rich in iron and zinc. Iron is a key nutrient that is important for babies’ growing bodies and brains. Meats – like chicken, turkey and beef – are full of iron and can make a great first food your baby. Here are steps to cook ground beef for your baby: Step 1: Prepare the ground beef Place ground beef and about ½ cup of water in a saucepan. Step 2: Cook the meat Cook over medium-high heat until meat is cooked thoroughly and no longer pink (approximately 6 to 8 minutes). Ground meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Step 3: Puree or Serve as a Finger Food For a smoother texture, you can puree the beef in a blender. Add water, breast milk or infant formula and blend until it is smooth. And now enjoy watching your baby pump that iron! And remember, talk to your child’s pediatrician or health care provider about any questions or concerns. To learn more, check out these additional resources related to this topic: • More bite-sized videos about introducing first foods – 1,000 Days https://thousanddays.org/for-parents/ • Foods and Drinks for 6 to 24 month olds – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/InfantandToddlerNutrition/foods-and-drinks/index.html • Information about Iron – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/vitamins-minerals/iron.html • Starting Solid Foods– American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Switching-To-Solid-Foods.aspx • Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures for Food – United States Department of Agriculture https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/safe-minimum-internal-temperature-chart/ct_index About 1,000 Days 1,000 Days, an organization by moms, for moms, understands parents need quick, practical and trustworthy advice. As the leading non-profit organization focused on improving nutrition in the critical 1,000 days from a woman’s pregnancy to her child’s 2nd birthday, 1,000 Days is pleased to partner with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide accessible and reliable information about what, when, and how to feed infants and toddlers. Check out more videos https://thousanddays.org/for-parents/. Email us at info@thousanddays.org and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/1000Days.
How to cook broccoli
01:10
1,000 Days

How to cook broccoli

Promotion of this video is brought to you in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Broccoli is full of nutrients for your baby’s growing brain and body. Here’s how to cook broccoli for your baby. Here are steps to cook broccoli for your baby: Step 1: Cut and wash your broccoli If you’re using frozen broccoli, you can skip this step. But if you’re using fresh broccoli, remove the stalks and rinse with water. Step 2: Boil the broccoli Place the broccoli into a medium pot, cover with water and bring water to a boil. Reduce heat until the broccoli is soft (about 15 minutes). Drain and let cool. As a tip, to speed up the cooling process you can rinse the broccoli with cold water. Step 3: Puree or serve as a finger food For a smoother texture, you can puree the broccoli in a blender. Add water, breast milk or infant formula and blend until it is smooth. If your baby is already enjoying soft finger foods, you can simply offer him or her bite-sized pieces of broccoli. And that’s it! Enjoy! And remember, talk to your child’s pediatrician or health care provider about any questions or concerns. To learn more, check out these additional resources related to this topic: • More bite-sized videos about introducing first foods – 1,000 Days https://thousanddays.org/for-parents/ • Foods and Drinks for 6 to 24 month olds – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/InfantandToddlerNutrition/foods-and-drinks/index.html • Information about Iron – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/vitamins-minerals/iron.html • Starting Solid Foods– American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Switching-To-Solid-Foods.aspx About 1,000 Days 1,000 Days, an organization by moms, for moms, understands parents need quick, practical and trustworthy advice. As the leading non-profit organization focused on improving nutrition in the critical 1,000 days from a woman’s pregnancy to her child’s 2nd birthday, 1,000 Days is pleased to partner with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide accessible and reliable information about what, when, and how to feed infants and toddlers. Check out more videos: https://thousanddays.org/for-parents/. Email us at info@thousanddays.org and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/1000Days.
How to cook sweet potato
01:27
1,000 Days

How to cook sweet potato

Promotion of this video is brought to you in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sweet potatoes are rich in several essential nutrients like potassium, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and B-complex. All of these are important for your baby’s growing body and brain. And sweet potatoes are simple to make! Here are steps to cook sweet potato for your baby: Step 1: Wash, peel and cut your sweet potato If you’re using frozen sweet potato, you can skip this step. But if you’re using fresh sweet potato, rinse the sweet potato with water, peel it, and cut it into small chunks. Step 2: Boil the sweet potato Place the sweet potato chunks into a medium pot, cover with water and bring water to a boil. Reduce heat until the sweet potato is soft (about 15 minutes). Drain and let cool. As a tip, to speed up the cooling process you can rinse the sweet potato with cold water. Step 3: Puree or serve as a finger food For a smoother texture, you can puree the sweet potato in a blender. Add water, breast milk or infant formula and blend until it is smooth. If your baby is already enjoying soft finger foods, you can simply offer him or her bite-sized pieces of soft sweet potato. And that’s it! Enjoy! And remember, talk to your child’s pediatrician or health care provider about any questions or concerns. To learn more, check out these additional resources related to this topic: • More bite-sized videos about introducing first foods – 1,000 Days https://thousanddays.org/for-parents/ • Foods and Drinks for 6 to 24 month olds – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/InfantandToddlerNutrition/foods-and-drinks/index.html • Starting Solid Foods– American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Switching-To-Solid-Foods.aspx About 1,000 Days 1,000 Days, an organization by moms, for moms, understands parents need quick, practical and trustworthy advice. As the leading non-profit organization focused on improving nutrition in the critical 1,000 days from a woman’s pregnancy to her child’s 2nd birthday, 1,000 Days is pleased to partner with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide accessible and reliable information about what, when, and how to feed infants and toddlers. Check out more videos: https://thousanddays.org/for-parents/. Email us at info@thousanddays.org and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/1000Days.
No-cook first foods
01:05
1,000 Days

No-cook first foods

Promotion of this video is brought to you in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No time to cook? No problem. There are several no-cook first foods that are great for your baby. Try these easy, no-cook first foods for babies. All you need is a fork for mashing. Banana Simply peel a ripe banana and mash it with a fork. Add water, breast milk or infant formula for a smoother texture. Avocado Cut and peel the avocado. Mash it with a fork. Add water, breast milk or infant formula for a smoother texture. Canned Beans Open a can of beans, rinse them under water, and put some in a bowl. Mash them with a fork. Add water, breast milk or infant formula for a smoother texture. And that’s it! Enjoy! And remember, talk to your child’s pediatrician or health care provider about any questions or concerns. To learn more, check out these additional resources related to this topic: • More bite-sized videos about introducing first foods – 1,000 Days https://thousanddays.org/for-parents/ • Foods and Drinks for 6 to 24 month olds – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/InfantandToddlerNutrition/foods-and-drinks/index.html • Starting Solid Foods– American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Switching-To-Solid-Foods.aspx About 1,000 Days 1,000 Days, an organization by moms, for moms, understands parents need quick, practical and trustworthy advice. As the leading non-profit organization focused on improving nutrition in the critical 1,000 days from a woman’s pregnancy to her child’s 2nd birthday, 1,000 Days is pleased to partner with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide accessible and reliable information about what, when, and how to feed infants and toddlers. Check out more videos here. Email us at info@thousanddays.org and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/1000Days.
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The "7-12 month" video is available through your Family Advocate

In this 10 minute video you will learn:

best foods for 6-12 month olds

foods to avoid feeding 6-12 month olds

how to know when to start solid foods

what first foods to feed babies

food allergies

choking

preventing picky eating

Consulting

Ask your Family Advocate to schedule a visit with the Registered Dietitian.

 

One-on-one consults are available over zoom.

Almost any time or day can be accommodated.

Common Concerns to talk with the dietitian about:

  • Understanding older babies

  • Starting solids

  • Starting baby on a cup

  • How to prepare for weaning

  • Understanding almost toddlers

  • How to feed almost toddlers

  • Making food easy to eat

  • Keeping a child from choking

  • Concerns about your child's size

elly satter videos.jpg

Ellyn satter videos

The following short videos (about 1 minute each) are available through your Family Advocate

 

Introduction 1:18

Starting solids to family meals. Children vary. Keep it casual.
Jatta 5 mo 2:30

Positive first solid feeding. Breastfeeding (latch-on, suck-swallow).
Micah, Sam 4.5 mo 1:49

(+) and (-) reaction to too-early solids. Babies at family meal.
Ella 6.5 mo 4:22

Positive, experienced semi-solids. Unfamiliar food.
Zubin 6 mo 2:20

Negative semi-solids. Parent charmingly pushy.
Alex 10 mo 1:57

Getting stuck on semi-solid food.
Andrew 7 mo 3:26

Introduction to family food. Mid-transition to family meal.
Madison & Daniel 12 mo 4:13

Self-feeding at family meal. Oral-motor development and hand-
mouth coordination. Child obesity.

Summary 1:13

Division of responsibility. Children’s eating competence.

 

Injoy videos

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