Introduction To Solid Foods

Question 1

Why not earlier than 6 months?

Answer 1

▪risk of decreased growth
-Breastmilk contains all nutrients required
up to 6 months

▪Developmentally ready

Question 2

Why not later than 6 months?

Answer 2

▪risk of decreased growth
- breastmilk has all nutrients needed to sustain healthy baby up until 6months

▪risk of nutrient deficiencies:iron

• fetal hemoglobin was recycled
• iron stores start decreasing at 6months
• but still require iron for growth

Question 3

Breastmilk still an important source of nutrition after 6mths.

6-11months & 12-24months

Answer 3

▪6-11 months
-80% of energy needs from breastfeeding decreasing to 50%

▪12-24 months
-~one third of energy needs can be from breastfeeding

Question 4

Introduction of Solid Foods. Describe when it occurs and why. As well as first foods to give infant.

Answer 4

• 6 months
• head control, loss of extrusor reflux, tongue movement, grasp objects
• first foods should be single grained iron fortified cereals n meant & alternatives

Question 5

Solid texture progression: SEMI-SOLIDS

Answer 5

• cereal in water, purees, mashed

Question 6

6-8 months: SOFT SOLIDS

Answer 6

• dissolvable solids (arrowhead biscuits)

- soft foods cut into pieces, finger foods

Question 7

9-12 months: HARDER TEXTURES

Answer 7

• cheerios, crackers

Question 8

Baby Foods

Answer 8

• solid foods can be blended or mashed at home
• commercially available baby foods
• nutrition label and ingredient list for salt content, added sugars, hydrogenated fats

Question 9

PRINCIPLES: Starting to Feed solid foods

Answer 9

• When you are ready to start weaning, do it gradually by replacing one feeding at a time.
• If baby has been exclusively breastfed, offer your baby a bottle or cup at the feeding when he is usually the least hungry. He may refuse it at first. This is normal. Offer it again each day.
• offer a cup with a meal if he is eating solid food
• start to replace other feedings when he is taking the cup or bottle well at 1 feeding
• Start with pureed, smooth or mashed food and change the textures and flavours as baby grows and develops better eating skills
• Start with 1-2 tbsp of one food once per day then increase number per day, then amount
• Graduate to self feeding as appropriate

Question 10

Food Allergy

Answer 10

• Introduce “allergenic” food earlier
• Purposeful early feeding of peanut is a reversal from the 2000 AAP recommendations that suggested high-risk infants avoid peanut to age 3 years.

Question 11

High Risk (severe eczema or egg allergy as diagnosed by a positive skin prick test or other clinical evaluation)

Answer 11

• introduce to peanut as early as 6 months of age, following successful feeding of other solid food(s)
• home or physician-supervised feeding (or exclusion of peanut based on the test results)

Question 12

Medium Risk (mild eczema)

Answer 12

• Introduce peanut around 6 months of age, in accordance

with family preferences and cultural practices

Question 13

Low Risk

Answer 13

peanut to be introduced “freely” into the diet together with other solid foods and in accordance with family preferences and cultural practices.

Question 14

Goal at 1 Years of Age

Answer 14

• Drinking from cup rather than bottle Eating same food as family at meals Self-feeding
• Eating same food as family at meals
• Self-feeding

Question 15

Food Safety

CHOKING HAZARDS:

Answer 15

• raisins, popcorn, peanuts, grapes
• delay introduction until 4-5 years
• always sitting to eat

Question 16

ENERGY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INFANTS

Birth to 6 months:
7 to 12 months:

Answer 16

Birth to 6 months: ~100kcal/kg

7 to 12 months: ~80kcal/kg

Question 17

What does energy recommendations for infants depend on?

Answer 17

Varies based on:
▪growth rate
▪sleep/wake cycle, physical activity
▪temperature and climate
▪health status, recovery from illness