Time To Eat
Protein is now an important part of your baby’s diet. Foods like
poultry, fish, beef, pork and beans are all good sources of the protein and
iron your baby needs. Make sure the meat is well cooked. Chop or shred it
into small pieces. Meats should be lean. Cut off all visible fat before serving
it to your baby.
Food allergies
As you add new foods to your baby’s diet, be on the lookout for allergic
reactions. Gradually add cottage cheese, hard cheeses and yogurt to your
baby’s diet. These protein-rich foods are OK to use once in a while but they
may cause an allergic reaction. You can also offer strained cooked egg
yolk—a good source of iron. Avoid whole eggs and egg whites because they
might also cause an allergic reaction. Save whole eggs for sometime after
your baby’s first birthday.
Introduce one food at a time. Wait a few days before trying another new
food. If your baby has a reaction, stop offering the food. If there is no
reaction, you can offer the same food again or try another new one.
Honey alert
Don’t feed honey to your baby before her first birthday. Honey can contain
bacteria that will make your baby sick.
Low appetite
Toward the end of her first year, you
may notice that your baby is eating
less. Her growth rate may be
slowing. She also has lots of new
and exciting activities that distract
her from meals. Don’t worry.
Continue to offer healthy foods at
set times. Trust your baby to eat as
much as she needs. Remember,
meal and snack times are best when
they are pleasant and regular.
Finger foods can help encourage your baby to eat. They also foster your
baby’s growing independence. Offer foods like cooked macaroni, soft cooked
vegetables, ripe peeled fruit slices, small slices of cheese, small pieces of
bread and crackers.
Formula feeding
Continue to hold your baby on your lap when you give her a bottle of
formula. Never prop the bottle or allow her to lie down when drinking.
When she wants to get down, take the bottle away. Don’t let her get into
the habit of carrying the bottle around with her. Offer her water or juice
from a cup.
Formula and juice contain sugar. Falling asleep with a bottle containing
sugary liquids can cause tooth decay. This is called “baby bottle tooth
decay.” You can avoid it by not putting her to bed with a bottle. Instead of a
bottle, give her a comforting blanket or toy to help her feel secure.
Practice makes perfect
Give your baby a spoon to hold during her meals. Show her how to hold it,
dip it into the food, and carry the food to her mouth. She’ll probably need
lots of practice. Serve foods that stay on the spoon easily such as
applesauce, mashed potatoes and cooked cereal like oatmeal or cream of
rice. Also give her foods she can pick up with her fingers. She’s getting
good at doing this, and it helps her develop motor control in her hands.
Family meals
Your baby is getting better at feeding herself. She is also more social and
enjoys being with the rest of the family.
Introduce her to family meals. Give her most of her meal before the rest of
the family is ready to eat. Then let her feed herself finger foods while the
whole family enjoys a meal together. Turn off the TV. Include her in the
family’s conversation. Tell her about everyone’s activities. Talk about the
food. Encourage other family members to talk to the baby too.
Of course, a 10-month-old will not understand all the words you say. But
she will understand that people enjoy each other’s company. She’ll learn
that conversation is back and forth. Sometimes we listen and sometimes we
talk. And she’ll connect mealtime with being close to her loving family.
This content has been provided freely by CMC. Click Healthy Start, Grow Smart—Your-Ten-Month-Old for your free download. Click GreatDad Free Ebook to download the entire Health Start, Grow Smart series.
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