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For one module only, please enter
the names of your children in the "Comments" box
at the bottom of the page.
Feeding
Your Baby
Welcome
to the "Healthy Weight Module for Feeding your Baby".
Please read the material provided. When you are finished,
answer the questions and press the "score-quiz-now"
button to receive your score.
The key to
healthy weight is to start early!
Consider these ideas
to help your baby have a healthy weight during childhood: |
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Breast milk
has all of the nutrients your baby needs until about 6
months of age (note: some breastfed babies may need Vitamin
D supplement, check with your health care provider). Babies
start solid food at 4-6 months. Giving babies other foods
early can cause serious digestive problems and allergies.
They also add extra calories that are not needed.
If you decide
to feed your baby breast milk, formula, or breast milk
and formula, your WIC office will explain how to feed
your baby through the first year of life.
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Baby cereal
is usually the "first solid" food and should be fed by
the spoon, mixed with expressed breast milk or with formula.
NEVER
put cereal in the bottle. This practice will load your
baby with calories that are not needed and may cause choking.
In addition, this does not help development of chewing.
At 6 months,
you may begin to include cereal in your baby's diet. If
your baby is not ready for solids(cereal), he will push
it out with his tongue. Wait a couple weeks and try again.
Remember, breastfed babies usually are not as eager eaters
because they instinctively know they are doing just fine
with mom's milk.
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Around 6 months
of age you can try plain, not mixed, baby vegetables and
fruits. Take small steps and wait several days between
new foods. Start with vegetables first.
Fruits have a sweet taste. Your baby might refuse the
vegetables later.
Around 6 months
of age give water to your baby. Try to serve it from a
small cup.
Juices are
not needed before 6 months of life. From 6 months to 1
year of your baby's life, serve no more than 4 oz per
day and NEVER put juice in the bottle. This can ruin your
baby's teeth besides giving extra amount of calories.
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- Never force
your baby to eat.
- Follow your
baby's cues to find out if your baby is interested in
solids.
- Follow your
WIC guidelines for the proper age and way to feed your
baby solid foods.
- Around 8-9
months your baby might be able to start feeding himself.
- Remember,
little fingers can make a mess as they learn about bite-sized
foods and spoons but these experiences are an important
part of a baby's development as they are learning to
self-regulate their food intake. Please be patient!
- Be aware
of round food like grapes, or hard foods like round
hard pretzels. They are considered "choking hazards"!
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