Can I feed this to my baby?
Can I give my baby cake if it is very soft?
As Marie Antoinette said, "Let them eat cake!" A baby who is eating other solid foods can have cake, as long as it does not have nuts in it. You may wish to offer a small amount of cake after your baby has consumed his usual meal.
My baby seems to like to chew on things. Can I give him a pretzel?
A pretzel is a very good example of finger food. Preferably, it should be un-salted. Other finger foods your baby could use are crackers and teething biscuits.
Can I train my baby to like certain foods?
Taste is an acquired phenomenon, and babies can be trained to like certain foods. Babies are capable of distinguishing sour from sweet, even right at the moment of birth. However, babies should not be given solid foods until they are 4 to 6 months of age.
Does iron-fortified formula cause constipation?
Several studies have shown that iron in infant formula does not change babies' bowel habits. Iron-fortified formulas did not produce vomiting, spitting up, constipation, or diarrhea.
What should I do for my constipated baby?
Constipation means infrequent hard stools. Some babies normally have only 1 to 2 stools per week. As long as they are not rock hard, there is nothing to worry about. Constipation can best be handled by increasing fluid, or adding small amounts of corn syrup or prune juice to formula. Other fruit juices may also be helpful, but should not be used in place of formula.
My baby spits up a lot. Will changing formulas help with this problem?
Do not go from formula to formula to correct spitting up. Spitting up is a developmental phenomenon, reflecting the fact that the baby has an immature swallowing function. This will gradually improve as the baby gets older.
What causes colic? How can I treat it?
Nobody knows what causes colic. It probably reflects some change in gut mo-tility. It's a matter of maturation that disappears by the time the child is 3 to 4 months of age. There have been many attempts to treat colic, none of them uniformly effective. Perhaps the best treatments include gadgets attached to the baby's crib which combine gentle shaking and simulated car noises.
Another possible solution has been to take the child for a ride, which is obviously impractical at most times. Another that has worked well is to put the child in an infant seat, and to place the infant seat on top of a vibrating dishwasher or clothes dryer (but watch so that the baby doesn't fall off!). Or you may just put the child on your lap and rub his belly.
When can I start feeding my baby peanuts?
Never! The child should be at least 3 years of age before he puts little hard things like peanuts into the mouth. The danger of aspiration (dropping the peanut into the windpipe) is very high.
What about potato chips?
Potato chips are usually a source of extra salt, and they may also be a source of saturated fat. If the potato chips are made without added salt and without lots of added fat in the frying process, they are perfectly good foods for children who are trying solid foods.
I want to train my baby to eat all kinds of foods. When can I start with spices?
As your baby is advanced to table foods, he can be introduced to spices you normally use in preparing foods.
Can I give my baby coffee?
You shouldn't give coffee to infants. The caffeine is a stimulant, and is not recommended for the typical infant. Coffee also appears to reduce iron absorption, which may lead to iron deficiency.
Can I give my baby soda?
Colas and some other carbonated beverages contain large quantities of caffeine, and are not recommended for infants. If you are talking about carbonated beverages without caffeine, they can be used as a fluid at any time. However, you will want to limit the amount of carbonated beverages your baby drinks, since they are a poor source of nutrients.
When can I feed my baby ice cream?
Small amounts of ice cream or frozen yogurt may be given as a dessert or snack during the later part of the first year.
Should I give my baby ordinary orange juice?
Orange juice is a fine supplement, although some babies may develop an upset stomach or break out in rashes when fed orange juice.
What about other fruit juices?
Again, fruit juices are fine for babies, although some have adverse food reactions to them. If a baby can tolerate fruit juices without developing a rash or upset stomach, he should be given fruit juices starting at 3 or 4 months of age. If the baby doesn't tolerate them, it is probably best to hold off on adding fruit juices to the diet until the baby is at least 1 year of age.
Can I give my baby Kool-Aid®?
Kool-Aid® is nothing but sugar and water. It has no harmful effects, and may even be good for the treatment of constipation. However, it provides few other nutrients and should not be used in place of formula or juice.
Can I add yogurt to cereal?
Once solid foods have been added to the diet, smooth yogurt can be used. Avoid yogurts that have hard pieces of food, such as nuts, added to them.
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