Giving nutritious food to supplement your baby’s growth and development is one the basic and vital task for a parent. It may seem easy at first but as your little one gets older, searching for the right kinds of food that contains the needed nutrition can be really challenging. Later on when the baby grows up to become a toddler, you’ll feel like the task becomes more and more unattainable. To help you understand what the baby truly needs, here’s a basic guide that will help the baby’s development and growth.

• From the time of birth up to four months your infant needs milk formula or breast milk on a standard basis. In reality, during the first year of infancy this is the most needed and only type of food he or she can get. Your pediatrician will be able to advice you on how much formula do you need to prepare to nourish your baby. Breastfed infants should have a two to three hours regular feeding schedule.

• When the baby reaches four months this the time that you ought to start giving pureed foods food to your little one. Many babies are still not geared up for solids until they reach six months of age or even older. You can combine baby cereal with milk formula or breast milk. You would like your little one to get used to to eating with the use of a spoon. You can start introducing pureed foods once your child is taking cereal well. Majority of doctors advise giving vegetables and fruits one at a time and then introducing meats as the eight months mark approaches. You can choose to prepare the pureed foods by yourself or give commercially prepared foods. However, make sure to watch any signs of allergies. Furthermore, if your baby doesn’t like to eat the food you prepared for her, then don’t force her to eat. The moment you can some signs indicating that she is done, that it is best to take away the food.

• When the baby reaches eight months old, you can begin introducing small pieces of soft foods to your little one such as vegetables, soft meats, crackers, and fruits. The trick here is to let babies eat what the rest of the family is eating, except unhealthy foods such as chips and sodas. Milk is still important at this stage, which means it should still be continued. Let the baby experiment with different kinds of food at this time. However, if he shows no interest at something, do not force him to eat it.

• By the time your child reaches one year old and onwards, it is now the time to start introducing whole milk. This is the best time to wean them when you are breastfeeding them, on the other hand should you wish to continue breastfeeding them then there is no harm in doing so. This is also the best time to change from pureed foods to solid foods served on the table. If you notice some difficulty in chewing or swallowing, refer it immediately to your pediatrician.