Dairy
Milk products such as cheese and yogurt can be introduced to your baby in small amounts, as long as there is no history of milk allergies in the family.
At 6 months, breastfeeding is still recommended alongside complementary feeding.
In the Philippines, Executive Order No. 51 otherwise known as the “Milk Code’ was established to promote breastfeeding. Some of the principles included in the Milk Code are: (1) exclusively breastfeeding are for infants ages 0 to 6 months, (2) there is no substitute or replacement for breast milk, (3) appropriate and complementary feeding is to be given by the age of 6 months in addition to breastfeeding, and (4) breastfeeding is still recommended for children up to two years old or beyond.
When giving these foods to your baby, make sure to give a few sips of water afterward as well. Mixing foods is also a nice way to introduce your baby to other tastes and textures.
With continuous feeding, you will be able to determine how much food your baby needs, as well as when your baby needs them.
When Can I Feed My Baby?
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that infants ages 6 to 8 months must receive complementary foods 2 to 3 times a day. Now that you’re transitioning to solid foods, here’s a sample schedule for your baby’s feeding time:
- Breakfast – (7 AM): breast milk or formula, (8 AM): 2 to 4 tablespoons of infant cereal
- Lunch – (10 AM): breast milk or formula, (noon): breast milk or formula + 2 to 3 tablespoons of puréed fruits/vegetables
- Dinner – (2 PM): breast milk or formula, (4 PM) breast milk or formula + 2 to 4 tablespoons of infant cereal
- 2 to 4 times of milk feeding before bedtime until over the night
- You can also give your 6-month-old no more than 3 ounces of cooled, boiled water per day.
Give your baby one solid meal a day if you are just starting with transition and build your way up to 2 or 3 meal times a day. You should follow this step for your baby to adjust from only consuming breast milk to eating solid foods.
Safety Tips
What foods and drinks should you avoid?
Here are some foods that you must not feed your 6-month-old:
- Honey should never be given to babies below 12 months, as it can cause infant botulism.
- Unpasteurized milk and cheese are prohibited because these products might contain bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella that is very dangerous to babies.
- Raw eggs might also contain Salmonella, a bacteria that causes food poisoning.
- Nuts and other hard foods are choking hazards to babies, as they are still not pros when it comes to chewing their food.
- Any kind of milk aside from breast milk or formula is not suggested for babies’ consumption.
- Fruit juices are also not good for your baby as it contains a lot of sugar. Fresh fruits are the best source of sugar for babies.
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