NICU

Solid Food Introduction in Infants

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Solid Food Introduction in Infants, Diet Advancement in Infants

  • Indications
  1. Age 6 months or older
  2. Infant can transfer semi-solid food to swallow
  1. Pureed or "mushy" foods
  2. Introduce a new food no more often than every 3 days
    1. Start with teaspoon of food and increase to tablespoon
    2. Select a variety of nutrient rich foods over time
  3. Continue cereals (See Infant Feeding)
    1. Add formula or Breast Milk to soften or mash cereal
  4. Continue Bottle Feeding or Breast Feeding
    1. Do not reduce amounts
  5. Consider gradually introducing highly allergic foods (peanuts, eggs) age 6 to 12 months to prevent food allergies
  6. Avoid food and beverages with high Sodium content
  7. Obesity prevention
    1. Avoid solid food introduction age <6 months
    2. Avoid juice and other foods and beverages with added sugar for the first 24 months of life
  • Adverse Effects
  1. Infant does not like taste of food
  2. Food Sensitivity
    1. See Food Allergy
    2. Rash
    3. Vomiting
    4. Diarrhea
    5. Irritability
    6. Wheeze
  • References
  1. Pierre (2022) Am Fam Physician 106(4): 427-38 [PubMed]
  2. Turner (2018) Am Fam Physician 98(6): 347-53 [PubMed]