4369 B - Feeding Your Baby - First Foods

State of Illinois
Department of Human Services

DHS 4369B First Foods (pdf)

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First Foods You Can Feed Your Baby

Slowly Start New Foods

  • Start with plain, infant rice cereal; it is easier to digest. To avoid allergies, wait until at least 8 months to offer wheat cereal.
  • After infant cereal, offer plain, pureed vegetables and fruits.
  • Offer 1 new food at a time, waiting 7 days between foods.
  • When trying new foods, start with a small amount (1-2 teaspoons) of a new food.
  • Food should be smooth and runny in texture at first. As your baby gets used to eating solid foods, food may be thicker and lumpier.

Watch for signs of allergies: skin rash, diarrhea, vomiting, coughing or wheezing, ear infections, stomach pain or gas.

Tips for Feeding Your Baby

  • Wash your baby's hands before meals.
  • Feed your baby when the rest of the family eats. (Offer 1-2 tablespoons of each food.)
  • You may begin offering water in a cup with meals (4-8 ounces a day). Ask your doctor about water and fluoride needs.

Using Store-Bought Baby Food

  • Check the expiration date and listen for the lid to "pop."
  • Always use a clean spoon to take food out of the jar and put it in a clean dish. This will keep bacteria out of baby's food.
  • After feeding baby, throw away any food left in his bowl.
  • Throw baby food away within 2 days of opening.

DHS 4369B (R-06-17) FYB - First Foods Printed by the Authority of the State of Illinois.  16,500 copies PO#17-1380