By the time they're 9 months old, most babies have developed the fine motor skills — the small, precise movements — needed to pick up small pieces of food and feed themselves.

Allow your child to self-feed as much as possible, though you'll still be helping out by spoon-feeding cereal and other important dietary elements. Encouraging finger feeding helps your child learn about textures and independence.  If you have not already done so, it is time to introduce table/finger foods.  Do not limit your baby to just Gerber puffs.

By 9 months, most babies are ready to try table food and should be able to try many of the things that you eat.    Here are some suggestions.

• Zucchini, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, or other well-cooked veggies.   
• Pieces of ripe banana, soft pears or peaches, and cooked apples
• Well-cooked pasta
• Dry cereals and crackers such as cheerios, graham crackers, & ritz crackers.  Ask yourself, does it melt in the mouth? Some dry cereals and crackers that are light and flaky will melt in the mouth.
• Shredded cheeses  and  cottage cheese
• Small pieces of soft, cooked beef and chicken are other good choices

Food should be cut into small pieces. The sizes will vary depending on the food's texture.   You should avoid the following foods that can be choking hazards.

• Pieces of raw vegetables or hard fruits
• Whole grapes, berries, cherry or grape tomatoes (instead, peel and slice or cut in quarters)
• Raisins and other dried fruit
• Peanuts, nuts, and seeds
• Peanut butter and other nut or seed butters
• Whole hot dogs and sausages (peel and cut these in very small pieces)
• Untoasted bread, especially white bread that sticks together
• Chunks of cheese or meat
• Candy (hard candy, jelly beans, gummies, chewing gum)
• Popcorn, pretzels, corn chips, and other snack foods
• Marshmallows

Breast milk or formula is the only food your newborn needs. Within four to six months, however, your baby will begin to develop the coordination to move solid food from the front of the mouth to the back for swallowing. At the same time, your baby's head control will improve and he or she will learn to sit with support — essential skills for eating solid foods.

Most babies are ready to begin eating solid foods as a complement to breast-feeding or formula-feeding between ages 4 months and 6 months. If you're not sure whether your baby is ready, ask yourself these questions:

• Can your baby hold his or her head in a steady, upright position?
• Can your baby sit with support?
• Is your baby interested in what you're eating?

If you answer yes to these questions your baby may be ready to start solid foods.

Continue feeding your baby breast milk or formula as usual. Then:

• Start with baby cereal. Mix 1 tablespoon of a single-grain, iron-fortified baby cereal with 4 to 5 tablespoons of breast milk or formula. Even if the cereal barely thickens the liquid, resist the temptation to serve it from a bottle. Instead, help your baby sit upright and offer the cereal with a small spoon once or twice a day. Once your baby gets the hang of swallowing runny cereal, mix it with less liquid.
• Add pureed foods. Once your baby masters cereal for about a month, gradually introduce vegetables.  Once your baby has been eating cereal and veggies for about a month, you can begin fruits. Pureed meats can be introduced at 9 months of age.  Offer single-ingredient foods at first, and wait three to five days between each new food.

Remember to spoon feed all solids to your baby.  We do not recommend putting cereal in the bottle for healthy children.  If you have any questions, feel free to call the office.

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• Crib mattress should fit snugly into crib
• All crib surfaces should be smooth
• A bumper guard/pads should not be installed as this may contribute to a danger of suffocation 
• No pillows, stuffed animals, comforters or blankets  should be used in the crib
• Lower the crib mattress to the lowest level before your child can get to a sitting position on his own
• Never turn your back on the baby while changing a diaper, even if using the strap
• Infants should be placed in a rear facing infant car seat in a vehicle.   Check your car seat manufacturer guidelines on height/weight limits.  Most babies are ready to move to a rear facing convertible car seat between 6- 9 months of age.
• Always be careful with toddlers and small babies.  Toddlers do not understand how strong they are and can hurt an infant accidentally.
• Be careful of pets around infants.  A pet’s natural protective instinct is to scratch or bite and small children can accidentally get hurt.  Larger dogs can also unknowingly knock over bouncy seats, car seats, and swings. 

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Breast milk or formula is the only food your newborn needs. Within four to six months, however, your baby will begin to develop the coordination to move solid food from the front of the mouth to the back for swallowing. At the same time, your baby's head control will improve and he or she will learn to sit with support — essential skills for eating solid foods.

Most babies are ready to begin eating solid foods as a complement to breast-feeding or formula-feeding between ages 4 months and 6 months. If you're not sure whether your baby is ready, ask yourself these questions:

If you answer yes to these questions your baby may be ready to start solid foods.

Continue feeding your baby breast milk or formula as usual. Then:

Remember to spoon feed all solids to your baby. We do not recommend putting cereal in the bottle for healthy children. If you have any questions, feel free to call the office.

If you have a topic that you want more info on, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Introducing a bottle to a breastfed infant can be stressful for baby and parents.  Below are some tips to help introduce a bottle to your breastfed baby.

• Offer a bottle when you baby is not hungry.  When a baby is hungry, he/she will not be interested in trying anything new. 
• Have someone else offer the bottle first.  Your baby will associate your touch and smell with breastfeeding and may reject a bottle from mom.
• Avoid the cradle hold when offerring a bottle.  Breastfed babies associate cuddling close to the body with nursing.
• Try offerring a bottle when your baby is half asleep. 
• Tickle the baby's lips with the nipple until he/she opens the mouth and explores the bottle nipple.  Do not force the bottle into the infant's mouth.
• You may need to try different nipple sizes and shapes and make sure that the nipple is not cold.
• For mothers that are returning to work, begin introducing the bottle at 4-6weeks of age

If you have breastfeeding questions, this is a great site to search.

www.gerber.com/breastfeedingbasics