Understanding your Supported Sitter's nutrition
- Breastmilk or Iron-fortified formula is still your Supported Sitter's main source of nutrition.
- Iron-fortified infant cereal is a nutritious first solid food for infants.
- Introduce new foods one at a time and watch for any allergic reactions.
- Check out our useful chart to learn how much of each food group you should be giving for healthy Supported Sitter nutrition.
Your ambitious Supported Sitter may reach for something she sees you eating, but breastmilk or Iron-fortified formula should still be first for her nutrition. Around 4 to 6 months, when you start noticing your baby’s developmental cues, like having head control and sitting with little support, she may be ready for solid foods like Iron-rich, single-grain infant cereal to your Supported Sitter's diet.
Introducing baby food
All babies are different, and develop at their own pace to become ready for solid foods. When she's ready, discuss with your doctor about starting solid foods. Starting solids helps your Supported Sitter in many ways:
- Helps develops eating skills like tongue, lip and cheek control.
- Iron-fortified infant cereal has iron to help your baby's brain development and learning ability.
Single-grain infant cereals, like oatmeal or rice cereal, are the most common first solid food introduced to infants. That’s because they’re easy to digest, and the smooth texture is great for developing eating skills.
Single-grain cereals are also a good way to check for food intolerances and sensitivities. Give them a try, and wait about three days between each type of cereal to check if your baby tolerates them.
Fruit and vegetable baby food will come into play once your Supported Sitter is more comfortable eating from a spoon. Just like cereal, introduce these one at a time and keep an eye out for allergic reactions like diarrhea, rash or vomiting. If you see these signs, stop feeding and call your pediatrician. Iron-fortified infant cereal also provides the Iron needed for healthy growth and brain development. Two servings of GERBER® Infant cereal will provide 90% of the daily value of Iron for infants.
Baby's main dish!
While you introduce solids to your Supported Sitter, keep in mind that breastmilk or Iron-fortified formula should still be her main source of nutrition for the first year.
Supported Sitter’s Daily Intake
As your baby continues to develop during the first 4-6 months, pay attention to developmental cues which signal she is ready for solids and take the steps needed in preparing for a nutritious meal plan. Here is a useful chart to help you learn how much of each food group you should be giving to best provide for your Supported Sitter’s nutrition:
||Serving Size Examples
|Breastmilk or Infant Formula
||24 fl oz.
||GERBER® GOOD START® Gentle Formula
||3/4 - 1 oz.
||Twice a day - 1/4 cup (6-8 tablespoons) dry infant cereal with iron
||GERBER® Single Grain Cereals (Oatmeal, Rice)
GERBER® ORGANIC Oatmeal Cereal
GERBER® DHA & Probiotic Rice Cereal
GERBER® ORGANIC Rice Cereal
||Twice a day - 2 tablespoons vegetable baby food (single vegetable variety)
||GERBER® 1st FOODS® Vegetables
GERBER® ORGANIC 1st FOODS® Vegetables
||Twice a day - 2 tablespoons fruit baby food (single vegetable variety)
||GERBER® 1st FOODS® Fruits
GERBER® ORGANIC 1st FOODS® Fruits
|*Your baby’s needs may be greater or less than these typical amounts suggested; always follow your baby’s hunger and fullness cues. Check with your doctor if you have questions about how much your infant needs
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