243 Chapter 11 Providing for the Infant’s Developmental Needs
or artifi cial fl avors. Unpasteurized
yogurt and foods that contain
yeast are hard for babies to digest.
Substances called stimulants and
depressants are harmful for babies
whether found in breast milk or
given directly to babies. Stimulants
(such as caffeine) speed up the
functions of organs, such as the
heart, and the nervous system.
Depressants (found in alcohol)
slow the functions of organs and the
nervous system.
The Feeding Schedule
The daily feeding schedule
should fi t the baby’s needs. Some
babies like smaller, more frequent
meals. Others eat more food less
often. When the baby’s growth
rate slows toward the end of the
fi rst year, his or her appetite will
decrease, 11-4. Most babies will
establish an eating pattern, but
some days they will be hungrier
than others.
Homemade Versus
Store-Bought Baby Foods
Parents today can choose from
a variety of commercially prepared
baby foods in the grocery store. Still,
many prefer to make the baby’s
food at home for health or economic
reasons. See 11-5 for advantages to
both methods.
When buying commercially
prepared baby food, check for
freshness. Check the sell-by date on
the cap or the side of the container.
This date is the last date the store
should sell the product. (You can
still safely use the food for a few
days after this date.) Make sure
food containers are sealed properly
and have not been opened. Check
to see whether the safety button on
unopened jars has risen. If so, the
food is unsafe to eat. It may have
been tampered with or spoiled.
When you are giving the baby
store-bought food, spoon out the
amount of food you need. Do not
feed the baby from the jar. Bacteria
in the saliva from the baby’s spoon
can spoil the food. Most babies like
food at room temperature. If the
food needs to be heated, test the
temperature by putting a small drop
on your wrist before serving. After
baby food jars have been opened,
store them in the refrigerator. Use the
leftover baby food within two days.
Weaning
Weaning is the process of taking
a baby off the bottle or breast. The
process should be gradual because
the baby must learn a new way to
drink. A slow pace allows the baby
time to get used to this change.
When do you start to wean
a baby? Age at weaning will
First-Year Daily
Feeding Schedule
Months Hours Between
Feedings
1 to 3* 3 to 4
3 to 5 5**
6 6**
*Often sleeps through the night in about 3 months. Babies are given
a late evening feeding (about 11 p.m.). They sleep until early morning
(5:30 or 6:00 a.m.).
**Nutritious snacks of regular baby food (fruit juice, fruit, etc.) or milk
and water should be offered about halfway between feedings (2½ to 3
hours after each feeding) if the baby is awake.
11-4
A baby’s feeding schedule
changes during the fi rst year.