Question
My baby is four months old and has been on mixed feeding. I want to introduce complementary foods for my baby. Should the egg yolk be eaten before milk, after milk, or between feedings? How should I feed them fruit juice?
Answer
Hello: From birth to 12 months, a baby’s diet progresses rapidly, starting with only milk and gradually introducing mashed foods around four months. By about five to six months, you can start feeding your baby vegetables. The principle of introducing vegetables is the same as with other foods; they should be added one by one, and do not give multiple new foods at once. When your baby can eat vegetables, start with those that have a mild taste and are easy to accept, such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, green beans, and broccoli. Spinach contains nitrates that may affect the oxygen transport ability of newborns, so it should be eaten sparingly before the baby turns one. Additionally, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, and some fruits like mangoes, papayas, loquats, persimmons, and apricots are rich in beta-carotene; therefore, do not consume too much in one day. Although excessive beta-carotene does not cause poisoning, it can turn the skin orange. From Juice to Fruits Around five to six months old, you can offer your baby diluted fruit juice, such as one teaspoon of juice mixed with two or three teaspoons of cold water; or you can give them fruit puree, starting with one teaspoon. Fruits should also be introduced one by one. Initially, you can offer some soft fruits like bananas, apples, seedless watermelons, and papayas. It’s best to choose canned fruits soaked in water or juice instead of those in syrup.