Food for Babies

Good nutrition is vital for a baby's growth and development. The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends breast-feeding for most full-term infants. No formula can replace the immunological protection a baby receives from colostrum - the breast milk produced the first few days after birth. It's important to breast-feed for at least the first few weeks, even if it can't be continued for a long time. If unable to breast-feed or if breast-feeding is discontinued before the baby's first birthday, commercially prepared infant formula is the best alternative.

Nutrients found in breast milk or appropriate iron- fortified formulas are the only sources of food your baby needs for the first four to six months and should remain the core of your baby's diet throughout the first year. What you feed your baby in the first year of life is very important because this is when your baby grows most rapidly.