What is the best thing to feed a 4 month old baby?

Question

I have a little neice she eats alot what is the best thing for her now?

Answer 1

Formula or breastmilk until 6 months.  

Answer 2

At 4 months, most babies have a diet that consists of mainly breastmilk or formula. In addition, some babies eat stage 1 baby foods or cereal. My little one was 5 months old before trying "food". He had rice cereal and applesauce.  

Answer 3

see this link for an age-by-age food chart - awesome guideline to follow!

http://www.babycenter.com/0_age-by-age-g...

Answer 4

Breastmilk

Answer 5

Breastmilk and ONLY breastmilk.

http://www.askdrsears.com/faq/fit3.asp

Attention all Grandmothers:

Much has been learned over the past thirty years about infant nutrition and development. Many practices that were common three decades ago are now known to be unhealthy, maybe even dangerous to a young infant.

I know that the experts told you to start feeding your babies cereal after a few weeks of life; and you followed their advice because you loved your children. Now we know that an infant's gut is not ready for solid foods until around six months of age. If you start a food too early, he is much more likely to become allergic to it. This can result in damage to the intestines, weight loss, blood in the stool, and malnutrition. You might argue, "Well, my kids started solid foods at three weeks, and they turned out just fine." The truth is, very few adults have perfectly working digestive tracts. Just look at all the commercials for heartburn remedies and stool softeners... "ever feel gassy and bloated after a meal?"

Here is what the experts are saying now:

    * Breastfeed for at least one year.

    * Start cereal and other solids after six months of age.

Grammy, please let your daughters follow this advice, because they love your grandchildren as much as you do.

http://kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/del...

The following organizations recommend that all babies be exclusively breastfed (no cereal, juice or any other foods) for the first 6 months of life (not the first 4-6 months):

* World Health Organization

* UNICEF

* US Department of Health & Human Services

* American Academy of Pediatrics

* American Academy of Family Physicians

* American Dietetic Association

* Australian National Health and Medical Research Council

* Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

* Health Canada

Why Delay Solids?

http://kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/del...

# Delaying solids gives baby's digestive system time to mature.

If solids are started before a baby's system is ready to handle them, they are poorly digested and may cause unpleasant reactions (digestive upset, gas, constipation, etc.). Protein digestion is incomplete in infancy. Gastric acid and pepsin are secreted at birth and increase toward adult values over the following 3 to 4 months. The pancreatic enzyme amylase does not reach adequate levels for digestion of starches until around 6 months, and carbohydrate enzymes such as maltase, isomaltase, and sucrase do not reach adult levels until around 7 months. Young infants also have low levels of lipase and bile salts, so fat digestion does not reach adult levels until 6-9 months.

# Delaying solids decreases the risk of food allergies.

It is well documented that prolonged exclusive breastfeeding results in a lower incidence of food allergies (see Allergy References and Risks of Artificial Feeding). From birth until somewhere between four and six months of age, babies possess what is often referred to as an "open gut." This means that the spaces between the cells of the small intestines will readily allow intact macromolecules, including whole proteins and pathogens, to pass directly into the bloodstream.This is great for your breastfed baby as it allows beneficial antibodies in breastmilk to pass more directly into baby's bloodstream, but it also means that large proteins from other foods (which may predispose baby to allergies) and disease-causing pathogens can pass right through, too. During baby's first 4-6 months, while the gut is still "open," antibodies (sIgA) from breastmilk coat baby's digestive tract and provide passive immunity, reducing the likelihood of illness and allergic reactions before gut closure occurs. Baby starts producing these antibodies on his own at around 6 months, and gut closure should have occurred by this time also. See How Breast Milk Protects Newborns and The Case for the Virgin Gut for more on this subject.

# Delaying solids helps to protect baby from iron-deficiency anemia.

The introduction of iron supplements and iron-fortified foods, particularly during the first six months, reduces the efficiency of baby's iron absorption. Healthy, full-term infants who are breastfed exclusively for periods of 6-9 months have been shown to maintain normal hemoglobin values and normal iron stores. In one study (Pisacane, 1995), the researchers concluded that babies who were exclusively breastfed for 7 months (and were not give iron supplements or iron-fortified cereals) had significantly higher hemoglobin levels at one year than breastfed babies who received solid foods earlier than seven months. The researchers found no cases of anemia within the first year in babies breastfed exclusively for seven months and concluded that breastfeeding exclusively for seven months reduces the risk of anemia. See Is Iron-Supplementation Necessary? for more information.

# Delaying solids helps to protect baby from future obesity.

The early introduction of solids is associated with increased body fat and weight in childhood. (for example, see Wilson 1998, von Kries 1999, Kalies 2005)

WHY WAIT? 6 REASONS

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/t032000...

1. Baby's intestines need to mature. The intestines are the body's filtering system, screening out potentially harmful substances and letting in healthy nutrients. In the early months, this filtering system is immature. Between four and seven months a baby's intestinal lining goes through a developmental growth spurt called closure, meaning the intestinal lining becomes more selective about what to let through. To prevent potentially-allergenic foods from entering the bloodstream, the maturing intestines secrete IgA , a protein immunoglobulin that acts like a protective paint, coating the intestines and preventing the passage of harmful allergens. In the early months, infant IgA production is low (although there is lots of IgA in human milk), and it is easier for potentially-allergenic food molecules to enter the baby's system. Once food molecules are in the blood, the immune system may produce antibodies to that food, creating a food allergy . By six to seven months of age the intestines are more mature and able to filter out more of the offending allergens. This is why it's particularly important to delay solids if there is a family history of food allergy, and especially to delay the introduction of foods to which other family members are allergic.

4. Baby needs to be able to sit up.  In the early months, babies associate feeding with cuddling. Feeding is an intimate interaction, and babies often associate the feeding ritual with falling asleep in arms or at the breast. The change from a soft, warm breast to a cold, hard spoon may not be welcomed with an open mouth. Feeding solid foods is a less intimate and more mechanical way of delivering food. It requires baby to sit up in a highchair – a skill which most babies develop between five and seven months. Holding a breastfed baby in the usual breastfeeding position may not be the best way to start introducing solids, as your baby expects to be breastfed and

Answer 6

According to the World health organization

The best thing for her would be

1) breastmilk from her mother.  

2) expressed breastmilk from her mother

3) milk from another mother

4)formula

No solids until she is at least 6 months of age.

Answer 7

Breastmilk ideally, or formula.

Solids aren't recommended until 6 months.

Answer 8

Some people will say that you don't need to start feeding solids till 6 months old. Some pediatricians say differently. Mine does. I started my daughter at 4 months on rice cereal and did that for about a week, once to twice a day (2 tbs of formula or breastmilk & then sprinkle in amount of cereal to the consistency you want). Then you can start either fruits or veggies. I started fruits first because my daughter got constipated from the rice cereal. So I gave her prunes for 3 days then switched to pears (got to try each new food out for a few days to watch for reactions). Then I started her on veggies and she likes them. She might want to try oatmeal cereal instead of rice. More nutritious.

EDIT: feeding a baby at 4 months does not lead to diabetes or obesity or more allergies. If you introduce a new food every 3 to 5 days and nothing happens, it is fine.

Answer 9

Yeah, mostly just formula or breastmilk.

If you find your baby is constantly hungry just try giving him/her more formula/breast milk. I started introducing my daughter to solids at 4 months, but only every couple of days, and now that she is almost 5 months she's come to like her oatmeal and occasional pureed bananas.  

Answer 10

breastmilk.  if she's not having breastmilk, she should be getting iron-fortified cow's milk formula.  if she's allergic to dairy, she should be getting soy formula.  if she's allergic to soy, she should be getting hypoallergenic formula.  should should be having nothing but breastmilk or formula (not even water) until she's 6 months old.  early introduction of solids can lead to obesity, diabetes, allergies, choking...