Top 10 First Foods for a Baby

New parents always want to do the best thing for their baby, and choosing the first solid food is no exception to that! Here are the top ten first baby foods, as recommended by doctors and parents.

1. Breast Milk

Breast milk is the best first food for baby starting at birth! According to the World Health Organization, it not only contains all of the nutrition your baby needs, it also has antibodies that help protect your child from infection. And Breastfeeding.com cites two studies showing that breastfed children even develop higher IQs.

2. Rice Cereal

Most doctors will recommend rice cereal as one of baby's first foods, if not the first. However, Ruth Yaron, author of Super Baby Food, suggests using organic brown rice cereal rather than the highly processed and fortified versions. Mix the cereal with breast milk (or formula if you're using it) to a fairly thin consistency; it should be pourable. As your baby grows, you can gradually mix it thicker.

3-5. First Fruits: Bananas, Pears, Apples

Dr. William Sears, pediatrician and author of The Baby Book, concurs with rice cereal as a first food, and adds bananas, pears and apples to the list. He recommends all four for babies four to six months old. At that age, the fruits should be strained or pureed. You may even want to add breast milk or formula for a thinner consistency. Yaron recommends seeking out organic fruits to avoid pesticide and fungicide contamination.

6. Avocado

Starting around seven months, you'll start adding other foods. Avocados are rich in vitamins and minerals and also contain essential fatty acids for brain development. And they mash well! At this age, you can also start offering mashed foods with a slightly thicker consistency.

7. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene and pleasantly sweet without added sugar. Cook and mash them, adding a little breast milk to thin the consistency if necessary.

8. Mashed Potatoes

Dr. Sears also recommends regular mashed potatoes. Annabel Karmel, author of Superfoods For Babies and Children, says they are a good source of vitamin C and potassium, and she also recommends them for blending with other vegetables.

9. Squash

Karmel especially recommends butternut squash, which is "easily digested and rarely causes allergies." It's another great source of beta carotene, and the cooked squash is usually sweet.

10. Teething Biscuits

Babies are beginning to grow teeth by seven to nine months and will want something to bite on. Teething biscuits are designed to dissolve without breaking into chokable pieces. They're also a great way to allow your baby to begin feeding herself or himself. Do, however, supervise your baby to make sure she or he doesn't choke.

Sources:

"10 facts on breastfeeding", World Health Organization.

"Higher IQ Connected to Breastfeeding", Breastfeeding.com.

Ruth Yaron, "Super Baby Food: Starting Solids", Super Baby Food.

Dr. William Sears, "Feeding At a Glance: Birth to 24 months", AskDrSears.com.

Annabel Karmel, "Superfoods for Babies: 6 Months and Older", Parents.com.