Infant and Newborn Nutrition Summary Food provides the energy and nutrients that babies need to be healthy. For a baby, breast milk is best. It has all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Infant formulas are available for babies whose mothers are not able or decide not to breastfeed. Infants usually start eating solid foods between 4 and 6 months of age. Check with your health care provider for the best time for your baby to start. If you introduce one new food at a time, you will be able to identify any foods that cause allergies in your baby. Some foods to stay away from include Eggs Honey Peanuts (including peanut butter) Other tree nuts National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Start Here Breastfeeding vs. Formula Feeding Nemours Foundation Feeding Your 1- to 3-Month-Old Nemours Foundation Feeding Your 4- to 7-Month-Old Nemours Foundation Feeding Your 8- to 12-Month-Old Nemours Foundation Feeding Your Newborn Nemours Foundation Once Baby Arrives Food and Drug Administration Array Breastfeeding vs. Formula Feeding Cow’s milk – infants Feeding patterns and diet — babies and infants Feeding patterns and diet — children 6 months to 2 years Infant botulism Neonatal weight gain and nutrition Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Infant Food National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Infant Formula National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Infant Nutrition National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Infant Nutrition Disorders National Institutes of Health Specifics Colostrum: Your Baby’s First Meal American Academy of Pediatrics Feeding Vegetarian and Vegan Infants and Toddlers Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Finger Foods for Babies Nemours Foundation Infant Formula American Academy of Family Physicians Organic Baby Food: Better for Baby? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Overview: Infant Formula and Fluorosis Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Solid Foods: How to Get Your Baby Started Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Vegetarianism Nemours Foundation Related Issues How to Avoid Choking Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Infant Botulism (For Parents) Nemours Foundation Milk Allergy in Infants Nemours Foundation Spitting up in Babies: What’s Normal, What’s Not Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Stopping the Bottle Nemours Foundation Encyclopedia How to Save Money on Infant Formula Infant Formula – Buying, Preparing, Storing, and Feeding Infant formulas Find an Expert KidsHealth Nemours Foundation National Institute of Child Health and Human Development National Institute of Child Health and Human Development School Meals Contacts by State Food and Nutrition Service Journal Articles Infant and Newborn Nutrition Latest News Babies Fed Rice-Based Cereals Have Higher Arsenic Levels, Study Finds HealthDay