At around 6 months of age, breast milk may not be sufficient to cover a baby’s energetic and nutritional requirements. Furthermore, the baby is at a stage of development where he/she can start to swallow non-liquid food. At this time, food helps support optimal growth, brain development and the building of natural defences. Several behavioural changes may indicate the baby’s readiness for solid foods, including new capabilities and changes in eating behaviour.
For instance, the baby may:
- sit with support
- play with toes and begin to grasp feet
- support weight on hands with extended arms
- reach for an object with hand
- show anxiety when seeing a stranger and direct smile towards a familiar face
- begin to hold head up
- progressively develop control of muscles and nervous system.
Signs of readiness for solid food include:
- moving tongue in mouth to make a bolus (this is the most important milestone indicating that the baby is ready to eat foods other than liquids)
- showing ability to swallow non-liquid food
- showing interest on seeing food and getting excited when food is being prepared
- beginning to open mouth as spoon approaches
- progressively turning head away from spoon when no longer hungry.
Nutritional needs
A recent study by the American Dietetic Association concluded that, on average, babies of 6 to 8 months who are fed with human milk receive less than 50% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for iron and zinc, and less than 50% of the Adequate Intake (AI) for manganese, fluoride, vitamin D, vitamin B6, niacin, vitamin E, magnesium, phosphorus, biotin and thiamine. The researchers recommended that infants be given complementary foods to fulfil their nutritional and energy needs, and to encourage exposure to different flavours and textures – and to spoons.
To cover all these energy needs and to ensure adequate intake of minerals, trace elements and vitamins for growth and optimal development of the baby, certain simple solid foods should be introduced as a complement to breast milk.
At Stage 1, the infant’s digestive system is not yet fully developed, and the stomach in particular is still small. So Stage 1 foods must be presented in a nutrient-dense form so as not to overload the digestion process and ensure digestive comfort.
Sugar intake
There is no specific nutritional or metabolic need for the addition of sugars to baby foods, as ingredients containing natural carbohydrates / sugars already provide enough energy for use as weaning food. The immediate effect of high intakes of added sugar is a fast increase of blood glucose level and insulin secretion, while scientific evidence points to dental and weight problems in the long term. It is also worth noting that, contrary to popular opinion, there is no medical reason to favour the use of fructose as a substitution for sucrose.
Salt (sodium) intake
In the body, sodium plays an essential role in regulating fluid volume and blood pressure. However, babies have a limited renal capacity, meaning they can not so easily conserve fluids and excrete solute load. Consequently, their intake of salt (sodium) needs to be moderate. Healthy infants progressively increase their ability to excrete sodium. Studies have shown that a high sodium intake is associated with higher blood pressure, which in turn is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebral diseases. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) recommends target salt levels for children depending on their age.
In brief
- breast milk or milk formula is still the most important part of baby’s diet
- the first solid food is the complement that provides required energy and nutrient intake
- the first solid food is the vehicle for a baby to get accustomed to flavours, textures, and a spoon.
The baby’s daily intake should respect the following recommendations:
- total energy needs of approximately 550-700 kcal/day
- total protein needs of 9-13 g/day
- fats of 35-55% of total energy (about 31g/day) with balanced n-3:n-6 ratio (4-10)
- no specific requirement on carbohydrates, only that non-milk-intrinsic sugars (added sugars) should be below 10% of total daily energy intake
- no gluten / only one ingredient containing gluten
- low or no added salt
- low or no added sugars
- avoid allergenic ingredients
- only gentle first ingredients.
Learn more about Nestlé's Stage 1 Baby Food products.