Going from breast milk to some solid food begins about 4 to 6 months. Although it is generally recommended to continue breast milk for one year, solid foods can be introduced at 4 to 6 months. High potassium foods are beneficial during this period as well as throughout childhood, but other factors may be more important at times.
Introduce Foods One At A Time
Some advise introducing only one food at a time, using it for two weeks before introducing another. This allows the mother to see if the food is tolerated or if there is a problem. Some feel the order does not matter in which foods are introduced. Others recommend starting with those foods that only rarely give problems. Those who recommend starting with one food and gradually bringing in other foods often recommend starting with cereal, giving first rice, then oatmeal and then barley. As the baby gets a greater variety of foods to eat, he will be able to get a healthy potassium intake.
When To Start Solid Foods
The baby will be physically capable of eating solid food when she is able to control head movement, and sit with support. The way to tell when your baby is ready for more solid food is by watching her behavior. If she leans forward with the mouth open, it is an indication that she is hungry. When satisfied she leans back.
More good advice about starting baby food can be found at http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/food/nutrition/nutrition/life_stages/hgic4100.html. The USDA has a list of publications on infant nutrition and health at https://search.usa.gov/search?query=infant+nutrition&affiliate=www.nal.usda.gov.
The Table
In the table all the foods are baby food cereals and yogurt.
The weights all are grams except for the potassium and sodium, which are milligrams. The calories, protein, total fat, carbohydrate, sugar, fiber, potassium and sodium values given are for 100 grams of food.
The serving size and weight for a baby differs from 100 grams, so we have listed the serving weight and the common measurement that corresponds to that weight.
K is potassium. Na is sodium.
Except for the potassium to sodium ratio and the amount of potassium per serving (which we calculated), the source of data is:
USDA National Nutrient Database Standard Reference – Release 22
|
Food |
Serving Wt |
Serving Size |
Calories |
Protein |
Total Fat |
Carb'drt |
Fiber |
Sugar |
Potassium |
Sodium |
Ratio K:Na |
K per Serving |
|
Cereal, barley, dry |
2.3 |
1 tbsp |
365 |
11.1 |
3.4 |
75.3 |
8.2 |
3.1 |
395 |
47 |
8.4 |
9 |
|
Cereal, whole wheat, with apples, dry |
15 |
.5 oz |
402 |
12.6 |
4.8 |
77.1 |
12.2 |
22.2 |
516 |
25 |
20.6 |
77 |
|
Cereal, mixed, dry |
2.5 |
1 tbsp |
379 |
12.2 |
4.4 |
73.3 |
7.5 |
0.87 |
437 |
39 |
11.2 |
11 |
|
Cereal, mixed, with bananas, dry |
2.5 |
1 tbsp |
391 |
10.7 |
4.6 |
77.1 |
7.8 |
6.68 |
668 |
118 |
5.7 |
17 |
|
Cereal, mixed, with applesauce and bananas, strained |
28.35 |
1 oz |
82 |
1.2 |
0.5 |
17.9 |
1.2 |
7.79 |
41 |
2 |
20.5 |
12 |
|
Cereal, oatmeal, dry |
3.18 |
1 tbsp |
399 |
13.07 |
8 |
69.65 |
9 |
3.84 |
420 |
5 |
84 |
13 |
|
Cereal, oatmeal, with bananas, dry |
2.5 |
1 tbsp |
393 |
12 |
6 |
73.4 |
5.2 |
13.75 |
731 |
119 |
6.1 |
18 |
|
Cereal, oatmeal, with applesauce and bananas, strained |
113 |
1 jar |
74 |
1.3 |
0.7 |
15.4 |
0.8 |
10.49 |
47 |
2 |
23.5 |
13 |
|
Cereal, oatmeal, with honey, dry |
2.4 |
1 tbsp |
391 |
13.5 |
7 |
69.3 |
259 |
47 |
5.5 |
6 |
||
|
Cereal, rice, dry |
2.5 |
1 tbsp |
391 |
7.1 |
4.9 |
77.6 |
0.5 |
0.12 |
385 |
32 |
12 |
10 |
|
Cereal, rice, with mixed fruit, junior |
15 |
1 tbsp |
82 |
0.9 |
0.2 |
18.3 |
0.6 |
10.5 |
50 |
10 |
5 |
8 |
|
Cereal, high protein, with apple and orange, dry |
2.4 |
1 tbsp |
374 |
25.4 |
6.5 |
57.6 |
7.1 |
1330 |
104 |
12.8 |
32 |
|
|
Cereal, rice, with bananas, dry |
2.5 |
1 tbsp |
404 |
8.7 |
4.2 |
79.9 |
1 |
16.7 |
769 |
96 |
8 |
19 |
|
Cereal, barley, prepared with whole milk |
28.35 |
1 oz |
84 |
3.73 |
3.26 |
9.94 |
0.6 |
5.1 |
151 |
43 |
3.5 |
43 |
|
Cereal, high protein, prepared with whole milk |
28.35 |
1 oz |
111 |
8.7 |
3.8 |
11.6 |
349 |
49 |
7.1 |
99 |
||
|
Cereal, mixed, prepared with whole milk |
28.35 |
1 oz |
96 |
4.14 |
3.38 |
12.3 |
0.8 |
4.78 |
166 |
42 |
4 |
47 |
|
Cereal, mixed, with bananas, prepared with whole milk |
28.35 |
1 oz |
86 |
3.82 |
3.46 |
10 |
0.4 |
5.9 |
178 |
48 |
3.7 |
50 |
|
Cereal, oatmeal, prepared with whole milk |
28.35 |
1 oz |
116 |
5 |
4.1 |
15.3 |
1.1 |
204 |
46 |
4.4 |
58 |
|
|
Cereal, oatmeal, with bananas, prepared with whole milk |
28.35 |
1 oz |
86 |
3.82 |
3.46 |
10 |
0.4 |
5.9 |
178 |
48 |
3.7 |
50 |
|
Cereal, oatmeal, with honey, prepared with whole milk |
28.35 |
1 oz |
115 |
5 |
3.9 |
15.3 |
170 |
49 |
3.5 |
48 |
||
|
Cereal, rice, prepared with whole milk |
28.35 |
1 oz |
85 |
3.45 |
3.38 |
10.31 |
0 |
4.87 |
151 |
42 |
3.6 |
43 |
|
Cereal, mixed, with honey, prepared with whole milk |
28.35 |
1 oz |
115 |
5 |
3.6 |
15.9 |
171 |
48 |
3.6 |
48 |
||
|
Cereal, high protein, with apple and orange, prepared with whole milk |
28.35 |
1 oz |
112 |
6.9 |
3.9 |
13.4 |
346 |
58 |
6 |
98 |
||
|
Cereal, rice, with bananas, prepared with whole milk |
28.35 |
1 oz |
86 |
3.57 |
3.32 |
10.49 |
0.1 |
6.13 |
180 |
47 |
3.8 |
51 |
|
Yogurt, whole milk, with fruit, multigrain cereal and added DHA |
30.5 |
1 oz |
98 |
3.4 |
3.53 |
13.22 |
0.3 |
11.46 |
149 |
41 |
3.6 |
45 |
|
Yogurt, whole milk, with fruit, multigrain cereal and added iron |
30.5 |
1 oz |
92 |
3.05 |
3.08 |
13 |
0.6 |
11.46 |
143 |
38 |
3.8 |
44 |
|
Cereal, brown rice, dry, instant |
3.7 |
1 tbsp |
404 |
8.7 |
3 |
85.65 |
6.5 |
0.92 |
386 |
12 |
32.2 |
14 |
