Feeding Babies and Young Children

This blog post provides answers to some common questions about feeding babies and young children. Topics covered include whether it is safe to give bottled water to babies, whether babies need follow-on formula milk, whether it is safe to microwave baby foods, and how to deal with fussy eaters.

Questions

• Can I give bottled water to my baby?
• Does my baby need follow-on formula milk?
• Is it safe to microwave baby foods?
• My baby is refusing foods. Is he a fussy eater?

Answers

Bottle water is not sterile and should be boiled and cooled the same as tap water for all babies’ until they are 12 months old. It is best not to use bottled water that is labelled as ‘Natural Mineral Water’ as it can have higher levels of sodium and other minerals. However, it can be used if no other water is available, for as short a time as possible, because it is important to keep your baby hydrated.

There should be no need for follow-on formula milks, provided your child has a nutritious diet with some iron-rich foods. Continue with breastmilk or formula milk until 1 year. From 1 year breastmilk or cow’s milk should be used as the main drink.

Because the food is heated unevenly, there is a danger of ‘hotspots’ and a risk of scalding your baby’s mouth. For this reason you need to be very careful if using microwaves to heat food for babies and young children. If you choose to use a microwave to heat food, the food must be thoroughly heated, left to stand for a few moments, mixed well and allowed to cool to feeding temperature.

It is quite normal for babies and young children to refuse