What foods to give an eight month old

Advice on the weaning foods you can begin to introduce into your baby's diet at eight months, including advice on feeding your baby finger foods.

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Weaning your baby > What foods to give an eight month old

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At about eight months your baby is ready for finger foods cut into bite-sized bits. Finger foods are great once your baby can hold things and allow your baby a degree of control.

Try these ideas for first finger foods that can be easily gummed and digested: bread, ripe bananas, cantaloupe melon, soft pear, green beans, tender cooked carrots, cubes of cheese, sweet potatoes, cooked pasta shapes and breakfast cereals (avoid those with peanuts if you have a family history of allergies). Never leave your baby alone when eating because of the risk of choking. Offer your baby a wide range of foods so she is used to eating a variety of flavour and also to ensure she has a balanced diet.

In addition to finger food give her mashed or minced food, but not purees. Include some lumps so your baby can get used to chewing or gumming her food.

Try introducing a wider range of starchy foods such as bread, pasta, couscous, baby breadsticks, breakfast cereals, oats, in addition to potatoes, rice and millet. Give 2-3 servings a day of starchy foods.

Begin to introduce dairy products, such as fromage frais, yogurt and cheese. Although you should wait until one year to introduce cow's milk as a drink, it can be used in cooking, so make cheese sauce to add to vegetables or pasta. Eggs which are well cooked, plus fish and shellfish can also be added to the other protein-rich foods in her diet. Aim for one serving of protein-rich food a day.

Citrus fruits, such as oranges and satsumas can also now be introduced. If you do give fruit juice, dilute it 1 part juice to 9 of cooled boiled water, and use a beaker with a soft spout. Keeping this to meal times helps with iron absorption and reduces the risk of damage to emerging teeth.

You may wish to add cooled boiled water from a beaker with a soft spout, in addition to her daily breastmilk or 500-600mls/ 17-20oz of formula. Try to stay off juices and baby squashes as long as you can.

Follow-on formula can now be used if you wish.