The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), in collaboration with the National Dairy Council, developed a child nutrition guide to help parents understand when and how to introduce certain foods to their children. However, keep in mind that each child is unique and each person’s reaction to a particular flavor is different. Here are some tips and information about milk, cheese, and yogurt:
0-6 months: breast milk only
Breast milk is recommended as your baby’s only source of nutrition for the first six months of life. For babies who are not breastfed, iron-enriched milk powders are a good alternative. We recommend that you talk to your pediatrician about when and how much food to introduce to your baby for healthy growth, including brain development.
6-12 months: yogurt and cheese
It is recommended that breast milk be the main source of nutrition for your child’s diet until one year of age. However, when your baby is developmentally ready, you can gradually introduce complementary foods that are semi-solid or semi-liquid. which is mainly recommended for enriched cereals for babies. However, according to the AAP, you can introduce single-ingredient foods from each food group when your baby is developmentally ready. Some signs of readiness include:
- The ability to sit
- Having good head control
- Opening the mouth for the spoon
- The ability to transfer food to the back of the mouth to swallow
Baby’s first foods should contain iron and zinc, such as fortified cereals and pureed meats. These complementary foods should be consumed in small amounts in addition to mother’s milk at first, then you can gradually increase the variety and quantity. At this stage, you can try introducing your baby to yogurt, whole milk and cottage cheese (the recommended serving size for an 8-12 month old is about 1/4 to 1/2 cup). Note that it may take time for your baby to accept a new food, so don’t worry.
Around 9 months, your child may be ready to try finger foods, such as a half-ounce serving of cheese. Some of the key signs to introduce such foods to the child are:
12 months: whole milk
After your baby’s first birthday, you can start using whole milk. According to APP, two to three servings of dairy (1/2 cup of milk or yogurt, 1/2 ounce of cheese) are recommended daily.
Reference:
https://www.usdairy.com/news-articles/when-to-introduce-baby-to-milk-cheese-yogurt