We give the lowdown on all the options, from breastfeeding and formula to starting solids and what to avoid.
Congratulations on your new bundle of joy! Here’s where the fun starts: the constant cycle of eat, burp, poop, sleep, and repeat – with heaps of squishy cuddles in between, of course.
Along with those come the questions regarding feeding. Should I nurse or bottle-feed? Can my baby have water? When should I start them on solids (like finger food for baby) ? Puree or baby led weaning? These are just some of the big question marks I had during my early days of motherhood. To save you the hassle of Googling or asking ChatGPT, I wrote this feeding guide based on my experience as a mum-of-two (one of whom is about to turn one soon). This is for you, parents!
The HoneyKids guide to feeding baby in the first year
Breast milk
You’ve probably already read about it, or your doctor has advised you, that breast milk is great for your baby. One of our editors, who was a breastfeeding mum, described it as “on-demand milk on tap that’s full of nutrients and goodness”. What’s more, it’s the safest source of nutrition for baby, and they can start drinking breast milk as soon as they’re born. The World Health Organisation also recommends babies to be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of their life. No water, no puree, no food – just breast milk will do!
Now, the popular question most mums have is whether to nurse or bottle feed. The best method: whichever suits you and your baby best. After breastfeeding for four years, I personally prefer nursing. You save on bottles, no need to sterilise any equipment, and prep time is mere seconds as your breast milk is always at the perfect temperature! However, that’s not to say bottle feeding has less benefits. Expressing, storing, and bottle feeding your baby helps you build up a freezer stash should you have to work on-site; or if baby goes to infant care. Your partner can also help out with bottle feeding when you need a breather. So it really boils down to your lifestyle, and what works best for your baby.
The challenges?
Breastfeeding mums often experience leaking boobs, even when they don’t feel full or engorged. I remember experiencing leaks whenever my baby cried in the early days – such is the wonder of the human body. But there’s nothing breast or nursing pads can’t solve: these are available in disposable or washable versions, and they only cost a dime.
There are also specific challenges for those who nurse and bottle feed. For those who bottle feed, prep time can take a while especially if you’re using frozen breast milk. And let’s not forget the mini heartache you tend to get when baby doesn’t finish the whole bottle. For those who nurse, there’s mastitis, cracked nipples, and when baby learns how to chomp (it hurts even when it’s just gums!). While not a big issue, I do also find that most nursing bras aren’t the prettiest; and my wardrobe is limited to outfits that give bub easy access to the boobs (ie. buttons, wrap tops).
Formula milk
This may be an unpopular opinion to some, but I truly believe that fed is best. Breastfeeding may not work for everyone, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with giving your baby formula milk. Why not regular cow’s milk you ask? That’s because your baby’s body can’t fully digest cow’s milk yet, which contains high concentration of protein and minerals that could stress their immature kidneys.
There are numerous options in the market, from organic to soy, and even goat milk formula. Ingredients can vary between brands, so do check the labels and speak to your paediatrician if needed.
The challenges?
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the choices in the market as a first-timer. I did a short stint of trial-and-error with formula milk when my breast milk supply was low in the early days. If you’re lucky, your baby will be totally fine with the formula milk that you chose for them. Otherwise, you’ll be doing a series of taste tests with them like what I did to find one that suits them (what with the price of formulas these days). The worst case scenario is when you realise certain formula causes your baby to have bad reflux; or when they show signs of an allergic reaction.
Water
One of the biggest questions I had as a first-time mum was: when should my baby start drinking water? After all, water is essential to helping us – including little ones – stay hydrated. Here’s the good news: your breast milk or milk formula is all the hydration they need in the first year! Having said so, you can start introducing water to bub once they’ve started solids. Little sips via a straw cup will do at this stage, and doctors recommend no more than 120ml a day. Generally speaking, six months is a good time to start as babies tend to be developmentally ready, showing signs of being able to control their feeding and sucking.
The challenge?
Finding the right straw cup, of course. There are so many in the market in all shapes and sizes – but which ones are suitable for your baby? Having gone through many straw cups with my firstborn, I had a good idea of what I need when it’s time to shop for his sibling’s first straw cup:
- Safe material free from nasties like BPA and BPS
- Takes little effort for bub to sip
- Comes with a weighted straw so bub can still sip even when the cup is tilted
- Spill and leak-proof
- Durable (never underestimate a baby’s strength and throw)
- Short straw
The latter is especially important for me as it helps bub develop good tongue posture, which directly helps with my baby’s oral motor development (in layman terms: motor skills that supports eating, drinking, and speaking). This is echoed by Dr Lisa Lim, a speech-language pathologist (PhD), who co-developed the newly launched Pigeon StarTouch Straw Cup. She said, “Early feeding experiences lay the foundation for how babies learn to breathe, chew, and eventually speak.” Pigeon’s StarTouch Straw Cup doesn’t just tick all the criteria above, but has sensory bumps along its short straw to strengthen lip muscles (by encouraging lip rounding and closure) that help with speech clarity as bub grows. This straw cup is available on Pigeon’s online store and online marketplaces; or at your nearest supermarket and kids’ stores, like Motherswork, NTUC Fairprice, Mothercare, and more.
Fun fact: The lip muscles are the ones responsible for helping us pronounce sounds like “b”, “m”, “oo”, “p”, and “w” clearly; while tongue posture helps with the “d”, “n”, and “t” sounds.
Solids
Trust me when I say you’ll love and hate this phase, but let’s dive into the good parts first. Baby is typically ready for solids at six months old, or earlier if they show signs of readiness like being able to sit upright and shows interest in food. It’s still best to check with your paediatrician first if you intend to start solids before the six-month mark. When you’re ready, it’s time to start shopping for all the feeding essentials.
As with nursing and bottle feeding, it’s entirely up to you whether to opt for puree or baby led weaning. I’ve done both and each method has their merit. With my firstborn, I started with puree as I was still nervous, and slowly transitioned to baby led weaning when I found that he was eager and receptive towards it. With that experience, I was confident enough to start my youngest on baby led weaning, but found that she preferred certain food to be served mashed or pureed. Whichever it is, remember that baby still gets their main nutrition from breast milk or formula at this stage.
The challenges
The mess. It’s not just about the cleaning, but resisting the urge to grab the spoon to stop them from playing with their food. But here’s the thing: playing with food is part of the exploring and learning process. As one of my mum friend told me, “You just have to embrace the mess.”
That aside, there’s also the food rejection. Just like us, bub will have their preferences; and we all have moments when we didn’t quite like a dish that we’re trying for the first time. Rest assured that all these shall pass, and nothing beats the moment when you see them enjoy food, even if it’s just that one bite!
What you SHOULD NOT feed your baby in the first year
Sugar
Your baby doesn’t need it. Steer clear of giving them packet juice and sugary snacks to help prevent tooth decay and other health concerns.
Honey
Did you know that honey may lead to infant botulism, a very serious illness? It’s because honey can sometimes contain bacteria that could produce toxins in a baby’s intestines. Avoid for the first year of their life, even if it’s a small percentage as part of a dish’s ingredients.
Whole nuts and peanuts
According to the UK’s NHS, feeding baby nuts and peanuts is ok from around six months. For safety reasons, they just need to be crushed, ground or a smooth nut or peanut butter. Whole nuts and peanuts shouldn’t be given to children under five as they pose a choke hazard. Also, nut allergies are not uncommon. If there’s a history of food allergies or other allergies in your family, talk to a health expert before introducing nuts.
Soft, unpasteurised cheeses
Full-fat, hard cheese is all kinds of yum for infants, and is a good source of calcium. And yes, cream cheese is perfectly fine! But to prevent the risk of listeria, don’t give them mould-ripened soft cheeses, such as brie or camembert, ripened goats’ milk cheese and soft blue-veined cheese, such as roquefort. However, if you cook those cheeses as part of a recipe, you’re usually good to go as, once cooked, the bacteria is killed.
Lightly cooked eggs
Can’t wait for your kid to join the runny eggs club? That’ll have to wait till they’re older. It’s safest to serve your baby fully cooked eggs in their first year.
Whatever you choose and whichever stage you’re at of feeding baby, remember: fed is best! And always feel confident to reach out to your health provider for any expert advice.
