Select a Stage: Pregnancy New Born Baby Toddler Pre-School
Close

Every Milestone has Meaning

Milestones are important when it comes to feeding, as your child's needs change with every developmental stage. Select the Milestone Symbol™ below that reflects your child’s current stage of development to receive customized feeding guidelines, menus and nutrition advice tailored to your child's individual readiness cues and motor skills.

Select a Milestone

Pregnancy

  • 1st Trimester
  • 2nd Trimester
  • 3rd Trimester
Close

Every Milestone has Meaning

Milestones are important when it comes to feeding, as your child's needs change with every developmental stage. Select the Milestone Symbol™ below that reflects your child’s current stage of development to receive customized feeding guidelines, menus and nutrition advice tailored to your child's individual readiness cues and motor skills.

Select a Milestone

Birth

  • Makes crawling-type motions with her legs
  • Enjoys bold colors as vision continues to develop
  • Smiles, frowns and grimaces
  • Reaches for you when she wants attention
Close

Every Milestone has Meaning

Milestones are important when it comes to feeding, as your child's needs change with every developmental stage. Select the Milestone Symbol™ below that reflects your child’s current stage of development to receive customized feeding guidelines, menus and nutrition advice tailored to your child's individual readiness cues and motor skills.

Select a Milestone

Crawler

  • Crawls with stomach off the floor
  • May pull self up to stand
  • Begins to self-feed with fingers
  • Begins to use jaw to mash food

Supported Sitter

  • Sits with help or support
  • On tummy, pushes up on arms with straight elbows
  • Moves pureed food forward and backward in mouth with tongue to swallow

Sitter

  • Sits independently
  • Picks up and holds small objects in hands
  • Reaches for food or spoon when hungry
  • Uses upper lip to help clear food off of spoon
Close

Every Milestone has Meaning

Milestones are important when it comes to feeding, as your child's needs change with every developmental stage. Select the Milestone Symbol™ below that reflects your child’s current stage of development to receive customized feeding guidelines, menus and nutrition advice tailored to your child's individual readiness cues and motor skills.

Select a Milestone

Crawler

  • Crawls with stomach off the floor
  • May pull self up to stand
  • Begins to self-feed with fingers
  • Begins to use jaw to mash food

Toddler

  • Stands alone and begins to walk alone
  • Feeds self easily with fingers
  • Begins to use fork and spoon
  • Bites through a variety of textures
Close

Every Milestone has Meaning

Milestones are important when it comes to feeding, as your child's needs change with every developmental stage. Select the Milestone Symbol™ below that reflects your child’s current stage of development to receive customized feeding guidelines, menus and nutrition advice tailored to your child's individual readiness cues and motor skills.

Select a Milestone

Preschooler

  • Runs well without falling
  • Sits in a booster seat or child seat at family meals
  • Chews more skillfully and efficiently
  • Mastering use of spoon and fork
Search
Print This Page Share This Page
Articles & Videos
View All Categories
Week by Week Pregnancy Calendar
Baby's Development Calendar
Pregnancy
Birth+
Supported Sitter
Sitter
Crawler
Toddler
Preschooler
View All Videos
Gerber Childrenswear Menus Tailored to Your Child's Development

Starting fruit & vegetable purees

Starting fruit & vegetable purees

Once your baby has mastered single-ingredient cereals, it may be time to try single-ingredient fruits and vegetables—GERBER® 1ST FOODS® purees.

Role of 1ST FOODS

While breastmilk or formula remains your baby’s main source of nutrition, 1ST FOODS purees introduce new tastes to your baby. 1ST FOODS purees are made with gentle ingredients ideal for your baby’s first bites, and they have smooth textures for babies learning how to eat.

These single-ingredient fruits and vegetables work great as “tester” foods. Make sure to introduce one at a time and wait about three days to watch for signs of allergy or intolerance such as rash, diarrhea, or vomiting. If you suspect a reaction, stop feeding the new food and consult your pediatrician.

Fruits or veggies first?

Like many parenting queries, there’s more than one “right answer.” Some experts say fruits first, because they’re sweet like breastmilk. Others say vegetables first, because babies may find vegetables harder to accept once they’ve tasted sweeter fruits. The order doesn’t matter, so try what feels right for you and your baby.

Many parents like to start with the simple flavors of 1ST FOODS Fruits Apples or a mild, sweet vegetable such as 1ST FOODS Vegetables Sweet Potato. Don’t worry if your baby doesn’t go bananas over her first bite of 1ST FOODS Vegetables Squash—this is completely normal! Babies sometimes need about 10 tries of a new food before deciding whether they like it or not.

First tastes

Start by scooping a few teaspoons of food into your baby’s feeding dish, and be sure to never feed directly from the container. Follow your baby’s lead, letting her eat as much or as little as she’d like.

When your baby starts solids, she’s open to new tastes. During these months, introduce a variety of colors and flavors as you go along the solid-food journey. A baby’s food preferences are developing now and can last for life.

Find menus for your Supported Sitter

Print the PDF below as a guide to familiarize yourself with your baby's food textures, as he gains experience with eating:

Print PDF

Did you know?

Many moms only offer a rejected food about three times before giving up. But one study shows that more than 70% of babies who initially rejected a vegetable puree ate it after seven to eight tries.

Products

GERBER<sup>®</sup> 1st FOODS<sup>®</sup> Vegetables

GERBER® 1st FOODS® Vegetables

Made with 100% natural vegetables.

Learn More