Milk and dairy products for babies at 4 months
When Baby is 4 months old, breast milk* (or infant formula) must remain THE main food: up to 6 months, it is the one (and only) thing that covers your child's essential needs. If you are breastfeeding, feeds remain on demand; and if you are bottle-feeding, give Baby a bottle of 500 to 800mL of stage 1 infant formula per day. This also counts towards hydration (no water until 6 months). For everything you need to know about how much milk to put in the bottle, it's right here.
In addition to breast milk or infant formula, you can offer a few teaspoons of plain yogurt or fromage blanc, or occasionally melt a little grated cheese such as Gruyère (not raw milk cheese) on a vegetable purée for discovery.
The Popote tip: in terms of calcium, 150ml of milk is equivalent to 1 yogurt, or 20 grams of cheese.
*Yes Mama, breast milk is the absolute best. The WHO actually recommends it exclusively until 6 months. But there are 1,000 ways to be a parent.
Which dairy products are off-limits at 4 months?
- No raw milk, and no raw milk cheeses (except cooked pressed cheeses such as Emmental or Comté)
- No 0%, skimmed or semi-skimmed products before 3 years old. Only full-fat dairy products.
Vegetables for babies at 4 months
Most vegetables can be introduced from 4 months. But when it comes to preparation, there are a few rules to follow.
Which vegetable to start with at 4 months?
Let's be clear: there's no particular order to follow. But do know that orange vegetables are a huge hit with little ones — so starting with those should make things easier. Carrots, butternut squash, pumpkin… the choice is yours! Then come the classics: green beans, courgettes and peas, which babies tend to love.
At first, Baby might pull a face at some stronger-tasting vegetables: artichoke, for example, despite its rather charming name. But don't panic — you can offer the same food up to 10 times before Baby comes round.
That said, some vegetables are known to be a little trickier to get babies to eat at first: broccoli, cauliflower, and brassicas in general, which can slightly upset Baby's digestive system — as can very fibrous varieties, such as salsify or the green part of leeks.
What quantities of vegetables at 4 months?
At 4 months, Baby's tummy is tiny (roughly the size of a nectarine). So start with 2 to 3 teaspoons, before or after the bottle (or a feed), and gradually increase according to Baby's appetite. Preferably not in the bottle, so Baby gets used to the spoon. The golden rule: trust Baby and never force them.
How to introduce vegetables at 4 months?
To make the discovery of vegetables go as smoothly as possible, follow a few simple, basic rules.
- Start with ONE vegetable, without mixing it with other ingredients (or other vegetables), to help Baby get used to this new taste and learn to distinguish different flavours.
- No salt is added — not in homemade purée, nor in baby food pouches.
- Once the vegetable has been accepted on its own, you can very quickly mix it with other vegetables, or add spices, meat, fish or a starchy food (about a teaspoon's worth) to the purée. You can also serve them alongside the purée if Baby prefers.
- All vegetables are offered as a smooth purée, eaten with a spoon. If Baby wants to explore on their own, you can let them pick up the purée with their fingers — they'll love it (but brace yourself for a parsnip tsunami in the kitchen). And when there's no time to cook, treat them to a delicious vegetable purée for 4-month-old babies!
The Popote note: if you'd like to start weaning the BLW way (baby-led weaning), you'll need to wait until Baby is 6 months old so they can sit up properly. And to find out the most common weaning mistakes, it's right here.
Fruits for babies at 4 months
Loved by babies for their sweet taste, fruits are often introduced after vegetables (even though, as we've said, weaning at 4 months doesn't require you to start with any particular food group).
Which fruit to start with at 4 months?
Here too, all fruits can be offered to Baby from 4 months. But it pays to be strategic: at the start of weaning, babies particularly enjoy apple, banana and pear. Some children are also keen on peach, apricot and mango, while others are quickly drawn to more acidic fruits like pineapple or clementine.
What quantities of fruit at 4 months?
Before 6 months, offer only a few spoonfuls of fruit. And again, trust Baby — follow their cues and appetite. Then top up with a bottle of stage 1 infant formula or a breastfeed.
How to introduce fruits at 4 months?
At this age, fruits should be prepared as very smooth purées. Depending on the variety, the fruit can be cooked beforehand, or blended raw if it is very ripe. It is also recommended to peel fruits before making the purée. And when life gets too busy, reach for a delicious Popote fruit purée for Baby!
And what about nuts?
Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts… Yes, they are allergens, but as we mentioned above, it is now recommended to introduce them early into a 4-month-old baby's diet, in the form of powder or unsweetened/unsalted paste (yes to peanut butter — the plain kind — no to the sugary stuff!). But keep quantities tiny (no more than half a teaspoon), mixed into a purée or fruit purée. Nuts should never be offered whole before 3 years old to avoid any choking risk — the same goes for some small berries.
Starchy foods and pulses at 4 months
Some starchy foods and pulses can be introduced to Baby from the very start of weaning. For others, you'll need to wait a few more weeks or months.
Which starchy food to start with at 4 months?
From 4 months, Baby can start to be introduced to potatoes and other starchy foods (pasta, rice, semolina, bread). Gluten-containing products can generally be introduced into their diet. Wholegrain or semi-wholegrain starchy foods can be offered depending on how well the child digests them. It's also the moment for Baby to discover pulses (lentils, chickpeas, dried beans — which have the advantage of being rich in protein and iron). These can be prepared as a smooth purée, or incorporated into a vegetable purée or soup.
What quantity of starchy foods at 4 months, and in what form?
You can let Baby try starchy foods for the first time as a smooth purée, then always mixed with vegetables: ¼ blended starchy food to ¾ blended vegetables. To find loads of recipes to make for your 4-month-old baby, it's right here!
Proteins at 4 months
Eggs, certain types of meat and several species of fish can all be offered to a 4-month-old baby. Along with pulses, these are the first proteins Baby will consume — also rich in iron, meat and fish are very useful for "preventing iron-deficiency anaemia, which is common in infants".
Which protein source to start with at 4 months?
Generally, start with poultry (chicken, turkey) for meat, and species such as hake, cod, sole, whiting, dab or pollock for fish (i.e. white fish). Very soon, your child will be able to discover red meats (beef, pork…) and oily fish (mackerel, salmon, sardine, trout…). Whatever the food, always serve it very well cooked (raw egg preparations are off the table — chocolate mousse can wait for later).
What quantities of protein at 4 months?
In very small quantities at the start of weaning at 4 months: no more than 5g per day, i.e. 1 teaspoon of blended meat or fish, or mashed hard-boiled egg. For meat, poultry is preferred. For fish, aim for twice a week, including 1 oily fish: salmon (my personal favourite!), sardine, mackerel…
Which proteins should be avoided at 4 months?
- Processed meats, due to the salt required in their preparation — except plain cooked ham with no added salt (pork, then!) from time to time, always blended very smooth.
- Offal
- Soft-boiled eggs, runny eggs, scrambled eggs and fried eggs (Baby can only eat hard-boiled eggs)
- Breaded fish
- Fish with a risk of methylmercury contamination (as listed by the French National Food Safety Agency): monkfish, tuna, ray, halibut, sea bream, bonito, shark, swordfish, marlin, lamprey, as well as eel, carp, catfish, bream and barbel.
What about fats at 4 months?
Fat is life! Yes, contrary to popular belief, Baby needs fats. Add them raw to purées (except in ready-made pouches, which already contain them). Favour oils and vary the pleasures (rapeseed oil, walnut oil, olive oil). Give 1 teaspoon of oil per day and a knob of butter from time to time.
How do I know if my 4-month-old baby is eating too much or not enough?
At 4 months, weaning is not introduced to meet the child's nutritional needs — it therefore has no impact on their growth. Only milk plays that role. To find out whether Baby is drinking enough milk (or perhaps a little too much), refer to their growth chart and ask your paediatrician for advice.
