Infants

Yes you can claim infants and it's easy too!

USDA INFANT MEAL PATTERN  

1) Infant formula and dry infant cereal shall be iron-fortified. (2) Breast milk or formula, or portions of both, may be served; however, it is recommended that breast milk be served in place of formula from birth through 11 months. (3) For some breast fed infants who regularly consume less than the minimum amount of breast milk per feeding, a serving of less than the minimum amount of breast milk may be offered with additional breast milk offered if the infant is still hungry. (4) A serving of this component is required when the infant is developmentally ready to accept it.(6) A serving of this component must be made from whole grain or enriched meal or flour.

INFANT FEEDING INFORMATION

        

· The Day Care Provider must supply at least one reimbursable iron fortified infant formula in order to claim an infant meal.  The type of formula must be written on the menu.

· Foods served are to be written on the infant menu forms provided by the Child Care Food Program.

· Juices are not a reimbursable item for an infant.

· Cereal must be iron fortified infant cereal.

· Commercial baby food can be credited only if it is a single item food.  Mixed foods such as beef and vegetables or chicken and noodles will not be approved for reimbursement. Commercial desserts such as tutti fruiti are not reimbursable.

· Honey should not be given to or used in foods for infants under 1 year of age because it can cause infant botulism.

The Infant Meal Pattern allows for a gradual introduction of solid foods and encourages breast-feeding or formula feeding up to the first birthday.  The texture and amount of the feeding should be consistent with the age of the infant.  For emotional, nutritional and    physical growth, Infants need foods that are rich in  nutrients.  Foods such as strained meat, fruit, vegetables,     iron-fortified dry   infant  cereal,        iron-fortified Infant  formula, and breast milk       provide the        maximum amount of vitamins and minerals for    growing babies. 

  Commercial baby fruits and vegetables which list fruit or vegetables as the first ingredient are reimbursable.  Foods such as commercially made combination or mixed baby foods, jarred cereal with fruit, desserts or puddings, meat sticks, yogurt, nuts/seeds or nut/seed butter are not reimbursable.  Water is often listed as the first ingredient, and it is difficult to determine from the ingredient label the actual amounts of the food components in the product or the food may present a choking hazard for children under the age of one.  If you have questions about a specific infant food, please call the Child Care Food Program office for clarification.

 

Under the infant meal pattern, infant formula is a required component and, as such, must be offered for a family day care provider to obtain              reimbursement under the Child Care Food Program.  If breast milk is used, then the meal is still reimbursable as long as the milk is pre pumped and served by the provider.  In the Child Care Food Program Regulations,    infant formula means: “any iron-fortified infant formula, intended for dietary use as a sole source of food for normal, healthy infants served in liquid state at manufacturer’s recommended dilution.”

A Family Day Care Provider may claim meals containing only parent-provided iron fortified formula for ages up to three months.  A Family Day Care Provider may claim for meals containing parent-provided iron fortified formula when at least one other meal component listed for infants four through eleven months of age is supplied by the provider.

Juice should not be offered to infants.  Drinking juice or sweetened drinks from a bottle can promote tooth decay.  Never prop a bottle or give a bottle to a baby during nap time.  This can cause     choking as well as tooth decay and ear infections.

Parents will also give you important information to help you in feeding their babies.  You should communicate frequently with the parents so that you can coordinate foods served at home with foods served in your care.  In this way, you can assure the best care for the babies.

Heating bottles in a microwave oven is not recommended because uneven heating can occur and burn the infant's mouth.

SOME INFANT CREDITABLE FOODS

· Bread Crusts, Toast, Crackers, Teething biscuits, Arrowroot cookies, age appropriate adult cereal, i.e., toasted oat "os" cereal, with enriched or whole-grain flour or meal as the first ingredient -  For Snack Only for 8 - 11 months.

· Cheese or Cottage Cheese

· Egg Yolk, cooked (Only for infants 8 month up to the first

·  birthday)

· Iron-Fortified Infant Formula (Includes Soy-based)

· Iron-fortified Dry Infant Cereal

· Homemade Baby Food (Avoid salt, other seasonings, and fat)

· Single-Item Baby Foods, Commercial (Such as vegetables, fruits, and meats)

 

SOME INFANT NON-CREDITABLE FOODS

·              Baby Food Fruit Desserts

·              Whole Milk

·              Buttermilk

·              Combination Dinners,

                   Commercial (Example: meat/vegetable dinners,  

             Meat dinners and dehydrated dinners)

·              Dry Milk, Reconstituted

·              Egg

·              Half and Half

·  High Meat Dinners or Lean Meat Dinners

·  Infant Meat Sticks

·  Juice

·  Low-Fat Milk (Example: 1% milk, 2% milk, skim milk)

·  Mixed Cereal with Fruit, Commercial

·  Pedialyte

·  Raw or Certified Raw Milk

·             Raisins

·  Skim Milk

·  Yogurt 

Do not serve peanut butter, nuts, seeds and other similar foods to  infants because choking can occur.