GERBER^® 2nd FOODS^® Dinners with DHA

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is a polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid that is an important fatty acid for brain and eye development during baby's early and later years of growth. It is the most abundant long chain omega-3 fatty acid in the brain and the retina of the eye. DHA is found throughout the body, however most babies in the U.S. don't get enough DHA.

DHA is an important fatty acid which helps support brain and eye development during baby's early and later years of growth. DHA serves as a major structural fat in the brain, the retina of the eye and is also a key component of the heart. DHA is important for mental and visual development in infants.

DHA is an Omega-3 fatty acid found naturally in breastmilk and fish such as tuna and salmon.

The fish oil could cause an allergic reaction to those who are allergic to fish. However, fish allergies are very low in children.

However because there is an unlikely chance that infants under 1 year of age may be allergic to finfish, we encourage mothers to follow doctor's recommendations for introducing foods for the first time to their babies.

Most babies in the U.S. don't get enough DHA, which is a nutrient found in nature that's safe and beneficial to brain and eye development. As your baby moves to solid foods, you can feed him GERBER® Cereals and GERBER® 2ND FOODS® puree blends with DHA as a complement to breastmilk or formula.

Mom should have ongoing conversations with her doctor about baby's diet, especially during weaning. Since typical weaning foods do not contain DHA, there is a likelihood of a reduction in dietary DHA as solid foods begin to displace formula/breastmilk as a source of nutrition in baby's diet. Thus, baby foods with DHA help to ensure that DHA continues to be readily available in baby's diet.

DHA is a structural component of cell membranes in the retina and the brain and accumulates rapidly in these tissues during the rapid growth spurt in the last trimester of pregnancy. DHA continues to be important for brain and eye development after birth.

Some experts say that baby's DHA consumption should increase proportionate to his body weight. Unfortunately, the amount of DHA your baby consumes will likely level out or decline as solid foods begin to replace some of the breastmilk or formula in his diet. Complementary sources of DHA, like GERBER® cereals and GERBER purees with DHA, are a good way to help ensure that your baby is getting this important nutrient as he grows. Start with GERBER cereals with DHA as a complement to breastmilk and/or formula when your baby is in the Supported Sitter stage. Add additional servings of GERBER® 2ND FOODS® purees with DHA when your baby reaches the Sitter stage.

The fish oil used in the DHA ingredient for GERBER® products is highly refined and is safe for babies to consume. Safety for this ingredient has been established through an FDA approved process. Also, the oil used in GERBER® products comes from tuna that are caught in areas of the world that reduce the chance of exposure to environmental contaminants.

Some GERBER® products use DHA from tuna oil, while the DHA used in GERBER® GOOD START® formula is from Martek oil. The DHA is surrounded with ingredients that break down in baby's tummy, but not in her mouth, so she gets all the benefits of DHA without sacrificing taste. Research shows that moms and babies love the great taste of our cereals and purees with DHA every bit as much as our regular cereals and purees. The level of DHA in Gerber's products provides babies with safe levels of this important fatty acid. DHA provided by Gerber's products, is well within the levels FDA considers safe.

GERBER® products - Each product is stamped with a “use by” date in the format dd MON yy. For example, a use-by date of August 25, 2010 would be indicated as “25 AUG 10”. The numbers before or after the use by date contain information about when and where the product was made.

Around the middle of your baby’s first year, she should be ready to start solid foods. This coincides with her having reached the Supported Sitter developmental stage. To learn more about nutrition and feeding at this stage, please refer to our Nutrition Guide for Supported Sitters.

Before starting solid foods, be sure to discuss it with your pediatrician.

GERBER® 1st FOODS® products are single-ingredient fruits and vegetables. The food is pureed for easy swallowing. These foods are typically introduced when your baby is in the Supported Sitter stage.

GERBER® 2nd FOODS® products include many fruits and vegetables your baby enjoyed in the GERBER® 1ST FOODS® line, but there are many new flavors and combinations of ingredients. These foods are typically introduced in the Sitter stage.

GERBER® 3rd FOODS® products are ideal for feeding your baby in the transition to table-type foods. They have more texture and may include tiny particles that help babies learn to mash food with their gums. GERBER® 3rd FOODS® products also offer new flavors. These foods are typically introduced at the Crawler stage.

Learn more about our developmental Milestone Symbols™.

Rice cereal (such as GERBER® Rice Cereal) is typically the first complementary food introduced to infants. It is made with gentle ingredients and its smooth, fine texture is developmentally appropriate for your baby’s first solid food.

Oatmeal (such as GERBER® Oatmeal Cereal) is usually the second cereal offered. Wait about 3 days in between each cereal to see how your baby tolerates them. Watch for signs of allergic responses such as diarrhea, a rash or vomiting. If any of these occur, stop feeding that variety and contact your pediatrician.

Once your baby is eating cereal, you can also try pureed baby foods like GERBER® 1ST FOODS® fruits and vegetables.

To learn more about feeding your baby at this stage of development, read our Nutrition Guide for Supported Sitters.

Spoon food from the container into a serving dish before feeding. This allows you to safely store any unused portion of the container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

No. All baby foods may be served cold, warm or at room temperature.

As long as you do not feed directly from the container or heat the entire container of food, replace the lid and keep it in the refrigerator for up to three days.

GERBER® products - Each product is stamped with a “use by” date in the format dd MON yy. For example, a use-by date of August 25, 2010 would be indicated as “25 AUG 10”. The numbers before or after the use by date contain information about when and where the product was made.