Don’t put a bottle or snack in your baby’s mouth the second she becomes a little fussy if she just had a meal. Such habits can cause your child to want to eat all the time or never be satisfied.

Don’t feed honey to your baby. Infants younger than 12 months who eat honey may develop infant botulism—food poisoning that can cause serious damage to the nervous system or, in rare cases, fatality. Infant botulism has also been linked to corn syrup.

Keep your baby on breast milk or formula (fortified with iron). Babies who drink cow’s milk before their first birthday are more likely to develop an allergy to the protein in the milk. Cow’s milk may also interfere with the absorption of iron in other foods.

Stay away from fruit juices and other sweetened drinks. Some babies can become so enamored with sweet drinks that they begin to favor them over more nutritious drinks, making it harder to separate them from their beloved juice bottle — which will keep their teeth continuously bathed in cavity-provoking, sugary liquids. A good time to let your baby enjoy juice is when she can drink it from a cup.

Cribs and bottles don’t mix. If your child falls asleep with anything other than water in her mouth, her incoming teeth can be damaged from the bacteria and sugar in other liquids. Also, a baby who drinks from a bottle while lying flat will be at greater risk for middle ear infections. If your baby seems to sleep better after a bedtime snack, make sure you clean her teeth before you put her down for the night.