Starting a baby on solid foods is one of the first of many milestones that you and your baby will achieve. Learning to eat new foods can be fun for your baby. Most adults, including myself, would enjoy eating the day away if there were no consequences to it. Eating solid foods can be an enjoyable and new experience for your baby also. I’ve put together some tips for starting your baby on solid foods. I hope that these tips help you and your baby to start off right when introducing solid foods.
When To Get Started
Babies should start on solid foods around six months of age. Before solid foods are introduced, the World Health Organization recommends that babies be breastfed exclusively for the first six months of life. Some professionals and public health organizations, however, have realized that this is not a perfect world and that babies can handle solid foods as young as four months of age. Solid food should never be introduced before four months of age. If you can wait until six months, that is ideal. If your baby is not quite ready for solid foods at six months, have no fear. It’s ok to wait longer, just so long as they are nursing well and growing at a healthy rate.
Look For These Signs That Your Baby Is Ready
Dr. Sears, one of the leading and most popular of pediatricians, recommends watching for the following signs that your baby is ready for solid foods.
- Able to sit upright with support. Reaches and grabs. Puts toys and hands in mouth.
- Watches you eat. Shows an interest in watching you move food from your plate to your mouth.
- Reaches for food that you are eating.
- Imitates your eating behaviors. Watch for behaviors such as your baby opening his or her mouth wide when you open your mouth to eat.
- Baby saying yes to foods. Babies may show that they want solid foods by reaching or leaning towards the food. They may also express that they don’t want food by pushing or turning away food that you offer. When you aren’t sure, it’s better to err on the side of caution and wait a bit longer before introducing solid foods. It won’t be long before your baby gives you definite signs that he or she is ready.
Start Slow
Introduce only one food and then wait several days before introducing another food. The reason being that you want to be careful and watch for food allergy signs. If an allergic reaction occurs, it will be easier to pinpoint where it’s coming from if you introduce just one new food every few days. Food allergy symptoms to watch out for include vomiting, diarrhea, and rash.
Common food allergies come from eggs, fish, wheat, cow’s milk, soy, and fruits. That covers a lot of foods, so you are right if you thought that food allergies could come from any food.
Pediatricians recommend delaying the introduction of eggs, peanuts, and fish until other foods have been introduced first. But don’t wait too long. Some experts now believe that by protecting your child from these foods, you may actually increase their chance of having a food allergy. For infants, avoid honey until after they have reached their first birthday. Honey can contain botulism spores. The risk of botulism is high for babies.
Set Aside A Lot of Time For Feedings
Nutritionists advise us to all slow down when we eat. It may take awhile for the food to reach your stomach and give you cues that you are indeed full and should stop eating. You can instill this healthy habit in babies by setting aside a lot of time for eating. Rushing because you may be on a tight schedule will not only take the enjoyment out of your baby trying new foods, but it can also lead to choking. Slow the pace down, and enjoy meals with your baby.
8 Foods To Start With
Foods that are mildly bland yet sweet are great beginning options for solid foods for babies. I’ve listed some of the most popular and also recommended first foods for babies.
- Bananas
- Avocados
- Peaches
- Applesauce
- Carrots
- Pears
- Squash
- Sweet Potatoes
Be Prepared For Messiness
Babies can be extremely messy creatures. Plan for what you put on their plate or tray to end up in their hair and ears. Make sure to plan for food flying and falling on the floor. Don’t set up for their first meals to take place in your white carpeted dining room. By expecting and preparing meals to naturally be messy for beginning eaters, will also make it less stressful for your baby and you.
Introduce New Foods in the Morning
Morning is the best time to introduce new foods. The reason being is that, if your baby has a bad reaction to a new food, you will be more aware to notice and catch it during waking hours. Also, if by chance a new food causes intestinal distress for your baby, it should wear off by the end of the day. For the most part, I think parents would agree that risking a baby being awake all night doesn’t make as much sense as dealing with issues during the day.
Final Thoughts
Starting your baby on new foods can be an exciting adventure for both you and your baby. Make sure to have your camera ready to capture all of the cute messiness that is bound to happen. I’ve listed some tips here that I hope will help you when starting your baby with eating solid foods. Remember that each baby is different. Just because your first born loved bananas, doesn’t mean that your second child will also like them. Babies preferences can be as widely different as grown adults preferences. Enjoy this time. Before you know it, your baby will be helping you to prepare lunch. If it gets messier than you are comfortable with, just take in a deep breath and realize that this time will pass quicker than you realize.
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