Introducing Solid Food to Your Baby

Introducing Solid Food to Your Baby

Introducing Solid Food to Your Baby
20 May, 2019

Introducing solid food to your baby is a significant milestone that marks the beginning of a whole new culinary adventure. It's an exciting time as you watch your little one explore new tastes, textures, and flavors. For most babies it’s recommended to start solid food when your baby is 6 months old and showing that he/she is ready to start.  

Here are the signs to look out for:

  • Good head and neck control
  • Can to sit upright with support
  • Showing interest in your food
  • Tongue-thrust reflex is gone
  • Opens the mouth when you feed with a spoon

Some babies aren’t ready at exactly 6 months whilst some show’s interest earlier, in the case that your little one is late, you will wait a week or two and a lot can happen in a very little time. 

If  your baby is early you can after consulting your pediatrician give tasters like dipping your finger and let them suck it. Take care of salt and sugar.


Baby's nutritional needs 

Understanding your baby's nutritional needs is essential. As you introduce solids, continue breastfeeding or formula feeding as the primary source of nutrition. Gradually increase the variety of foods to provide a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.


Selecting the First Foods

When starting solids, it's best to begin with single-ingredient foods that are easy to digest and unlikely to cause allergies. Common first foods include mashed bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes and carrots. Start with small portions like the half of a teaspoon and gradually increase the quantity as your baby develops their eating skills.


Introducing New Foods

As your baby gets comfortable with single-ingredient purees, it's time to introduce a variety of flavors and textures. Consider offering a new food every 3-4 days to monitor for any adverse reactions or allergies. Focus on introducing a variety of vegetables and fruits, babies do naturally like sweet and salty tastes, so be consistent in offering real or bitter vegetables instead. 

If a baby doesn’t like something at first, don’t worry! Keep offering the food as it can take upwards of 20 tries for a child to accept and enjoy new unfamiliar flavors.