Babies progress so fast in the first months of their lives. Sometimes it's hard to realize when they are changing, developing and ready to move to the next step.
Introducing baby food is one of those quickly changing areas where questions begin to come up. Here, we answer some of the big questions on your baby's transition to solid foods.
When is it time to start giving your baby real food?
Before the age of 3 months, your baby won't be able to eat textured food and their bodies will actually fight against it.
By the time they turn four months old you can start trying infant cereal, like porridge and pureed vegetables. If their mouth has developed to this stage, they will be able to feel the food and use their tongue to take the food and swallow it down.
The fact is that when a child is ready for baby food, they will show you by their actions. They will open their mouth very wide as if they can't wait for the food.
In this first month of trying food, your baby still won't be able to chew so the food must be pureed to prevent choking.
If they aren't ready, they won't take the food. But that's fine and even normal. Don't force them.
Babies love to eat sweets things from breast milk to even carrots. But this does not mean that you should give them sugar! If you give them foods that are bitter, salty, or sour, they will react by moving their heads to the side and making faces. Over time, they will begin to show interest in other foods as well.
Some kids eat as early as four months, but most start between five and seven months.
How should you start to give your baby food?
The first pureed meals are primarily for getting the child familiar with the spoon, the different tastes and new sensations in their mouth. Over the first few days, you should give them small portions of the same food so they can get used to it slowly.
If your baby is fighting the food after a few tries or doesn't feel well with excessive gas or diarrhea then you should take a break for 2-4 weeks. Remember that it is only considered diarrhea if it happens eight or more times in a day. When you revisit the food situation later, you might see that your baby has developed a love for food!
Which foods you should begin with?
Carrots, potatoes, apples, bananas, pears, millet, rice, corn.
These are all great starter foods for little baby stomachs.
Here's an example of how to make beginner food for your baby at home.
Most important, enjoy this part of the journey. It goes by fast!
I am looking for some advice. For an 8 month old boy, she refuses to eat baby food, to be spoon fed and is only really interested in her bottle of formula. I have introduced the mushy finger foods.
Hi Ashley, thank you for contacting us. We would love to help you out. Please send me an Email on [email protected]
I would love to know, since when you are feeding her and how did you start to feed her? What was the food that you have offered to her?