Starting Solid Foods to babies

When to start on solid foods?

At now, you'll have an idea or are confused because you've got received an excessive amount of advice from family and friends with different opinions. Rice, oatmeal, or barley? What infant cereal or other food are going to be on the menu for your baby's first solid meal? Have you set a date? Remember that every child's readiness depends on his own rate of development.

• Head control: Your baby should be able to sit in a high chair, a feeding seat, or an infant seat with good head control.
• Babies may be ready if they watch you eating, reach for your food, and seem eager to be fed.

• Can he move food from a spoon into his throat? If you offer a spoon of cereal, he pushes it out of his mouth, and it dribbles onto his chin, he may not have the ability to move it to the rear of his mouth to swallow it. That's normal. Remember, he's never had anything thicker than breast milk or formula before, and this may take some getting used to. Try diluting it the first few times; then, gradually thicken the texture.

How to feed the baby?

Start with half a spoonful or less and ask your baby through the Your baby might not know what to try to do initially. She may look confused, wrinkle her nose, roll the food around inside her mouth, or reject it altogether.

One way to form eating solids for the primary time easier is to offer your baby a touch of breast milk, formula, or both first; then switch to a very small half-spoonful of food, and finish with more breast milk or formula. This will prevent your baby from getting frustrated when she is extremely hungry.

Do not be surprised if most of the primary few solid-food feedings finish up on your baby's face, hands, and bib. Increase the quantity of food gradually, with just a teaspoonful or two to start out. This allows your baby time to find out the way to swallow solids.

Do not make your baby eat if she cries or turns away once you feed her. Go back to breastfeeding or bottle-feeding exclusively for a time before trying again. Remember that starting solid foods is a gradual process; at first, your baby will still be getting most of her nutrition from breast milk, formula, or both. Also, each baby is different, so readiness to start out solid foods will vary.

Type of food to begin with
For most babies, it doesn't matter what the primary solid foods are. By tradition, single-grain cereals are usually introduced first. However, there's no medical evidence that introducing solid foods in any particular order has a plus for your baby. Although many pediatricians will recommend starting vegetables before fruits, there is no evidence that your baby will develop a dislike for vegetables if the fruit is given first.

Introducing complex foods

Once your baby learns to eat one food, gradually give him other foods. Give your baby one new food at a time. Generally, meats and vegetables contain more nutrients per serving than fruits or cereals.
There is no evidence that waiting to introduce baby-safe (soft), allergy-causing foods, like eggs, dairy, soy, peanuts, or fish, beyond 4 to six months aged prevents allergy. If you believe your baby has an allergic reaction to a food, such as diarrhea, rash, or vomiting, talk with your child's doctor about the best choices for the diet.

Within a couple of months of starting solid foods, your baby's daily diet should include a spread of foods, like breast milk, formula, or both; meats; cereal; vegetables; fruits; eggs; and fish.

Finger Foods

Once your baby can stay up and convey her hands or other objects to her mouth, you'll give her finger foods to assist her to learn to feed herself. To prevent choking, confirm anything you give your baby is soft, easy to swallow and dig small pieces. Some examples include small pieces of banana, wafer-type cookies, or crackers; scrambled eggs; well-cooked pasta; well-cooked, finely chopped chicken; and well-cooked, cut-up potatoes or peas.
If you would like to offer your baby fresh foods, use a blender or kitchen appliance, or simply mash softer foods with a fork. All fresh foods should be cooked with no added salt or seasoning. Although you can feed your baby raw bananas (mashed), most other fruits and vegetables should be cooked until they are soft. Refrigerate any food you are doing not use, and appearance for any signs of spoilage before giving it to your baby. Fresh foods aren't bacteria-free, in order that they will spoil more quickly than food from a can or jar.

changes to expect?

When your baby starts eating solid foods, his stools will become more solid and variable in color. Because of the added sugars and fats, they're going to have a way stronger odor too. Peas and other green vegetables may turn the stool a deep-green color; beets may make it red. (Beets sometimes make urine red also .) If your baby's meals aren't strained, his stools may contain undigested pieces of food, especially hulls of peas or corn, and the skin of tomatoes or other vegetables. All of this is normal. Your baby's digestive system is still immature and needs time before it can fully process these new foods. If the stools are extremely loose, watery, or filled with mucus, however, it's going to mean the alimentary canal is irritated. In this case, reduce the number of solids and introduce them more slowly. If the stools still are loose, watery, or filled with mucus, consult your child's doctor to seek out the rationale.

Water intake

Healthy babies do not need extra water. Breast milk, formula, or both provide all the fluids they need. However, with the introduction of solid foods, water is often added to your baby's diet. Also, a little amount of water could also be needed in extremely popular weather. If you reside in a neighborhood where the water is fluoridated, beverages also will help prevent future cavities.

Start early on healthy family meals

It is important for your baby to get used to the process of eating—sitting up, taking food from a spoon, resting between bites, and stopping when full. These early experiences will help your child learn good eating habits throughout life.
Encourage family meals from the first feeding. When you can, the entire family should eat together. Research suggests that having dinner together, as a family, on a daily basis has positive effects on the event of youngsters.
Remember to supply an honest sort of healthy foods that are rich in the nutrients your child needs. Watch your child for cues that he has had enough to eat. Do not overfeed!
If you've got any questions on your child's nutrition, including concerns about your child eating an excessive amount of or insufficient, talk together with your child's doctor.