Introducing solid food is a significant and exciting step for your baby. Usually, doctors recommend waiting until your little one is six months old, but you can even start introducing solid food after their fourth month. It all depends on the baby.
The reason why babies cannot eat solid food before their sixth month is because their digestive tract is not ready to digest it.
But all children are different, and some grow faster than others. Do not be rushed by other mothers who had already started to introduce solid food in their babies’ diets. It should all depend on your baby’s development.
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There certainly are many signs that your baby is ready for baby food, and here are some that you should look for:
Your baby can sit upright, and they can hold up their head.
Your baby is curious about their environment, and they love to look around – especially at what you are eating.
They stopped automatically push the food out of their mouths when you feed them
They are still hungry after getting their usual portion of milk for the day.
After you notice these signs in your child, you should consider their diet change. Here are some tips on how to start introducing solid food to your precious little one.
Start simple
Single-ingredient foods are the best place to start. Make sure they do not contain any added sugar or salt. Foods like tender fruits and cooked vegetables are the perfect food for your newborn. For example, offer slices of avocados, bananas, pureed apples, or sweet potatoes. Wait a couple of days between introducing a new ingredient into their diet. Look closely for your child’s reaction to these foods, especially for diarrhea or constipation.
It is important not to offer foods that are basically choking hazards, such as grapes, honey, nuts and nut butter, and popcorn.
Gear up
Once you start feeding your child solid foods, holding them on your lap while it is only a recipe for disaster. Buy a feeding seat and let your child get used to it even before they start eating solid food. If your baby cannot sit in the chair by themselves, then it is probably not a good idea to introduce the solids just yet.
Do not start feeding your baby with a silver spoon. Instead, a plastic or silicone one is the best to begin with. Pair it up with a cute, small bowl. Silicone or plastic spoons are much better for your baby’s gums because they cannot hurt themselves when chewing on them. Have a couple of spoons on hand while you are feeding your little one because they tend to end up on the floor quite quickly, so you will need many substitutes.
Don’t forget to put a bib on our baby right from the first meal, because getting them used to it later will be an almost impossible task.
Let your baby play with the food first
Even before giving your baby their first spoonful, start introducing them to the solids. Dab a little mashed banana onto the table or high chair tray and let them examine it and play with it. They may try to squish it, rub it, or even taste it. That way, once you start offering it to them with a spoon, they will already be familiar with the taste and texture, it will be much easier for them to eat it.
