Tips to Introduce Solid Food to your baby
Introduction of solid food items to the baby’s diet should be slow graduation, as their internal organs are still developing and the body is adjusting to the new changes. A step by step process will help her transition from milk/formula to the daily foods we adults eat. However, take proper care and ensure that the change isn’t overwhelming for the baby.
Let’s start with understanding what exactly is Solid Food?
We refer Solid food for foods that help transition the baby from milk to adult food. After a period of about 4- 6 months, the nutrition from milk (either formula or breast milk), is not sufficient for the growing nutritional needs of the baby and solid foods need to be added to the baby’s diet.
When is the right time to Introduce Solids?
Usually, anytime post 6 months is considered safe as the digestive systems of babies will become ready for solid food by 6 months or so. It is highly recommended by doctors to let the baby be exclusively fed milk for the first 6 months as the growth rate of each baby may vary. You may decide basis the readiness of the baby, pick hues like the baby needs frequent feedings or feels hungry even after being fed and or she is ready for solids if
- She can keep his head in an upright position and be able to sit upright in an infant feeding seat or highchair to swallow properly.
- The weight gain has been significant enough, nearly double of the birth weight.
- Your baby is curious to see to eat and is trying to reach out your plate to see what you are eating.
How to Introduce Solids?
Though we call it solids, the introduction happens with semi solids and gradually to solids. Introducing solids by pureeing, steaming or mashing each item at a time. Start with single grain cereals, and graduate to fruits and vegetables. Give one type of food for 2-3 days to see if the baby has an allergy to that food. Remember not to add any salt or sugar to the food as their bodies are still young to digest it.
Always start anything new, with a small teaspoon portion, and see how the baby reacts to the feel of the spoon and the texture of food, before giving it to her. If the baby refuses, do not force, but try again after a week or so. Remember this is new to them and they might not like it for the first time, but that doesn’t mean they wont eat it. Try again after a few days and observe.
First Solid Foods
Each baby is unique so your doctor may give the best advice about solids. You can also give pureed single grain cereal, and pureed fruits and vegetables. As a general rule, transition the baby to solid food with pureed food, then move on to mashed or strained food, and then to small pieces of finger food that the baby can chew. One of the first fruit suggested is mashed banana and vegetables sweet potato.
Mix some tablespoons of fruit or vegetables along with the cereal and see how the baby reacts. The food should be very soft so that baby can easily press it against the roof of their mouth with their tongue.
Foods to avoid till baby turns One
There are certain food items which are suggested to avoid during till the baby’s first birthday either due to possible allergic reactions or choking or their young bodies are not yet ready to digest them.
- Honey
- Milk (other then breast milk or formula milk)
- Peanut butter
- Some fish
- Berries and citrus
- Salt
- Seeds and nuts
- Grapes and raisins
- Raw vegetables
- Wheat
- Carbonated drinks
What if the baby refuses to eat solids
It’s very common for babies to avoid solid food. As they are comfortable sucking their milk and might not like to try new texture or haven’t developed the skills to push the food into their throat. It is very important not to force the baby to eat. Make sure you feed her plenty of milk.
Try out introducing solids when your baby is well fed. Chances are higher that they will try, encourage your baby to touch and play with the food. It will get them used to the texture and shape of the food. The more they enjoy the texture, more likely if their chance of enjoying the food.
Read my earlier post Is Your New-Born Having Enough , or some tips about Travelling with an Infant
I hope you would find this tips useful. Do leave in your comments below if you have any questions or concerns, would be glad to address them.
Thanks for reading!
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Take care!
Gunjan
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Fruit are the healthy option to start in. Very helpful post for new mommies.
fruits are great options to start with…great tips for new moms to follow!!Thanks for sharing them!!
Thanks for reading!! Glad you liked the tips.
Very helpful article. That’s an essential milestone for any mom and the baby of course. I always recommend fellow moms to wait for the baby to signal when he or she is ready to take the leap into the world of solids.
Thank you for reading. Glad you liked it!!
Starting solids is a big milestone not only for kids but moms too. It is little confusing in the starting. Your post is helpful for new mom’s.
Thank you so much for such an informative post… I am a new mum and it’s going to be very useful for me z
These are wonderful tips for first time mommies. I started solid food for my daughter when she was 5 and half months. Some of the first foods were banana puree and carrot purees.
Banana is a great option to start with. And Tuggu loved carrot purees too
i totally appreciate your effort of jotting down all the factors in detail. its a very helpful guide to baby weaning and first foods!
It will be definitely very helpful for a new mommy. Nice tips. Thanks for sharing
Thank you Ritu
Tuggu’s mom
This is very helpful tips for the new mommies to introduce solids with proper Approach
Thanks Bushra
Great Tips. I am also a first time mum and I started giving semi solid food to my son at around 3/4 months.
Ashh
Yes around 4 months is fine as they anyways need to be fed only few tsps
My son started teething early at 3 months and i think i started giving him pear and apple purees, mashed bananas quite early as advised by doctors.
Akanksha
After 6 months will be the right time to introduce solid food to babies.
Yes after 6 months, it is important but at times depending on the growth of the baby, teething etc and offcourse post your doctors advise, post 4 months is safe. Anyways we feed them a couple of tsp in a day initially
Great read! I also started solids for my kids when they completed 6 months and avoided (avoiding) those food items that are not supposed to give them until completing 1 year of age.
Introducting solids is the toughest phase I would say. I’m sure moms would benefit from the tips you have shared here. Great read.
These are new mommy friendly tips! Would definitelt share it with my cousin who is planning to introduce solid food to her baby boy!
Kids are very fussy eaters, especially during initial days. These tips are really helpful to start with.
I read the full blog and wow! It was amazing! I got to learn so much new! Would share it with would be moms!
I had started giving solid food at 5 months as doctors suggested. These are some very useful tips
Starting solid food is indeed a challenge in the start. I focussed a lot on various purees which made things work.
That was a very insightful post and some things I read here which I was completely unaware of were really helpful..
this is definitely must read for new parents. great points and compiled thoroughly.
Love reading your blogs. Really well written.
This is a great post for first time mommies who are wondering on how to feed their little one.
These are some great tips to be followed for baby to start feeding solid food. I very much think that making eat meals while we eat, makes it easier to shift them from liquid to solid.