How Do I Start My Baby On Solid Foods?

[mommybags]

I was thinking of starting my baby on solid food. How do I know when he is ready? Is there foods I should avoid? What solid food should I try first?

As you can see I need any advice on this issue...

[Lorina]

From about 6 mnths old your babys first meal should be plain rice cereal. From about 7 mnths you can offer fruit and vegetables. Making sure there boiled and smashed into puree. When intoducing food to your baby, do it one at a time, and wait a few days before offering something new, to make sure baby isnt allergic. From about 9 mnths you can start feeding baby meats and eating finger foods.

It is important to give your baby plenty of fibre in his diet, for healthy bowl movements. Offer your baby plenty of vegetables, fruits and oats.

Or can either buy jar baby food which comes in a range of different ingredients or you can boil vegetables / fruits yourself and then puree it.

Hope this helps you out a little!!

Cheers ,
L.A.

[kennaLima]

So excited for my little angel to feed her/him.

[Lorina]

From my experience since having my first child last month, at the moment I'm exclusively breast feeding my little one. At 3 months I may start introducing other foods however not too sure at the moment. I'm also looking forward to making home made food for my bubs at 6 months. For e.g boiled potato, carrot, pumpkin etc.

,
L.A

[amelia08]

I started feeding my daughter solid food when she was 6 months old. I first tried the mashed potato and its good to her. She loves it!

[Lorina]

I breast fed my little one from the moment she was born up until now (almost one). I always thought that I'd breast feed exclusively up until 6 months of age but decided that I can start introducing small amounts of foods from 3 months on. This was not to be used as a replacement of my milk but rather additional food for baby to explore taste and textures and support growth.

At 3 months old I started giving my little one tomato juice which I made myself (boiled, skin removed, diluted with water around 20ml once a day), apple and rice cereal (1 tsp).

At 4 months I introduced carrot, beetroot, biscuit with milk, pear, banana (all purée) and apple juice (once per day)

From 6 months on I started giving rice, spinach, potato, beans, pumpkin, lentils, fruits, oats, pasta (three times a day) (we are vegetarian)

Now my little one is almost 1 years old and she eats solids all the time (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and mainly has my milk before having her sleeps during the day and night (3 - 4 breast feeds per day)....

She is healthy and active!! I don't think it is necessary to wait until 6 months to start foods for your baby. Especially if yo are combining it with breast milk throughout the day.

Just wanted to share my experience,

,
L.A

[sophiebowaus]

Baby Led Weaning style is so far the best for me.. I never thought that my baby would learn to eat all by herself at the age of 16mos. My baby doesnt like to be fed, she wants it all by herself. Because that is how I started on the BLW style. Even though that my baby has only few teeth she can manage to swallow/grind the food.

[Lorina]

Baby Led Weaning style is so far the best for me.. I never thought that my baby would learn to eat all by herself at the age of 16mos. My baby doesnt like to be fed, she wants it all by herself. Because that is how I started on the BLW style. Even though that my baby has only few teeth she can manage to swallow/grind the food.

It's good to hear that your little one is enjoying food! Makes life a lot easier! At the moment my 11 month old feeds herself finger foods such as grapes (chopped in half), banana pieces, biscuits, boiled pasta (easy foods she can pick up and eat). They are so cute aren't they! Especially when they try and use their front teeth to chew with and the food pop out, always happens with grapes...

,
L.A

[sophiebowaus]

The only thing that I dont like in BLW is.............. It is sooooo messy... Really messy.... well they are kids right?! its part of growing up.

[peppa]

I felt it was really important for gut health to wait until six months to start Baby Led Weaning - before six months, your baby's gut is still underdeveloped and is really only suitable for milk. If you're exclusively breastfeeding, bub will be getting exposure to different tastes from your breastmilk! Isn't that amazing!? My little one is only just starting to really get into food, and only when she feels like it still... and she's 10mo.

The best first foods we've found are roast sweet potato, slices of apple, plums, lamb/pork chop bones (with a bit of meat left on it), and now we've moved onto peas, corn, carrot, lamb, meat loaf, wholemeal pancakes. I found baby/rice cereal nutritionally pointless - your baby should be getting natural forms of iron, not iron shavings fortified! Meat, spinach, and lots of vitamin C to help absorb it :)

Make sure you keep milk feeds up, as food between six and twelve months are complimentary - food before one is just for fun! They're learning how to eat, all the fine motor movements. You can start to introduce water as well after six months too. Good luck :)

[fidelinetanga]

It is always better to start from some semi liquid food like rice with dal water or milk with rice .You can also give Cerelac which is also healthy for baby .Avoid giving ready made food products to them as they contain preservatives .

[peppa]

If you are giving family foods from six months, then baby can learn how to feed themselves and navigate their own gag reflex instead of food being spoon fed into their mouths. Infant cereals provide no nutritional value, and more often are going to lead to constipation. If you are providing baby whole foods (fruit and vegetables) they are going to be much healthier.