How to start your baby on solid foods

Your child is watching you eat and you swear he looks like he wants to be in the action. They open their mouths and grab your food. Isn't it time to throw them on solids?

If your baby is 4 to 6 months old and can hold his head and sit up on his own in a high chair, then he's ready to try eating.

If you try to give him a small spoon and you run out of food, try again in a few weeks. Babies are born with a tongue sticking reflex when something is put in their mouth. It goes away over time.

Which foods come first?

Most children first taste solid food from a spoon. When you think of solid food, you may not realize that first solid foods are pretty thin and runny.

Many parents first offer their child baby cereal. Choose iron-fortified grains because they need iron at this stage of development to stay healthy.

To prepare it, you will be mixing some powdered flakes with breast milk or formula. Over time, as they are able to handle thicker and thicker items, you can add less liquid.

There is no rule that babies should eat cereal before any other food. Some doctors suggest mashed vegetables as the ideal first food. Others say fruit puree is healthy. Ask your doctor for advice and talk about any allergies or other concerns you may have. If your doctor doesn't have recommendations, choose food that makes you feel good about your choice first.

Soon your little one will try a lot of different foods, so he won't miss anything for a long time. In a few months, your baby will be eating cereals, grains, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, egg yolks, and dairy products like yogurt and cheese.

Make food special

When you offer your baby the first bite of food, fill the baby's spoon half way. Be sure to smile, coo, and tell your baby what you're doing while feeding him so he knows he needs solid food. Turn it into an exciting adventure!

If your child is very hungry, he may not want to deal with new flavors and spoon-feeding. Offer breast milk or formula first to satisfy your hunger. Then try giving them solid food.

You can give them food when the rest of the family is eating so they feel like part of the group.

Bonus: They'll pick up good habits when they see other family members pause between bites and stop when they're full.

Allergy monitoring

To be safe, give your child only one new ingredient at a time. Every time you introduce them to a new food, wait 3 to 5 days before introducing a new one. This way, if your child is having a bad reaction, it's much easier to determine which food might be causing the problem.

Serve new foods throughout the day so you can monitor reactions after they've been eaten. These rules apply to all children, not just those with food allergies in the family.

There are several foods that babies and children are most likely to be allergic to, such as peanuts, eggs, and shellfish.

In years past, doctors advised parents to keep these foods away from children, but a new study has changed that. Parents can now provide eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, shellfish and other foods that are common allergens for babies aged 4-6 months.

If a family member has a food allergy, check with your doctor to discuss any specific questions or concerns about introducing allergenic foods to your child.

How much should I feed my child?

At first, a spoon or two may be all your child wants to eat. Okay. They will still get most of their calories from breast milk or formula. Even a few bites of solid food is good practice. Remember that at this time they are just beginning to get used to solid food. They get the nutrition they need from breast milk or formula. From 9 to 12 months of age, they eat solid food three times a day in addition to breast milk or formula.

How do you know if they are full? Once they are comfortable, they will turn their heads, push the spoon away, play with their food instead of eating it, or even spit it out. Babies rarely overeat. Don't force them to finish if they show they are full.

Finger foods to try

When your baby can grab food with his fingers and bring it to his mouth, he may try to bite. Make sure whatever they put in their mouth is very soft and small. A good selection includes small pieces of a very ripe banana, well-done potatoes, melting baby crackers, and thawed peas. If serving fruit, peel and cook first. Otherwise, children may suffocate.

It's too dangerous for babies to chew on whole bagels, apples, or other hard foods in case pieces come off. You can place solid food in the special mesh baby food tray and your chewing baby can enjoy the taste and texture of solid food without the risk of choking.

Foods to avoid

There are certain foods that you should never give to a child.

Cow's milk. Unlike cow's milk, breast milk and infant formula contain the right combination of vitamins, nutrients, and fats for a growing baby. Also, children under the age of one year cannot fully digest cow's milk, which can cause indigestion and kidney problems. Other dairy products such as cheese and yogurt can be used as casual snacks.
Honey. Do not give honey before 1 year of age. Some doctors say 2 years. It can cause botulism in children.
Risk of suffocation. Infants cannot chew food and may choke on round, hard foods or foods wrapped in skin or intestines. Never give your child whole grapes, apple pieces, hot dog pieces, nuts, popcorn, or fruits with skins.