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What's below:
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When should I introduce solids?
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What cues indicate my baby's ready?
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How should I begin introducing solid food?
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Do I still need to give him breast milk or formula?
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How should I introduce other solid foods?
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How many times a day should my baby be eating solid foods?
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When can I move on to finger foods?
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Do I need any special equipment?
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Where should I feed my baby?
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How can I help my baby develop healthy eating habits?
There are plenty of good reasons to wait until your baby reaches the half-year mark. Breast milk and formula are still easiest for your baby to digest, providing all the calories and nutrients he needs during this six-month period. Also, the chances of developing allergies are greatest during infancy, so feeding your baby a diet of breast milk or formula for as long as possible reduces the risk of introducing allergens. As your baby's digestive system matures, he will be better able to handle different foods without an allergic reaction.
There is another very practical reason for waiting until your baby is developmentally ready for solid foods: It will shorten the transition time between when you have to spoonfeed your baby and he begins feeding himself.
What cues indicate my baby's ready?
You can introduce solids when your baby appears to be developmentally ready. That is, when he:
Has head control. It's important that your baby be able to maintain a steady, upright position in order to eat solids from a spoon.
Sits well when supported. You may have to support him at first a highchair can be pulled into action a bit later when he's able to sit up all by himself.
Makes chewing motions. Your baby should be able to move food to the back of his mouth and swallow. As your baby learns to swallow efficiently you may notice his drooling decrease.
Shows significant weight gain. Most babies are ready to eat solids when they've doubled their birth weight, which may take place before or after their sixth month.
Displays curiosity about what you're eating. Your baby begins eyeing your steak or reaches for your forkful of mashed potatoes as it travels from plate to mouth.
How should I begin introducing solid food?
Continue to nurse or bottlefeed your baby at meal times. After he's sated, give him about one or two tablespoons of dry cereal mixed with enough formula or breast milk to make a soupy solution. (The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends iron-enriched infant rice cereal.) Give this to your baby on a rubber-tipped spoon once a day. It doesn't need to be the morning feeding; pick a time that's convenient for both you and your baby.
At first, your baby will seem to eat very little cereal, and it may take a while to get even that small amount into him. Be patient with your little one and remember he's learning new eating skills.
When your baby is eating two to three tablespoons of cereal a day, add another cereal feeding. As he begins to eat and develops more of a side-to-side grinding motion, add a little less liquid so the texture becomes thicker. This allows your baby to work on chewing (gumming) and swallowing. Your baby should be able to eat about a half cup of cereal a day before you add any other solid foods.
Your baby's appetite will vary from one feeding to the next so watch for cues that he's full. A baby who refuses to open up for the next bite, turns away, or starts playing with his food is probably full.
Do I still need to give him breast milk or formula?
Yes. Breast milk is designed to be the perfect food for your baby's first year. Both breast milk and formula provide important vitamins, iron, and protein in an easy-to-digest form. Even though solid foods will eventually replace some of your baby's feedings, they can't nutritionally replace all of the nutrients that breast milk or formula provides during his first 12 months.
How should I introduce other solid foods?
Solid foods should be introduced slowly, one at a time. Your baby needs time to get used to each new taste and texture. Also, a methodical introduction will allow you to watch for signs of an allergic reaction, such as diarrhea, tummy aches, or rashes. If your baby is interested, add one new food every three to five days. Some pediatricians recommend starting with yellow fruits and vegetables, which are easiest for babies to digest. Others advise beginning with green veggies, as babies can sometimes get stuck on the sweeter taste of fruits and yellow vegetables and won't give peas and beans a fighting chance.
Start by offering your baby a few tablespoons of vegetables or fruit in the same meal as a cereal feeding. Good foods to debut with: sweet potatoes, squash, applesauce, bananas, carrots, peaches, and pears. All food should be strained or mushy for a 6-month-old, because at this age babies eat by smushing food against the tops of their mouths and then swallowing.
If you get a negative reaction from your baby, offer the food again about seven to ten days later. He may always turn up his nose at some foods, but you should continue to offer them in hopes that one day he'll find them more appealing.
How many times a day should my baby be eating solid foods?
If you start solids when your baby is 6 months old, he should be eating solid foods three times a day after about two months. A typical day's diet might consist of:
• Breast milk or iron-fortified formula.
• Small amounts of non-citrus juice.
• Iron-fortified cereal.
• Yellow and green vegetables.
• Small amounts of meats, poultry, yogurt, cottage cheese.
• Fruit.
Some general guidelines apply:
• Introduce each new food no sooner than three to five days after the preceding new solid food.
• Do not feed your baby raw honey before age 1 because it carries a risk of infant botulism.
• Do not introduce the most commonly allergenic foods — cows' milk, eggs, peanuts, other nuts, soy, fish, and shellfish — until he is a year old.
• Don't feed your baby beets, turnips, or dark green kohl vegetables such as kale and broccoli until after he's a year old; they have too many nitrates for younger children.
• Depending on your infant's diet, vitamin and/or fluoride drops may be recommended.
When can I move on to finger foods?
As your baby grows more experienced, you can increase the thickness of the foods offered to include chunkier strained and mashed foods. At about 8 months, he'll probably be ready for finger foods cut into safe, tiny bite-size bits. Some ideal first finger foods that can be easily gummed and digested are whole-wheat bagels and breads, ripe bananas and cantaloupe, tender cooked carrots and sweet potatoes, and natural soft cheeses, and whole-grain cereals (Cheerios are universally popular) and pastas.
Do I need any special equipment?
There's a dazzling array of feeding-related items you can buy. None are essential, but there are a few that can make mealtime easier. A rubber-tipped spoon is important to protect your baby's sensitive gums, and a plastic dish with suction cups can keep Junior's meal on the tray table. To protect your floor, try a splat mat — it will make clean up much simpler.
Where should I feed my baby?
Once your child is old enough to sit up on his own, feed him in a highchair or feeding chair. Handing finger foods to a crawler on the move can result in choking and leave a trail of smushed bananas across your carpet. And if a child learns to associate eating with mealtime and the dinner table, he's less likely to develop the poor eating habits (constant snacking, eating in front of the television, and so on) that contribute to obesity.
For more information on establishing good eating habits early, try reading Child of Mine: Feeding With Love and Good Sense by Ellyn Satter.
Note: You'll find when you add solid foods to your baby's diet that his stools change color and odor. This is normal. Rice cereal, bananas, and applesauce may be constipating. If your baby's stools are so firm that they seem to be giving him pain, then switch from those foods to other fruits and vegetables and oatmeal or barley cereal.
How can I help my baby develop healthy eating habits?
You can help your baby learn to eat right by following these simple rules:
• Avoid feeding your baby too much.
• Give your baby a balance of protein, carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables. Use sweets, salts, and fats in moderation.
• Don't bribe or reward your child with food. Instead, offer him plenty of hugs, kisses, and attention.
