Introducing solid foods is one of the most exciting milestones of your baby’s first year. Think of all the tastes and textures that await your little one, from savoury cheese and scrambled egg to juicy mango and creamy avocado.
There’s a whole world of flavours to explore and starting solids is the first step.
Encourage your baby to enjoy themselves while trying new food, even if lots of it ends up on their bib, high chair tray or the floor. It’s all part of taking those taste buds to the next level.
Introducing solid foods should be a gradual process. Here are some tips to help make the transition smooth:
Start with real, wholesome foods
In the past, many parents offered rice cereal as the first food, but this is an outdated recommendation that has no real reason behind it.
Instead, start with whatever fruit or vegetable purée you like. Squash, sweet potato, peas, avocado and banana are all good choices because they can easily be blended into a smooth purée.
Also, keep it simple
Offer foods that contain only one ingredient and no added sugar or salt. Wait three to five days between each new food to see if your baby reacts.
A reaction could be diarrhoea, a rash or vomiting. If there’s no reaction, start giving foods that have more ingredients.
Don’t rush
Food is never fast when it comes to babies – you would be surprised by how long it takes to get one small spoonful into that little mouth.
Give yourself and your baby plenty of time for feedings – and get plenty of practice too. If they are not interested in solids, continue breast-feeding like normal and try solids again in a few weeks.
Pay attention to hunger cues
When introducing solid foods, it’s important to pay attention to your baby’s hunger cues. Offer solid foods after breast milk or formula feeding, when your baby is hungry but not too hungry. This will help ensure that your baby is receptive to the new food.
Add water
When your baby starts eating solid food, it’s time to offer water with meals. When breast-feeding or drinking formula, there’s no need for water.
But get your baby used to drinking water with meals. Learning to drink water instead of juice or other sweet drinks will start a healthy habit.
Taste your baby’s food
Since babies are tiny versions of adults, they will probably enjoy what you enjoy. Baby food won’t have the sugar or salt we are accustomed to, but the flavour of the food should taste and smell good to you.
If something isn’t appealing to you, odds are it won’t appeal to your baby either.