Feeding your Baby Solid Food for the First Time

By freerecipesforkids.com 

Excited about your baby eating REAL food for the first time? 

Mums and dads can’t wait to feed their babies solid food for the first time. It is indeed an exciting moment that is full of fun and laughter. As much as it is fun, it can also be very worrying and confusing. What are they allowed to eat and in what form, how much should they be given, how often, before or after having breast milk or formula, what type of utensils, a list of endless questions run through your mind and they’re all important to your child’s health and development. In this website we’re going to make things easier for first time mums and dads, and help them be well prepared to meet this new and exciting phase of their child’s life.

 

When do I start feeding my little one solid food? 

Whilst it has been a common knowledge that babies can be fed solid food from 4 months, the World Health Organization recently announced that it’s not a good idea, and that babies should only be fed either breast milk or formula until they reach 6 months of age.

 

How do I tell if my baby is ready to be given solid food? 

Believe it or not, your baby will tell you when she’s ready to be given solid food! In her own signs obviously.


Here are the signs through which your baby tells you “I’m ready to eat”:

-Showing an interest in your food.

-The ability to pick food with her fingers and put it in her mouth. This process is called “Pincer” grasp.

-Loosing tongue-thrust reflex which means that your baby’s tongue stops rejecting solid food when placed in her mouth.

-The ability to sit and hold her head unassisted.

-Frequent awakening in the middle of the night after a solid sleeping pattern has already been established.

It is important to look at these signs of solids readiness as a whole, as you can easily get confused between some of these signs and the signs of growth spurts, teething or other signs of illness.

 

How can you detect allergies as early as possible?

When you start feeding your child solid food, it's important not to give him several items at the same time. Start with one item at a time for a period of one week. This way you can detect if your child is allergic to a certain type of food.