So you’ve decided that it is time for your bundle of joy to be introduced to the world of solid foods. We are assuming this would mean that your baby is between the ages of 4 to 6 months now; because this is the right time for them to start out with their chewing techniques.
If your little one is younger than that, then solids just won’t do; because his/her digestive system is still too naïve to deal with anything other than breast milk or the formula that you’ve been using.
Ensure that you don’t hold on beyond the 6 month point, or your baby might just get so accustomed to the idea of the liquid diet that he/she might lose total interest in the concept of chewing and swallowing their solid foods.
Tip # 1 – Do not add cereal to the bottle.
Adding cereal would add extra calories to the formula that you’re using for your baby. This is unnecessary, unless advised specifically by your pediatrician. If the formula gets excessively thickened, it will cause babies to gag.
Tip # 2 – One at a time, please!
Introduce your baby to one food item at a time; and the best way to do this would be to maintain a gap of about two to three days before introducing the next item on the list. This way you could remain on top of occurrences like vomiting or rashes; and you’ll be better equipped at identifying food allergies, if any.
Tip # 3 – Try and try till you succeed.
If your baby winces the first time he tries a particular food, don’t just ditch the item. Babies tend to take some time to accept certain foods. Try feeding it to him/her again, a few days after the first attempt. You could also try disguising the taste by combining the rejected food with something that you know he/she already likes.
Tip # 4 – Go beyond the tried and tested.
Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Smith began with rice cereal because it’s considered safe; but that doesn’t mean you need to follow suit. It is true that this cereal is the least likely to trigger an allergic reaction of any sort, but it is okay for you to start with other options like pureed meat or apple-sauce.
Tip # 5 – The order doesn’t matter.
You could introduce your baby to fruit first or veggies first. There is no evidence to suggest that they’ll reject whatever comes second.
Tip # 6 – Do not shy away from feeding them meat.
Believe it or not, research claims that babies who begin consuming meat earlier will intake a higher amount of iron and zinc; which are nutrients essential for their growth. You could begin with pureed chicken, which is a good startup option.
