A child is usually considered an infant if they are less than twelve months old. You may be wondering when is the right time to start feeding your infant solid foods. Maybe also wondering how you can develop healthy eating habits for your infant. Wonder no more! We will discuss what signs to look out for that let you know that your infant is ready for solid foods. We will also discuss the available options of solid food that are suitable for an infant and that you can prepare to help develop eating habits for your infant that are good for him or her.
How Do You Know They’re Ready for Solid Food?
Doctors usually recommend starting solid food from around 6 months of age, though some babies are ready to start at 4 months. It is important to know if your child is ready to start solids. Look out for the following signs indicating that your infant is ready to explore solid foods:
- Can sit up in a high chair on their own without support
- They have good head and neck control
- They show interest in the family’s food
- They are eager to put things in their mouth
- They are twice their birth weight or close to it
If your child shows these signs they are probably ready to start solid food. Usually parents start by introducing a single grain, iron fortified, baby cereal like rice cereal. It is important to introduce it after a nursing session when the baby is filled up on breast milk or formula, as this is still their main form of nutrition.
What Foods Can I Feed My Infant?
Children’s eating habits and food preferences are established in the early parts of their life and therefore it is important to introduce a variety of food like puréed fruits, vegetables, yogurts, lentils, beans etc. after your child has conquered the rice cereal. A variety of healthy foods promote diet quality and promotes early and sustained food acceptance. These new foods should be introduced one by one with a few days in between to check for food sensitivity or allergies. Later on different foods can also be combined for extra tastes and textures.
It may take some time for your baby to get used to these different food flavors and textures so it is important to stick to it and not to give up at the first sign of rejection. It may take a few attempts for your infant to accept the new food, so try again in a week or two.
Good vitality and health largely depends on the proper nutrition in the first two years of life. Some tips to promote healthy eating habits when introducing solids are:
- A variety of foods
Keep the different food groups in mind and slowly introduce the baby to all of them so that you can offer them a balanced diet. It is important not to only offer baby food that you like.
- Red Meat is not the only protein
It is important to offer different proteins like beans, tofu, skinless chicken fish, and not just red meat.
- Offer fish
Fish contains omega 3 fatty acids that are very good for brain development.
- Beware of fat
Don’t fry baby food. It is better to grill or bake food like chicken nuggets and potatoes. Do not add butter or margarine to babies’ cooked meals.
- Don’t add salt and sugar
Don’t add salt or sugar to your baby’s food. If you have to add some, do so in moderation. Fruit juices contain vast amounts of sugar and add no nutritional value to your baby’s diet.
- Restrict fast foods
Most fast foods are not good for us as they contain a lot of fat and salt while offering little nutrition.
- Fresh is better
Canned foods contain preservatives and a lot of sodium. If possible, rather use fresh produce to prepare baby food.
How to Prevent Choking
- Stay close
You’re going to need to watch every bite that your baby takes in the beginning just to be on the safe side.
- Start small
It is important that you cut your baby’s food into pieces small enough that she can swallow whole. This is just in case he or she is a bit enthusiastic and doesn’t spend anytime gumming them.
- Get bigger slowly
As your baby gets more comfortable eating soft, solid foods, and you feel comfortable with it, then move away from minced solid food to food chopped into small cubes.
Keep the portions baby sized
Limit the amount of food on the plat to one or two chunks so that your baby doesn’t stuff more food in his or her mouth than he or she can handle.
- Stay seated
Only offer food to your baby if he or she is sitting down, otherwise it is unsafe to feed Your baby. Especially if he or she is an inexperienced eater.
- Food for Thought
These guidelines will help you to introduce and prepare healthy food to your infant. It is important that meal times should be a fun activity. Refrain from feeding your baby in front of a TV set as this can promote mindless snacking. Rather turn it into a fun family activity that can be enjoyed together.
Another thing to stay clear of is the empty plate syndrome. Never force your child to eat until his plate is empty but rather only to when they feel full. This will reduce the risk of over eating and obesity. Babies are the perfect example of listening to their bodies’ cues: eating when hungry and stopping when full.
It is not always an easy task to get your infant interested in solid foods, but take it one day at a time. What a baby resists today, he or she will probably be ready for in a few weeks after a few exposures. It is important to know that if problems persist with introducing solid food, professional help and coaching for eating issues are readily available.