Q: At what age should you give your baby food?
A: While breastmilk or infant formula is the best – and only – food for a newborn, eventually they will be ready for more. And the move to solid foods will help their bodies cope with rapid growth as well as strengthening jaw muscles, so they can learn to speak.
"The first solids are really a boost to his current milk feeds, with these new tastes and textures almost as important for learning how to eat and for developing tooth and jaw development as they are for nutrition," says Practical Parenting.
But when do you start?
The Department of Health’s Healthy Eating Guideline suggests introducing “suitable solids at around 6 months.”
It is around that age that the stores of iron that the baby got from its mother while in the womb start to run out, says raisingchildren.net.au, and they can’t get enough from just their milk feeds alone.
Babyology lists these signs as a guide that your little one is ready for solids:
- they seem more hungry
- they seem interested in food
- they can sit upright and hold up their head
- they want what you are eating
- they open their mouth when you offer them food on a spoon
It is not recommended starting solid food before the age of four months, but if your child from that age is showing the above signs, you might consider introducing solids slowly, preferably on the advice of your medical practitioner. Again, if you have not been able to get your little one to start solids by the age of seven months, see someone for advice.
Whenever you start, baby should still also be breastfed or have infant formula till at least one year old.
Q: What are some tips for starting baby on solids?
Milk first
Let your baby have their regular breastfeed or infant formula bottle first, then offer 1-2 teaspoons of food to start with after each feed. You can offer a few sips of water as well, to get them used to the taste and to help with possible constipation that may happen when your bub starts solid food. But hold off on cow's milk as a drink till they are 1 (you can mix a little into food).
No pressure
Pick a time when you are both relaxed, well rested and not in a hurry. That’s another reason why after their milk feed is a good time, as their bellies are full so they are not hangry! Always offer, don’t force: remember, the concept of eating is completely foreign to your little milk-suckers. To take away the pressure, you could make it a game, like “some for me, some for you.” Praise and encourage even the littlest bit going in. Be enthusiastic about the experience.
Embrace the mess
If you are stressed about food going everywhere but in their mouth, the baby won’t enjoy meal times. Do what you need to do to relax – messy clothes for both of you, a plastic mat on the floor – give baby a spoon too, so they can mimic the action themselves, and go for it. Don’t wipe them down till the meal is finished. There’s plenty of time to learn manners latter.
Variety is the spice of life
Offer different things and don’t be put off by rejection. “Sometimes babies and children need to try new foods more than 10 times before they accept them,’ says Raisingchildren.net.au. Use mealtimes as a learning opportunity. Talk about the food, the colour, where it came from. You can make the noise of the animal, talk abut how what they are eating today is different to what they had yesterday, etc.
Avoid choking
Eating is a new skill, don’t leave them unattended and always watch them when first starting to make sure it hasn’t gone down the wrong way. Make sure they are sitting up and only try solids when they are wide awake. Start with the softest, smoothest foods and build up the texture as they can handle it.
Enough is enough
Pay attention if your bub is giving you the signals that they are done, like turning their head away, pushing away the spoon or just not opening their mouths. Specially to start with, they really won’t want much. So don’t be disheartened if it’s just a spoon or two.
Q: What are the best first foods for baby?
A: The best first foods for baby are smooth in texture and high in iron. The Department of Health lists the following foods to try:
1. baby porridge
Start baby on iron-fortified infant cereal mixed with breastmilk, formula or water that has been boiled and cooled.
2. animal protein
Remove bones from meat, chicken or fish that has been cooked well - no raw bits -and puree with a blender. If necessary, add liquid as above to get a smooth texture.
3. baked beans
Use the ‘no added salt’ varieties and blend till smooth. Or make your own bean puree, using any legumes that are cooked well. Don't add sugar or salt.
4. cooked veg
Try any you like - well cooked and pureed - but potato, pumpkin, carrot or broccoli are good ones to start with.
5. stewed fruit
We guess bub has now worked their way up to a sweet treat! How about some cooked fruit? Apple or pear work well, but any seeded, cored and/or peeled fruit stewed then pureed will do. Again, just keep it to fruit and cooking liquid, no sugar required.
6. mashed stuff
Now your little one should be ready for some texture get those jaw muscles working. Try finely mashed banana, mango or avocado.
7. first dairy foods
By now your baby is probably chomping at the bit for new taste sensations. For something new, offer full fat yoghurt, smooth cheese or custard.
Note:
"You can mix first foods together – there’s no need to introduce just one food at a time," says Raisingchildren.net.au. "And if you offer your baby a variety of foods, she can try lots of new tastes and also get plenty of nutrients."
Q: What next?
- Slowly increase the texture in food, making it chunkier
- Try some Weet-bix, well-softened with hot water and with some breastmilk or formula for taste
- From 8 months, you can start soft finger foods that baby can pick up and feed themselves: banana pieces, mango slices, cheese sticks, pasta
- By 12 months they can eat what you eat, but beware of choking hazards like apple pieces, pop corn, whole nuts
- Don't give honey till after the age of 1
- Contrary to previously held beliefs, according to Allergy.com.au, "All infants should be given allergenic solid foods including peanut butter, cooked egg*, dairy and wheat products in the first year of life. This includes infants at high risk of allergy." If there is a reaction, stop offering that allergen and seek medical advice.
* make sure the egg is well cooked. Also there is evidence that introducing eggs before 8 months of age can help prevent a reaction, where the family has history of egg allergy.