Watching your baby grow is exciting, but spoon-feeding solid food is the next level of happiness. Think of all the flavors that await your little one – from fruits to juicy veggies to savory cheese. There’s a whole world of delicious yet nutritious flavors to discover. But having to experience motherhood for the first time and watching your child grow to the age when they can eat solids might generate a lot of questions about how to feed them. Don’t worry too much; here are five tips on starting your baby with solid food.
Start It Simple to Prevent Choking
You’ll feed your baby their first taste of food from a spoon, so it must be thin and easy to swallow. The best way to do that is to start the first meal with a cereal taste. Pick an iron-rich Cereal, such as Whole-grain Oat or Barley, or Brown Rice, take a teaspoon of it, and dilute the cereal with milk or warm water. Make sure to purify the water with the help of a DIY water softener.
Do not add any fruit to it; first, let your baby get used to the taste of plain cereal. Likewise, don’t force-feed; a baby is likely to reject the meals. Another key idea is, to begin with, one meal each day. And, do not stop breastfeeding or using formula until your child turns 12 months.
Start at the Right Time
The perfect time to make your baby get used to eating solid food is when they turn 4 to 6 months old, can hold their head up, and can swallow. Do not, however, rush to feed them. Take some time out of your day that is convenient for you and the baby, and gradually encourage them to take nibbles. As babies grow up, they start to get curious about their surroundings; take this as an opportunity to familiarize them with solid food by proposing it in front of them. Their inquisitive senses will play with the meals and ultimately end up tasting.
Use Wholesome and Organic Food
Iron and Zinc are two nutrients that play a part in improving a baby’s health. These minerals can be obtained in pure cooked beef and iron-rich grains. Eating just one meal can get bland and put babies in a grumpy mood. Make their feast more fun by providing them some healthy and organic food free from any toxics- Fruits and Vegetables are that nourishment.
Add mashed bananas to the cereal; this will be effortless to spoon-feed as the infant will be familiar with the grain. For Vegetables, mashed sweet potatoes are a go-to as they are simple and can get easily digested. Besides that, nourish them with colorful vegetables, like carrots and green peas, to spike their interest.
Furthermore, watch out for the signs of food allergies in babies (gassiness to mucus in the stool, runny nose to vomiting, etc.), which are relatively common and need to be taken seriously. Speak to your pediatrician if your baby seems to react to any new solid food you offer.
Be Flexible With Feeding Schedule
A baby in a happy mood would welcome a spoon of food. Notice the times when he feels hungry the most; this might be different times of the day, but be careful of his mood. During this feeding stage, you are not focusing on yourself but on your baby. Make no set timetable for a feeding routine for your youngster. Rather, schedule it based on your little one’s mood swings.
Likewise, you should know when to stop feeding – it is equally important as knowing when to begin. Teeth clenching, pushing food away, or a turned head are sure signs your baby is finished with this meal.
Make It Fun
One of the goals of baby feeding is to make it enjoyable. Bring your newborn to a family lunch or supper; seeing a big group of people eating and enjoying the meal helps reaffirm in their minds that solid meals are safe to swallow. As a mother, while your baby eats, sit down and eat with them, making joyful noises or shaking your head wondering how good the food is.
Moreover, play amusing games like “Here comes the airplane,” or get your infant to eat by putting various toys in front of them; anytime they take a nibble, offer them a plaything. Taste your baby’s food; this is another way to make them eat. Before turning the spoon towards the child’s mouth, take a bite of your own, showing how much you like it.
