How to find out if your child is ready to try solid food

Image Source: Parentinghealthybabies

According to a new report, 40% mothers give solids to babies early. Most of the times moms don’t understand whether their baby need solid food or not. Giving babies solid before can lead to diabetes and obesity. Their kidney and other organs required for swelling the food properly are not developed fully yet. There are few rules when you are trying feeding your baby for the first time.

Babies love to experience something new. They want to do everything that the adults do around them. Be it seating, walking, communicating or eating. According to doctors, you should give breast-milk to your baby for the first 6 months. After that you will see some new signs that are developing in your baby.

 

What are the signs?

• While feeding breast-milk, you can see that your baby is thrusting her tongue against nipple.It is called tongue-thrusting reflex which will gradually decrease over times. The reflex help babies from chocking by protruding any unusual object that are placed in her mouth outward rather than taking it back.
• The baby will manage to keep her head in upright position which will help to digest and swallow food.
• The baby will open her mouth eagerly when you approach her with solids in spoon.
• The baby will start chewing gesture with her mouth.It means the gum of her mouth is developed enough to eat solids.
• The baby will watch you carefully whenever you eat in front of her.
• The baby’s birth weight will get doubled which means the baby is showing significant sign of growing.

How to Start:

Since it is a new experience for the babies, they will need some time to be habituated with it.

• Set the mood:

If the baby is in bad mood, he or she will throw tantrums. If the baby is cheerful, try to give him or her solid food. If the baby is sleepy and cranky, maybe it is not the best time to give solid food. Give him or her breast-milk or milk formulas in feeding bottle.

• Get the right tool:

Get a bib, Trust me,you don’t want to clean the mess that the baby is going to make.

Don’t feed the baby with stainless steel spoon. Feed with plastic or silicon spoon so that it doesn’t make any bruise in baby’s mouth. Alternatively you can use hands also. Always wash your hand with antibacterial liquid.

• Use High Chair Or Booster Seat:

Make your baby seat on high chairs and booster seats. Since feeding solids for the first time, the baby can do every possible move not to eat the food. Tie the safety belts to avoid sudden fall.

• Let your baby experiment:

This is the period of a baby’s life when he becomes curious and wants to know everything. Give them a little food on their hand or on the table. They will experiment with it and thus they will get familiar with the food and eat it happily.

• Be a kid:

Make funny gesture or noise. Pretend to eat the food and say that it’s yummy. Tell stories to them.You don’t have to tell stories with good morals, just talk whatever you can.They will listen it with fascination. Don’t rebuke them for not eating foods.

• Give Pint Size food:

At first give your baby a pint sized food on her tongue. If they are swallowing it and opening their mouth again, give them some more.

 

What should you give to the baby?

• Single-grain cereal is the best at this age.

• Try giving rice,oatmeal and barley. Mix it well with breast-milk or milk formula. Make a runny mixture so that the baby can swallow it without any difficulty.

For the first time, feed her ½ teaspoon after giving milk. You can gradually increase the quantity of food over time. Don’t feed her the same food always! Her taste buds are developing and now she wants to experience with new foods.

If your baby is happy with her food, try to give her cooked pureed vegetables which are high in iron and vitamin.You can feed her apple,pear,avocado, banana and peach.

 

Things to Keep In Mind:

• DO NOT give honey, citrus, cow’s milk, nuts, raisin, raspberry or grapes to baby.
• If your baby is puking, it means he or she has eaten enough, there is no need to force-feed them.
• If he is choking, he will make odd noise or no noise at all and sometimes unable to cough or cry .He can turn red or blue.In that case, don’t be panicked.Perform back blowing orchest thrusting. If nothing is helping,call doctor immediately.

Remember one thing- every baby is different. So don’t expect your baby to eat solids at the age of 6 months. If you cannot see the above mentioned signs, don’t worry. Wait. Give him a little time. Get the right baby food too.