When to Introduce {Baby Food}

         

Image from: honestfare.com

         My latest quandary has been, when can I start giving "solids" to my baby girl? {I feel the word "solids" is not totally accurate since it's far from solid, but that's the term everyone uses.} As usual, I have researched and read almost every article about when the right time to introduce solids to an infant. I have even talked it over with her pediatrician. Since I'm always trying to think of ways to help out the fellow mom, here is the answer I have compiled from all the various researching I've been doing.

***{Note: I am not a doctor. If you have ANY questions or concerns about feeding your child, please contact your pediatrician.1}***

     1st of all, I have always been told to start with rice cereal in the baby's bottle as the first step to introducing them to solids. After discussing this with my baby's pediatrician, she informed me that rice cereal as a first step is really unnecessary. It is totally fine to start with rice cereal, but she usually only will suggest rice in a bottle when the baby is having acid reflux issues. {Apparently, the rice cereal can ease the acid in their bellies.} I have even read that it could be more of a chocking hazard in the bottle, than a good beginner option. *So, if you do want to begin with rice cereal, that is TOTALLY fine. Just remember, it's best to actually feed it to the baby than to put it in a bottle.*

 So, how do you know when your baby is ready for baby food?

• Their digestion system is not really ready for solids until, at the minimum, 4 months old. {There always could be the chance your doctor may suggest rice cereal in the bottle prior to 4 months of age if they are having serious acid reflux issues, and that is totally fine.}
• They should be between 4-6 months old before you start solid food.

• They should have great head control. {You can't eat well when your head is bobbing back and forth.}

• They should be able to sit up well when supported.

• When they have been fed a bottle, and they still seem hungry. The breast milk or formula may not be quite enough to satisfy their hunger.

• When they start to show more recognition of food. {Like when they are staring, longingly, at your plate of food. Making you feel like poo that you can't share with them just yet.}

• When they start using their tongue to push food to the back of their throat, and can make chewing motions.

• They have doubled their birth weight.

If your baby is showing these signs {trust me you will know}, they are ready for solid foods. My pediatrician suggested to start with yellow and orange vegetables. BabyCenter suggests the best foods to start with are sweet potatoes, squash, applesauce, bananas, peaches, and pears. Feed only one food item {like sweet potatoes} for at least 3 days straight. {This way, if they have an allergic reaction, you will know more than likely what caused it.}

I suggest starting with only one feeding a day, then after about a week or two you can increase to two feedings a day. Around approximately 8 months, they should be eating baby food three times a day.