How to start baby on solid foods safely, and how to avoid food allergies.
So you are thinking about starting baby on solid foods? There are many things to consider before that first bite. Here are some tips and tricks to get you started.
When to Start
It is important to start your baby on solid foods at the right age and stage in his or her development. It was once believed that babies could start solid foods as soon as they were born, such as cereals mixed with formula in bottles. Today we know that parents must wait until the baby is ready mentally and physically.
One reason is because a baby’s intestine is not ready to digest food at such an early age. Between four and seven months old a baby's intestinal lining growths, becoming more selective about what it lets through. Before this time, the intestinal lining may let through potentially-allergenic foods, allowing them to enter the bloodstream.
Baby’s younger than four months also have a natural gag reflex that guards them from choking. Sometime between four months and six months your baby’s gag reflex should diminish, giving food an easier way down, and allowing the baby to learn how to swallow properly.
Learning how to swallow properly also includes sitting up. Your baby needs to be able to sit in a highchair, buckled in, without you holding him or her up before you start to feed her solid foods.
Here are some signs to look for to tell if your baby is ready for solid foods:
- Use a smooth, plastic spoon made small for babies. It will never be cold and won’t cut your baby’s delicate gums.
- Try mixing the cereal with breast milk or formula instead of water. Your baby will still get a taste he or she loves, but with an added bonus.
- Simple baby food can be made by pureeing clean, ripe, peel-free fruit in the blender.
- Never feed baby directly out of the food container. This introduces bacteria to the food still in the container. Always dish out small amounts into a bowl.
- Always feed your baby when he or she is wide awake and hungry.
