Your baby went through the transition of switching from breast milk or formula to baby food, and you’ve probably got the drill down by now. But your child will soon move on from pureed food to solid foods.
Do you think you’ll know when the time is? Or do you know how to help your child through this phase? What kind of solid food is acceptable for a baby?
If you’re a parent and you’re starting to panic, fret not. Here are some tips and tricks on introducing solid foods to your child:
Your child is at least six months old
At around this age, your baby will have more control of his tongue and develops more teeth. Your baby should be able to hold her head up and sit upright with minimal support, and her digestive system should be able to handle more complex food. At this time, you can start feeding her solids.
Signs of hunger and disinterest
As your baby starts to grow, they’ll slowly show more apparent signs of hunger other than crying. For example, your child will show interest in food by reaching out for other food on the table or opening her mouth as you’re about to feed her.
Your child will also show signs when she’s full or tired. Turning her head away or clamping her mouth shut are signs you should stop feeding your child.
Food types
So, what should you feed your baby? The food shouldn’t be too hard but has more texture and chunkier than puree. Here are some examples of solid foods you can start feeding your child:
- rice cereal
- tofu
- mashed eggs (no raw eggs!)
- yoghurt
- cheese
- fruits
Be mindful for food allergies
When you introduce food to your child, don’t feed different types of food all at once. If your child happens to be an allergy to a certain kind of food, it makes pinpointing the allergy more difficult.
Feed your baby a new food for a few days and keep an eye out for any symptoms. If your child is alright for three to four days after trying something new, you can start introducing more. Signs of an allergic reaction include rashes, vomiting and wheezing.
Mealtimes will get messy
A part of this solid food phase is it can be very messy. Your child wouldn’t be able to get feeding herself right immediately, so expect lots of food drooling out of her mouth, or food all over the table.
However, it’s a sign that your child is learning and developing the necessary motor skills, so stay calm and be patient.
Conclusion
Watching your child grow is exciting and makes you proud as a parent. It wouldn’t be long till your baby grow up, so savour every moment!
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