The moment you hold your little bundle of joy in your arms for the first time, everything changes! You might not realise it at that very moment, but the change is too surreal to be elucidated in words.
Motherhood teaches you to live your life by putting someone else’s needs and desires before your own. This selflessness starts coming so naturally to you that you don’t even realise that you are doing it. That is, perhaps, the true nature and beauty of motherhood.
The first few years of a baby’s life are full of milestones. From introducing water to starting solids, each subsequent month has something amazing to offer. As you caress and embrace your child to sail through these changes, we understand that transition is not always smooth.
In this blog, we will talk about how to introduce solids to your kid and shall also touch upon the right kind of foods that can be incorporated into your baby’s diet in reference to their age.
What Is The Right Time To Introduce Solids To Your Baby
When we talk about solid food, the correct age to introduce them to your baby would be when they are six months old. (1) By the time your kid touches the seventh or eighth month benchmark, they can be offered a variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, cereals etc.
What needs to be remembered is that weaning your kids off breast milk or formula milk and querying them about the idea of having actual food for meals is easier said than done. Therefore, make sure that you stay consistent with your efforts without rushing your kid to adapt to any change in their diet. After all, when it comes to introducing solid foods to our little angels, it is always best to take it steady and slow.
How To Introduce Solid Foods To Your Baby
At this juncture, it would be important to introduce you to the concept of weaning foods. These are the types of food that you choose to help your kid imbibe the new dietary style. While introducing solid food for a six-month-old, you can keep the following things in mind:
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Start With Single Ingredient Foods
While introducing solids to your little one, make sure that you stick to single-ingredient foods that do not contain any salt or sugar. You can start with a single vegetable such as mashed potatoes, carrots, etc. You can also use a single fruit such as bananas or apples.
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Wait For 3-5 Days Before Introducing New Foods
Before introducing new foods to your baby make sure that you take it slow. As a rule of thumb, wait for at least 3-5 days before introducing a new fruit or vegetable to your baby. The idea is to keep a check on the way your baby reacts to a particular food and to also peak their excitement to try out new foods.
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Keep A Check On The Texture Of Food
One thing that needs to be revered about weaning foods is that they should be soft and easy to digest. Anything that might require chewing should be avoided as it could cause choking.
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Strive To Have A Balanced Diet Plan For Your Baby
While putting together a meal plan for your baby, you can try to incorporate fruits, vegetables, yoghurt, cheese etc., to create a balance of all nutrients. Having said that, it is important to remember that you won’t be able to get all the nutrients through food from the word go and hence you shall have to consistently try to make your baby try out and eventually incline towards foods that are healthy and delicious.
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Breast Milk Or Formula Milk Should Continue To Be The Primary Source Of Nutrition
While choosing solid food for a six-month-old, make sure that you keep on giving them sufficient breast milk or formula milk so that they can replenish all the necessary nutrients that are needed for their growth and development.
List Of Solid Foods For Your Baby
Here is a list of some solid foods that you can give to little baby once they are six months old:
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Puréed Fruits Or Vegetables
You can start making apple stew or mashed potatoes and introduce them to your kid. Start with one thing at a time and be careful of assessing how your kid reacts to specific foods. Eventually, you can experiment with different foods such as broccoli, mashed peas etc.
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Yogurt
Yogurt or Dahi is a good source of calcium. This can also be a nutritious food option for you little one. Make sure that you do not add any sugar to it.
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Cheese
If you feel that your baby is ready, you can make him/her try small pieces of cottage cheese. It is a powerhouse of nutrients and a great food option not babies m.
Once your baby is able to sit up and pick pieces of food on its own, you can even let your baby eat themselves. Try serving them finger foods such as steamed and cut pieces of fruits, vegetables, crackers etc. This will make them independent and also encourage them to develop personal food preferences.
Introducing solids to your little one can be a huge milestone for you and your kid and we think that you should savour every moment of it. Moreover, this journey is as personal as it gets and hence you have got to learn to listen to your gut. Never compare your kid with anyone and take baby steps to introduce solids to your little one. To that end, if you are looking for the best quality clothes, toys, gifts and accessories to tend to your bundle of joy in the most befitting manner, Mama & Peaches will be your trusted ally. Mama & Peaches is an online baby products store that provides the best and the softest clothes and accessories for your baby.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the best age to wean a baby?
The best age to introduce weaning foods to your little one is when they are six months old.
What baby food should I introduce first?
You must start with single-ingredient foods such as mashed potatoes, puréed apples, mashed bananas etc.
References
- https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/foods-and-drinks/when-to-introduce-solid-foods.html#
