Solids and Baby

Introducing Solids to Baby

There is no magic time to introduce solids to your baby. It depends on the baby and the advice of the doctor.

Check With Your Pediatrician

Explain any concerns you may have about the eating habits of your baby. Breast or formula milk may be all the baby needs up until the age of six months or longer for many. Introducing solids too early can sometimes create allergies to certain foods.

Getting the OK and Moving Slowly

If the doctor says to go ahead and begin solids, be sure to take notes on what your baby can or will not eat. Write down results on a large spaced calendar that you can refer to often. Be aware of allergic reactions such as rashes, and even coughing and wheezing. If anything strange occurs, stop giving the food and introduce it later in two to three weeks in a smaller proportion. A change of color in your baby’s skin from carrots or squash usually does not indicate an allergic reaction.

Homemade Baby Food

Make homemade food for baby and freeze it in ice cube trays for smaller portions. Take the food out of the cube one to two hours before feeding it to baby. Should you decide to thaw it in a microwave, do so using low power, less than half of high, and for no longer one minute. Check and repeat if it is still frozen. Than, let it stand for a couple of minutes to cool down. Never feed baby anything straight out of a hot, or even a warm microwave.

Take Cues From Baby

Watch your baby for cues when you are eating. A few might be the opening of the mouth, a stable head, a strong back for sitting in the highchair and/or reaching for your food as you eat.

Quench Baby’s Thirst

Continue with regularly scheduled breast or formula feedings. Your baby will become thirstier. Continue with breast or formula feeding and try boiled, then cooled, water. Alternatively, try juice diluted with the same boiled cooled water to quench baby’s thirst.

Be sure to go slowly with this process and don’t forget that it will be a messy time, especially as the baby gets older. Don’t freak out, just let them have fun as they try their best to touch, spit out and throw their food.

About the Author

Jodie Lynn is an award-winning, internationally syndicated family/health columnist and host of the new radio talk show “Inside Parenting Success.” Her syndicated column Parent to Parent (www.ParentToParent.com) has been successful for more than a decade and appears in various newspapers, magazines, parenting publications, newsletters and throughout the Internet. She is a regular contributor to several sites and has written four books and contributed to three others, one of which was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show. In addition, Lynn has appeared in a 3-month parenting segment on NBC. Her latest books are Mom CEO (Chief Everything Officer) - Having, Doing, and Surviving It All! and Syndication Secrets - What No One Will Tell You!

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