Don’t Start Too Early
There is a lot of debate over whether your baby should start solid meals from four months or six months.
Decades ago, new mums would move their babies onto solid food as soon as possible and it was seen as an accomplishment but the digestive systems aren’t designed for handling solid foods at such a young age.
Six months is a great time to start introducing the foods regularly – but you could try small amounts of liquidised food from about four months.
Introduce One Food at a Time
Don’t give your baby a lot to try at the same time. This is a major time and it will take some time for him to get used to it.
Start off with one type of food first and see how he reacts to it. As he gets used to that, then start introducing other options.
Build Up to Three Meals Per Day
You will still need to have milk or formula for some meals at first. Start off by introducing solid foods at breakfast or lunch time and give a bottle for the other two meals – and whenever your baby wants a drink.
As he gets used to the one regular meal a day, introduce another meal and then finally the third one.
Try One Food Eight Times
It takes time for your little one to decide whether the food is good or not. At first, the different tastes and textures will put him off so you have to keep trying.
If, after eight attempts, he doesn’t like the food, it is a sign that it isn’t something he likes, yet! Try it later on in the development as the taste buds change.
Puree Your Own Food
You don’t have to buy the expensive jars and box meals from the supermarket. Your baby can eat what you eat and it is often healthier for him!
If you make your own spaghetti Bolognese, soups, stews and other hearty meals, puree them and give them to your little one. However, you will have to tone down the herbs, spices and strong flavours at first.
Mashed Fruit Makes a Healthy Snack and Dessert
When looking for desserts, opt for fruit. When mashed, these are great to easily slide down the throat and digest.
They’re also naturally sweet, which offers a new taste and is healthier for the body.
Teaching to Chew
Babies are so used to suckling the milk that they don’t know how to chew. You need to teach that before moving onto chunkier meals.
The best way to do that is with carrot or cucumber sticks. At first your little one will try to suck and then realise that the teeth and gums move up and down. It’s amazing to watch this development.