here to go back to the starting page.Starting To Wean Onto Solid Foods
Solid foods. After breast milk or formula, they're your baby's next stop on the road
to healthy eating.
For the first few months of life, a baby's digestive system isn't
ready for solids. But once babies reach four to six months of age, they are
physically ready to try new tastes and textures. By this time, babies are watching their parents eat and acting interested. If you wait to
introduce solid foods until the baby is a year old, it will be very difficult for the baby
to make a quick switch.
The best solid food to introduce first is baby rice. Not only are baby rice cereals
iron-fortified -- babies this age need extra iron for rapid growth -- they are also
unlikely to cause allergic reactions.
For the first few feedings, mix a couple of
spoons of baby rice with breast milk or formula, making it the consistency of thin gravy, so that the baby can suck the food off the spoon.
As time goes on, you can increase the thickness and quantity.
Once your baby can handle baby rice, the next step is usually strained or pureed fruits
and vegetables, either from a jar or prepared at home. Start with one or two
spoonfuls and gradually work up to one-half cup per day, depending on baby's
appetite.
Other foods and drinks you can introduce by six months are 100 percent fortified
fruit juices (except orange juice) and plain yogurt. Don't be surprised if your baby
balks at the first few feedings of solid food --- it's a brand new experience. With
time, your baby will become a pro.
Most importantly, make feedings a pleasant experience: go slowly and never force a
baby to eat more than he or she wants. For your baby, this is the start of a lifetime
relationship with food. You want it to be a healthy, happy beginning.
Click here to go back to the starting page.