Starting Solid Foods With Your Child

Which infant cereal or other foods will be on the menu for your baby’s first solid meal? Have you set a date?

 At this point, you may have a plan or may be confused because if you have received too much advice from family and friends with different opinions. Here at Right Start Inc, we are here to help you address your concerns and your child’s needs.

When can my baby begin solid foods?

 Remember that each child’s readiness for solid foods depends on their own rate of development.

• Can they hold their head up? Your baby should be able to sit in a high chair, a feeding seat or an infant seat with good head control.

• Do they open their mouth when food comes their way? Babies may be ready if they watch you eating, reach for your food and seem eager to be fed.

• Can they move food from a spoon into their mouth? If you offer a spoon of cereal and they push it out of their mouth and it dribbles onto their chin, they may not yet be able to move it to back into their mouth to chew and swallow it. That’s normal. Remember, they have never had anything thicker than breast milk or formula before, and this may take some getting used to. Try diluting it the first few times; then, gradually thicken the texture. You may also want to wait a week or two and try again.

• Is your baby big enough? Generally, when infants double their birth weight (typically at about 4 months of age) and weigh about 13 pounds or more, they may be ready for solid foods.

Remember: There isn’t any definitive guidance on the exact amount babies should eat—it all depends on their hunger cues and appetite. All babies are different, so let your baby lead the way!