While your baby is an infant, it is somewhat easier to decide what to feed your baby without worrying too much. At the time, you only have two choices at your disposal, either formula or breast milk. However, as your infant grows older, up to the age of 6 months, parents start to get concerned over how and what to feed their child. Introducing solid food to your child is a challenging process, yet it can go very well if they are under proper guidance and take the appropriate measures. You can even look into getting a baby food subscription to make it easier. There is a lot of decision making involved, as you ponder on what to introduce to your child, vegetables, fruits, rice cereal, or proteins?
From the age of 6, the process of feeding your baby something other than breast milk begins, until he/she has grown enough tolerance and liking to real food. This raises many concerns in a parent regarding how their child would react to solid food for the first time. Explore and find what are the aspects of parents who need accessories to prepare food and feed your little one at Baby Edible.
When to start with baby food?
Knowing when to start feeding your child something other than the breast milk they have been having for six months is a challenging question. Usually, every child is fit, to begin with, mild solid foods at 5 or 6 months. There are some nutrients that only solid food can offer; hence, waiting past six months is not advisable.
To know for sure, when your baby can sit up without support and has control over her neck muscles before you offer them food. Gagging or even throwing up is a considerable possibility at the first bite.
The other signs that a baby may offer to signify that they want food is by leaning forward and opening their mouth to show they are hungry.
What nutrients to prefer?
It must be of knowledge to a parent that a six months old baby cannot digest whatever nutrients you may give him. Hence, it is recommended to be extremely careful when giving your child any solid food based on its nutritional value.
While iron is a necessary nutrient to give to your child, sort through the food choices carefully. You may start with primary fruits and vegetables, which are high in nutritious value, and try to pick some bright colors to make them more visually appealing to the child.
The first bite of any new foods should be minced appropriately, puréed, or cut into fine, small pieces to make them easier to swallow.
What are the precautions for allergies?
As you begin giving your baby some real food, it is highly likely that they would develop allergies against some of them, which are very allergy-prone. Thus, it is recommended not to feed your child any high allergy risk products, such as peanut products, fish, milk products, or eggs.
These products don’t need to cause an allergic reaction in your child or delay it in any form, but for your reassurance, you may choose to introduce these later than usual when your baby is sensitive to solid foods.
Which solid foods should you avoid?
While you scourge for appropriate first meals to provide to your child, you should keep in mind that not all foods will be suitable for them. There are some items that you should not offer to your child at an early age.
- Honey- while honey may be useful for children at a later age, it can cause botulism, a severe illness if given too early.
- Cow’s milk- while a child should not be kept off breast milk until one year old, it is essential not to give them any artificial source of milk other than breast milk as a primary beverage.
- Choking hazards- food items like nuts, raisins, grapes, hard vegetables, popcorn, candy, and peanut butter are some products that your child can easily choke on, which is why you should avoid them at an infant age.
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