Starting solid foods...when

Many mothers ask me about starting solid foods; when, what, how? Since this is lengthy discussion, it will be broken up into several posts. I will first start with "when". The first thing to remember is that all babies are different and will start solids at different ages. When your baby is ready, they will start by showing signs of interest when you are eating - they might try to grab the food, or want to sit on your lap when you are at the table. They should be able to sit up on their own. And, when you do feed them food, they should move the food from the lips to the back of the mouth with their tongue instead of pushing it out. Eating should be fun! If your baby spits out the food, turns their head or cries, they are just not ready. And that is ok! Around 3-4 months, Nolan wanted to touch everything we were eating. We started with avacado, banana and sweet potato, which are easily digestable foods that are highly nutritious. At this age, I feel that is it perfectly fine to let them taste age-appropriate foods. This will build their interest in diffferent tastes and textures, rather then discourage it. Many parents read that they should soley breastfeed their children for 6 months, 1 year, 2 years. Breastfeeding your child as long as you both want is strongly encourged and will continue to help protect your baby from colds, allergies, ect. Breastmilk/formula will continue to be the main food for your baby for the first year. However, it is important not to stifle their interest in food. I feel that if you prevent real-food tasting and small meals, you might be setting yourself up for a picky eater. Embrace their desire to try new things, and hopefully this desire for eating a variety of foods will continue as they get older. Your job as their parent is to provide them with wholesome and nutritious food choices, but your baby will tell you when they want to eat. Remember to start slow with new food, introducing one at a time. Keep your eyes open for changes that may indicate a food is not agreeing with baby - rash, gas, constipation, diarrhea or vomiting.

Some great books to check out are "Whole Foods for Babies and Toddlers" by Margaret Kenda (presented by Le Leche League International), and "Cooking for Baby" by Lisa Barnes. These books outline some great recipies, as well as food choices to start with and to avoid. I will be detailing them out also in the next food blog "what".