Start Your Baby on Solid Foods and Not Get Fat Yourself

Until about 6 months of age babies usually do just fine on breast milk but the time will come inevitably when you will have to start feeding them the food that everyone else eats. If you want to start your child off right you should get in the habit as soon as possible of eating healthy and having mostly healthy foods in the house. Good habits formed at a young age will last a lifetime most likely the things you want the most are what you use to eat as a child right? Well, remember that when cooking for your child. Remember that the healthiest diets don't need to be supplemented with many vitamins.

It's a good sign when your well nourished 4, 5 or 6 month old baby is interested in what's on mom and dad's plates. If your baby seems interested and he or she is past 4 months then go ahead and give him a taste. Just a taste for now will do. You don't need to go and set up the baby food grinder just yet. Let him take his time. Just as babies play with something for a little bit and then become disinterested your baby may just want to know if he can have it and be included in what everyone else is doing. Don't just go and give him a taste of anything on your plate though, there are some foods that aren't safe for your baby until he is a year old. Especially if anyone in your family has a history of allergies, allergic reactions to food and skin problems. Adhering to this list can save you a lot of trouble. The list is as follows according to the online site What to Expect. Strawberries, peanut butter, egg whites, honey, milk, wheat, citrus fruit and juices, shrimp, strawberries, and chocolates. Well what's left on your plate to give? Rice is a good first food mash a few grains well with the back of a spoon add a drop of water or broth from your chicken soup and there you go. Vegetables can follow. If you have some sweet potatoes or carrots on your plate give him a taste of that. Whichever foods he reaches for provided they are safe for him. This will also help him with communication. You can introduce green vegetables such as spinach and green beans or even peas.

For dessert? Mashed bananas, cooked pears, apples or applesauce all will do well on your young ones taste buds. Skip the sauces syrups and creams for now though.

It's best to give your child only one food at a time and see how he reacts over the next couple of days. I found out that my baby got really bad gas from peas. But I was only able to tell that because I knew that was the only thing he had eaten. A few little bites off my plate at dinner.

It's best if just mom does the feeding in the beginning or at least is aware of how much and what he is being fed. If you are a breastfeeding mom who is dieting it helps to feed your baby from your serving of food because if he ends up nursing less it will all balance out and you will still lose that pregnancy weight.

Remember to avoid feeding your baby spicy foods and watch out for hidden dairy products in foods. Once you are sure your baby is ready for eating a full meal maybe only once a day in the beginning you will want to bring out the baby food grinder. To make things quicker and easier.You can also purchase fortified baby rice cereal that you can just add water, formula or breast milk to. Starting at 7 or 8 months you can introduce your baby to meats such as chicken, lamb, and beef. Egg yolks and avocado are also safe for him or her to try now. If your baby's solid foods meal is at dinner he will most likely start sleeping through the night as long as you have fed him foods his body agrees with and topped it off with some breast milk or formula whichever one you normally feed him.

Remember to watch your weight once your baby starts to eat he wont be nursing as much so you wont need as much food yourself.