Tips for New Parents Starting Solids

Your baby is six months old now, sitting up on his own, reaching out and grabbing things in his path, and watching curiously as you eat. Maybe it is time to try adding a bit of solids to your baby's diet. Before you begin here are some helpful tips on what to do, and why.

Though it can be fun to try out the collection of bibs you have sitting around and finally make use out of all those cute baby spoons you got, you should remember that at this age solids is only for fun. A baby still needs to be getting 100 percent of his nutrition from breast milk or formula. Adding little bits of solids, whether from rice cereal or commercial baby foods is only to allow your baby to play with an experience new tastes and textures. You should not be cutting out nursing or bottles to fit in solid foods, instead any solids that you offer should be in addition to your baby's feeding schedule.. Offer a few bites once or twice a day, depending on your baby's cues. Some infant will enjoy the new experience and some will reject it. Do not be afraid if your baby is not interested in trying new foods right now. Allow your baby to play with the food and try his hand at self-feeding, this way you do not risk over feeding your child. This is easier when you have nursed, or fed a bottle to, your child before trying out the new food.

You may be curious what to try out first. Several infant companies create iron fortified rice cereals marketed for early eating. While they may seem tempting, the boxed rice cereals are not really beneficial for your baby. Many are iron fortified, however as Dr. Jay Gordon points out "Any solid foods will decrease iron absorption from breastmilk. For many years, we wondered why the "small" amount of iron in human milk was enough to sustain normal blood counts and prevent anemia. Then, we discovered that the iron in human milk is very "bioavailable" and absorbed completely differently than iron from other sources. Any solid food, cereal, fruits or vegetables will change digestion and decrease the amount of iron absorbed from breastmilk." Cereal is often recommended because it has a low allergy risk; however it also has a low protein to calorie ratio and is very bland. When trying to introduce new tastes and textures to your infant the tasteless cereals are not helpful, whole grain oatmeal is a more nutritious and better tasting alternative.

Soft, easily mashed and easily digested foods are perfect for first foods for your baby. Vegetables such as cooked carrots, mashed potatoes, and mashed peas are great starter foods. Soft fruits such as bananas or fruits like apples and pears that have been cooked until softer are also terrific tastes to start with. You can even try adding some soft pasta. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition, the order in which other foods are added to your baby's diet is not that important as long as baby's breast milk or formula intake is adequate.

Many parents choose to share their own meals with their babies rather than buying expensive pre-made baby foods that often contain fillers and preservatives. Setting aside small portions of your own meal is a cheap and simple way to ensure your baby is getting a taste of new and exciting foods. Use caution when choosing what foods you want to share; spicy, salty, or overly seasoned foods are not good choices for your baby. A side advantage of this is that parents often find themselves eating healthier as a result of adapting their eating habits to be healthier for their baby.

When beginning adding solids one thing that parents need to look for is hidden allergy risks. Staying simple, adding only one new food at a time and staying with that food for a few days before adding a newer food can make it easier for parents to recognize food allergies and their causes. If you know only one or two new things that your baby is eating you can pinpoint the correlation faster than if your baby is eating several new things. Gradually adding new foods also helps your baby to adapt to the new tastes and textures easily. Foods such as tomatoes, citrus fruits, nuts, and dairy products are some of the foods usually held off until the baby is much older.

Along with new flavors some parents are tempted to add fruit juices to their baby's diet. These juices, even the 100 percent fruit juices, add empty calories and large quantities of sugar that a young baby does not need. As with solids adding juice to your infant's diet should be complimentary to breast milk or formula, it should not replace any of your child's feedings. When deciding to add juice to you child's diet, somewhere after nine months of age, it is best to dilute the juice with water. This cuts back on the amount of sugar your baby is getting and helps to prevent a craving for sweeter drinks.

Giving your baby his first tastes of solid foods is a huge milestone that many new parents look forward to. As with any step in your child's development, a little preparation and safety can make this a fun and exciting time for everyone.