As you’re undoubtedly aware, babies start their first few months on milk and generally nothing else. Eventually, though, it becomes time to start them on solid foods. That can be a vaguely scary thought for many, filled with questions. How do I start my baby on solids? What foods do I try first? What if they don’t like it? Fear not, though! Today, we’re going to be going through a few of the tried and tested tips for getting your baby started on solids.
Stay Calm
If this is your first time starting a baby on solids, you likely have a few worries about what to do and how to do it – and that is entirely normal. To make things easier, though, it’s good to keep feeding time calm and positive, cheering your baby on when they successfully eat while not getting too bothered if it’s just not happening today. The more relaxed you both are, the more fun it’ll become and eventually be something your baby looks forward to.
Start Simple
Your baby is used to the taste, temperature and consistency of milk, so trying to get fancy with flavours can often leave them spitting it straight back out again. One typical first solid food is baby cereal – often made from rice, mixed with expressed breastmilk (or formula) until it’s a relatively thin consistency. It’s also quite bland, and by being made with their usual milk, it’s easier for their taste buds to grow accustomed to. From there, single-ingredient purées are a good option. Try carrots or kumara for an excellent first vegetable. You can even use this time to help with teething, which often (though not always) coincides with starting solids. You can try the Haakaa Fresh Food Feeder & Mini Freezer Tray – the compartments are designed to freeze or bake portions that fit right into the feeder pouch, so it’s incredibly easy to use. Purée your carrot (or whichever vegetable you are going with), put it in the Mini Freezer Tray, pop on the lid, and freeze. Your baby will get lovely nutritious food to chew on, while the cold temperature will help soothe their gums.
Pick Your Timing
Much like ourselves, babies need to be in the right frame of mind to try something new. And in those early days of starting solids, milk will still be their number one source of nutrition. For these reasons, while they’re still in this stage, a good time to introduce a new food is immediately after a milk feed. They’re happy, content, and probably much more keen to try out some of these new flavours you’re offering them. If they’re still fussing, you can try again at a different time. They will get there – there’s no need to rush things. Likewise, the time of day can play its own role. Many parents have found that lunch is the best time for trying out solid foods – it’s when babies tend to be the most awake and are less likely to be grumpy. Of course, every baby is different – you’ll know when your own little one is most likely to be happy to try out some new experiences.
Give a New Food Time
Very closely related to keeping things simple is giving a food a go before introducing a new one. Ideally, waiting anywhere from 3-5 days before starting the next one is good. That means if you’ve started with carrot, give it a few days for baby to get used to it before you move on to kumara, apple, or any other flavour. Each and every one of these will be something that is brand new to bubs, and it can be pretty overwhelming if they all turn up one after the other. Additionally, because they eat so little at first, it gives you time to get through the one vegetable you’ve cooked and puréed before you prepare another one! If you’ve found the Fresh Food Feeder and its Mini Nibble Tray helpful, you can even grab yourself the full-size version of the tray. The Pineapple Nibble Tray is, in most respects, just the same as the mini version, except it has nine compartments instead of two. Freeze your purée, then grab a portion each time you need it. When they’re a little older, you can make your own baked finger foods, letting you avoid high quantities of refined sugars and the like while still giving your baby a tasty treat.
Be Patient
In addition to the point above, being patient is crucial. It can take multiple tries for baby to get used to a new food enough to actually eat it – up to ten, or sometimes more, in fact. So when you first give them a new flavour to try, don’t be disheartened if they immediately spit it back out. Try, try, try again, without making a big deal about it, and more often than not, they’ll eventually adjust to it. This is where having very small portions you can freeze (such as in the Easy-Freeze Tray) comes in handy to avoid waste. Just pop out a small amount each time – the Easy-Freeze Tray comes in different sizes, so you can start small and move up to a larger size later. Whatever you don’t use stays right there in the freezer, ready for the next attempt!
Try Different Textures
As your baby gets used to the taste, you can start introducing different textures. Gradually move up to thicker purées, then over the next few months, progress to mashed foods and finger foods. For further advice about when and how to change textures, have a quick chat with your healthcare provider—they’ll be able to base this on your specific circumstances and needs.
Variety
Remember how we said start simple? That’s only for the beginning stages. Once they’ve got the hang of this whole solids thing, it’s time to start bringing in variety. Try a wide range of foods with different flavours and textures. Mix them up to create new flavour profiles, just like you’d do for yourself! Introducing these flavours while your baby is still beginning their solids journey helps them build a more diverse set of tastes.
No Additives Needed
Natural flavours are what babies need, and they don’t need any added sugar or salt. Remember, their bodies are still very little and not as equipped to deal with extras such as these. Honey in particular shouldn't be given to babies until they're at least 12 months old. By avoiding giving sweet foods and drinks too early, we can also avoid them developing a preference for sweet, sugary foods.
These are just a few tips to get you started introducing solid food to your baby. You’ll probably be surprised just how quickly they adjust, and as they grow, their nutritional requirements will likewise change, with more and more of what they need coming from solid food rather than milk. For more specialised advice, have a chat with your healthcare provider or check out your government’s health websites – they’re packed with handy tips to get you even further.