Everyone remembers their ‘firsts’; what you wore on your first birthday, your first gift, which glass bottle you took to your school, when you first travelled, and the list never stops. But one of the most pleasant ‘firsts’ is ‘when did you first start eating and what was it’.
When you first took solids, it would have been a fantastic experience. Starting solids is one of the most under-rated milestones in a person’s life. Getting suitable solids at the right time is very crucial for the overall growth of the baby in future.
There are many riddles behind what to give to the baby, when to give, and how to provide these solids. The following sections will provide all the necessary information regarding starting with solids in detail.
Starting With the Solids: Time (When)
It is necessary to know at what time the baby should start getting their solids. If you are beginning to give solids before the right time, it might result in obesity, bellyaches, or choking. On the other hand, if you delay giving the solids, it may lead to slow or poor growth of the baby.
According to doctors, the right time to start giving solids to the baby is between 4 months to 6 months of age. Apart from this, the parents should start giving solids to the baby if they show anyone or more than one of the following indications:
- Sitting on a chair: If the baby can sit independently on a chair in an upright position, it is a clear indication that the baby can have his first solids.
- Signs of interest: You can start giving the food to your baby if they show interest during the family mealtime. If they show signs of having food sitting beside you, this also acts as a sign for getting food.
Remember that even if you notice any of the above indications, but the baby exhales or pushes the food outside, then do not give them the solids. This is because they could not swallow it down the throat.
Starting With the Solids: How (Process)
In the initial process, the baby will dislike the normal food. It is not easy to see anger from the baby for having such food. Follow the given methods to make the process of giving solids easier.
- Start giving the solids to the baby using a spoon.
- Take small amounts of food in the beginning. Start giving breast milk and slowly shift to this way so that the baby adopts the same in flow.
- Initially, the parents must give the solids in the morning. The reason for the same is that babies are hungry the most during this time.
- Give food of different tastes. Try different variants so that the baby also likes to eat.
- Give the food in several forms. It will make the baby think that there are different items every day.
Best Foods to Give to Babies for the First Time
After knowing the right time and tips to give solids to a baby, let us see the best food options that you must try. Following is the list of the food items that you must give to your babies for the first time.
- Banana: This is a go-to option to give to babies because these are generally easier to digest and can be swallowed effortlessly. There are fewer chances of choking if a baby intakes a banana.
Moreover, bananas are sweet, which will increase the chances of having the baby eat without much worry. Bananas are also high in nutritional value. They contain zinc, potassium, and the required minerals for growth.
- Butternut squash: It is a surprising food option, but butternut squash is one of the topmost food options that provide Vitamin E. This gives a high jump in immunity power and provides energy. This option is an underdog option, but it will show early signs of splendid growth.
- Avocados: This is one of the most popular first food choices. Also, these are rich in fibres that make the food easily digestible. The vitamins avocado contains promote high growth. The only downside of this is it might be comparatively expensive.
- Sweet potato: Sweet potatoes are good options as they can be easily mashed and given to your baby. It can be cooked and prepared attractively so that the baby eats it in one go. Sweet potatoes will also provide the baby with the exact nutritional value by sowing early seeds of immunity.
- Baby cereal: A major source of iron, doctors highly recommend baby cereals such as oatmeal, rice, etc., to infant babies. Baby oatmeals come in different flavors, which gives them one of the finest choices for feeding your baby with solids for the first time.
Apart from these food options, apples, pears, and green beans are some of the first-go options for feeding babies for the first time with solids. Avoid giving honey or cow’s milk to the baby until they turn one. You can store the food items mentioned above in baby food glass containers.
Moreover, at the age of 9 months, the baby could eat eggs, cheese, beef, meat, vegetables, cereals, etc.
Conclusion
A baby eludes in joy for everything. When they eat for the first time, they know how to respond with a cry. But after trying different delicacies as they grow gives them immense pleasure to eat. Nowadays, there are flavoured specialised solids. These allow the infants to intake their first solids with a smile.
Parents must realise what they should not give to their child before 7 to 9 months. Also, they should keep a check on when to provide these solids in a day. There should be a routine for this.
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