Introducing baby to her first 'real food' is a fun milestone. Take note of the following to start your baby on a lifetime of healthy, happy eating.
Check with your paediatrician or clinic sister before starting
Your baby should be able to sit with little support, control her head and neck, lean forward to take a spoon, and use her tongue to swallow – which is usually at four to six months old. "Before that she will not be physically ready for solids, and after six months the introduction of solids becomes very important to provide vital nutrients such as iron," says dietician Alta Kloppers.
Don't stop breastfeeding or giving your baby formula
Milk or formula will remain her main source of nutrition initially. The milk requirement for babies already eating solid food well at all three meals is about 800ml, but at the very least 600ml, at 12 months, Kloppers says.
Start solids slowly
Begin with just a spoonful or two, to get her accustomed to the taste and texture of food and the art of eating. Begin with one meal a day, and work up to three by the time she is about nine months old.
Don't feed solids from a bottle
Always use a spoon and a bowl, to encourage her to chew, not suck.
Include baby in family meals from the start
Sit her in a high chair or just on your lap, facing the table. Spread a sheet of plastic on the floor – a black rubbish bag works fine – and relax.
Try whole-grain porridges and cereals
Try whole-grain porridges such as oatmeal or brown rice cereal. Remember that rice cereal is fortified with iron, so give other iron sources such as minced-up meat or fish (use a blender), scrambled eggs, mashed lentils and tofu, Kloppers says. Don't worry about lumps, so long as textures are soft; it's only before baby is six months old that foods need to be puréed.
Offer a variety of finger foods
Allow your baby to enjoy exploring food, however messily. Try slices of avocado, banana or softly cooked sweet potato, carrots and peas. You can also mash these, or purée them and mix them with a little breast milk or formula, and offer them in a spoon.
Don't be hung up on allergies
"We now introduce allergenic foods such as egg, peanuts, fish and wheat from six months, unless there's a proven allergy or risk of developing one, as in the case of a family history of allergy,"says Kloppers. Allow three to four days before introducing a new food, and always introduce it early in the day, so if there is a reaction you can pinpoint the cause. Allergic reactions include vomiting, hives and diarrhoea.
Avoid unsafe foods
Undercooked fish, chicken or eggs can carry bacteria; nuts, raisins, popcorn and dried cranberries can cause choking. Citrus fruits are highly acidic and can cause nappy rash and eczema, and cow's milk or soy milk are too much for baby's digestive system to handle before 12 months.
Don't add salt, sugar, honey or other sweeteners
This will encourage a sweet tooth. Serve foods plain, or introduce herbs and spices (such as cinnamon, even pepper), which encourages baby to become an adventurous eater later. If she rejects a food, keep presenting it – it can take six to ten tries before babies like an unfamiliar taste, and studies suggest most parents give up well before that, says Kloppers.
Let your baby decide when she's had enough
Your baby will signal by not leaning forward and opening her mouth, or by turning her head aside, even pushing a spoon away. To try to force another bite is to teach her not to listen to her appetite, inviting eating problems in later life, instead of a healthy, happy attitude to food.
How Clicks Clinics can help you
Worried about your little one's nutrition? Make an appointment for a baby wellness consultation at your nearest Clicks Clinic by clicking here.
Also read: Your trusty guide to weaning your child off breastfeeding
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