When To Start Baby Food For Your Infant?

This is a question which puzzles a lot of parents since different experts have different opinions regarding how long you have to wait before you feed solid food to your baby. According to health experts and breastfeeding experts, your baby should be breastfed for the first six months before you offer him solid food. The World Health Organization and other health organizations recommend the same. Of course, there is a reason why post six months has been chosen as the ideal time to introduce solid food to your baby. This is because solids readiness depends on the maturity of baby’s digestive tract and baby’s developmental readiness for solids.

The maturity of the baby’s digestive system is not something which can be readily observed. Before six months, your baby has a very sensitive gag reflex that can be triggered by solid foods in addition to an overwhelming instinct to continue tongue-thrusting, which make solid foods extremely difficult to consume. In addition to that, a new theory suggests that early feeding can increase the risk of obesity in your child. However, most babies are developmentally ready for solids somewhere between six and eight months.

Signs that indicate your baby is ready for solid food As a parent, it's up to you to decide whether to introduce solid foods based on your baby's needs. Below are some signs which show that the baby is developmentally ready for solid intake.

• Your baby becomes more curious about your food and tries to grab it off of your plate or watch you eagerly as you eat your dinner. Hence monitor your baby's behavior for these signs.

• The baby has lost the tongue-thrust reflex and doesn't automatically push solids out of his mouth with his tongue. Hence, he is ready and willing to chew.

• Your baby becomes dissatisfied with breast milk and becomes hungrier more frequently than usual.

• Your baby can exert more control over his body and can sit up well without support.

Appropriate food for your baby

• It is most comfortable to start out with simple, pureed or well-mashed foods like cooked carrot, parsnip, potato, apple, ripe pear or mango. Pureed fruits and vegetables ensure that your baby continues getting the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients needed for a strong and healthy growth.

• Nutritional and medical researchers recommend that parents start out with single grain carbohydrates, such as baby oatmeal. Semi-solid foods are relatively easy to swallow, and will also satiate a powerful appetite.

• Iron-fortified cereals like Cerelac, contain vitamins and minerals along with essential fatty acids. It is an excellent baby food that contains probiotics found in the digestive tracts of breastfed babies. It helps babies develop tastes for other food as they are weaned from breast milk.

• Small portions of well cooked meat, poultry, fish, yogurt, ,lentils or cheese can also be given but, at later stages.

Your baby's appetite will start to vary from one feed to the next. Look out for cues that he's full, that is, he keeps his mouth shut, turns away, or starts playing with his food, which means he has had enough. And the quantity and quality of food he eats over the whole week is more important than what he eats in a day. Initially, the baby might just play with his food or grab onto it and just suck on. Continue giving your baby breast milk or in between mealtimes. As your baby gradually eats more solids, the number of milk feeds will start to decrease.

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