You might be surprised to learn that your baby has been eating solid foods for months. Between four and six months, the milk in your baby’s diet is gradually replaced by breast milk or formula mixed with table food. The transition from milk and formula to solid foods should happen slowly, so don’t worry if your child isn’t ready for solid food yet!
Take your time
Take your time. Don’t rush the process. There’s a big difference between rushing and being intentional about what you feed your baby, but remember that they won’t be ready to eat solid foods until they’re developmentally ready. This can happen at different ages depending on the child, so don’t worry about what other parents are doing or how much their children are eating. You will find out in good time if it’s time for solid foods, and there is no need to push this process along prematurely!
Stick with iron-rich foods
Iron-rich foods include beef, pork, chicken, turkey and fish. Eggs are also a good source of iron. Iron-fortified cereals and breads are also good sources of iron; just make sure the label says “iron fortified.” If your baby is lactose intolerant or has a milk allergy, you’ll want to avoid dairy products as well (milk and cheese).
Encourage, but don’t push, your child to learn to feed himself or herself.
You may be eager to start feeding your baby solid foods, but don’t push it. It’s important to give your child time to get used to eating different tastes and textures—and not everyone is ready right away. If you want your child to eat something, try offering him or her a few bites of the food at first. You can also try adding new foods into their diet every few days so that they have time for their bodies and taste buds to adjust.
Don’t worry if your baby doesn’t like the food you are serving up; this does not mean he or she will never eat it again! There are many ways parents can encourage children about trying new things by making eating fun and making sure there are no scary faces around when feeding so those new tastes aren’t scary either (like Mommy’s).
Your baby will be eating solid foods before you know it.
The most important thing for you to know about your baby’s diet is that the best thing for your baby is to eat what their body needs. Your doctor will give you advice, but there’s no need to worry about any special diets or whether or not they’re going to gain weight. In fact, when it comes to following a particular diet, there are two things that concern me: First, many of these diets are expensive and second, some of them don’t provide enough calories for a growing child. While I understand that parents want the best nutrition possible for their children (and rightly so), what matters most is that babies eat solid food before they start school so they can learn how to select healthy foods on their own later in life.
Conclusion
The first year of your baby’s life is a huge milestone, and it can be so exciting to see them transition from being exclusively breastfed to eating solid foods. As you know, it’s important to make sure they get the right nutrients in their diet, but don’t worry too much about this—your baby will be eating solid foods before you know it!