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Introducing Solid Food

When your baby is about six months old you should begin introducing solid food into her diet. When she was younger, all your baby's caloric and nutritional needs were met by breast milk or formula and her digestive system was too immature to handle solid foods. However, around this age babies' iron requirements increase and surpass that which breast milk or formula alone can provide and many babies become developmentally ready to start solid foods. You'll know your baby is ready when she shows an interest in adult food (she may watch you intently while you eat and try to reach for some of what you have), sits well while supported, holds her head steady, and has lost the "extrusion reflex," which causes her to push food out of her mouth.

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Rice cereal is a good first food for your baby because it is gentle on her sensitive digestive system and is less likely to cause an allergic reaction. Start introducing the rice cereal just once a day, whenever it is convenient for you. Even if your baby doesn’t eat much at first, just give her time to get used to the sensation. Nurse or bottle-feed her first, and then give her one or two teaspoons of cereal mixed with enough formula or breast milk to make a thin, runny consistency. Keep in mind that your baby hasn't had anything but milk since birth and if the cereal is too thick, she may gag. It may also take a while for your baby to get used to eating from a spoon rather than a nipple. Try using rubber-coated baby spoons rather than hard metal ones which can bump tender, teething gums and make feedings a painful experience.

It will take a little time for your baby to learn how to move the cereal from the front of her mouth to the back of her throat because swallowing a solid requires a different motion than sucking a liquid. She will initially try to suck at the cereal and her tongue will push half of it back out, but she will quickly catch on. Once she gets used to the idea and begins eating more than she spits out, increase the amount of cereal to a few tablespoons each day. Gradually thicken the consistency of the cereal and then add another feeding each day. Your baby should be able to eat about one half cup of thick cereal each day before you add other solid food.

Once your baby is eating the rice cereal well and isn't showing any sign of allergic reaction (such as a rash), try introducing some mashed or strained fruits and vegetables. Introduce one fruit or vegetable at a time and stick with it for a few days before introducing another. By doing this, you can identify which food causes an allergic reaction, if one occurs.

Your baby's appetite will fluctuate from one meal to the next, so don’t rely on the amount she’s eaten to determine if she’s full. If your baby turns her head away from food, becomes easily distracted, or refuses to open up for the next bite, she has probably had enough. Don’t force her to eat more than she wants; she will probably make up for it at the next meal or the next day. When your baby is hungry, she will eat. However, if you notice a persistent lack of appetite or she stops gaining weight, call your pediatrician.

There are certain foods that you shouldn't give your baby until after her first birthday, including honey and commonly allergenic foods such as peanut butter, cows' milk, shellfish, and egg whites. If you or the baby’s father have a severe food allergy, wait to introduce that particular food to your baby until she is three or four years old.

Your baby should be eating solid foods three times a day by about 8 months of age; however, continue to nurse or bottle-feed until she's a year old. Milk and formula both provide important vitamins, iron, and protein in an easily-digestible form your baby still needs.

 

Comment on this page...

Reem on 11/21/2009 12:20:40 AM
wow great article It is true 100% You'll know your baby is ready when she shows an interest in adult food (she may watch you intently while you eat and try to reach for some of what you have), This is really describe my baby and he is only 4 and 3 wks old
Marlini on 11/10/2009 9:13:25 AM
My son is 6mths old and i hv started to start him on bellamy's organic teething rusks whcich so far he shown signs of liking it... i tried to give him pureed pear when he is 5mths old but theres a too much drastic changes in his stools so i stopped...
Reena on 11/6/2009 1:53:02 AM
I found this page very informative. my baby has turned 6 mths yesterday. i have started giving her wheat and apple cereal. she enjoyed for sometime, but now after having it for a week she doesnot want to have the same. she is ready 2 pounce on watever we eat but m confused as to what i should give her to eat.
Melissa on 10/26/2009 11:05:52 AM
I started my son on Rice Cereal when he was four and a half months old. I didn't listen to my ped, she was telling me six months old. My son told me when he was ready. All babies are different and do not worry about messing him up in life if you start early. I was worried about that, but had several moms reassure me. Listen to your baby, watch the signs, he/she will tell you. My son is now on Veggies and Fruits during the day and Oatmeal at night and he is doing fantastic!
emina on 10/7/2009 5:33:55 PM
my son is 5 month now a tried give him solid food at 4 month cerel but hi dont want anything but formula i dust donot now what to do
carolyne on 10/6/2009 11:44:52 PM
I startediving my son solid food at 3months and he is doing great. will this affect him later
Rahima on 10/5/2009 3:38:54 AM
I have a daughter Anna who is now 5 months old and started feeding her solid she is taking it very nicely and I am breast feeding too. infact I am giving her twice a day is it ok? she eats banana, cerelac and mashed potatoes.
priscilla on 10/5/2009 3:36:18 AM
This article is nice & helpful. i think each baby react differently and when a baby is ready for solids you will know as the mom. my baby started grabing everything that passes her way at 5months, by 24weeks i made up my mind to start solid and she ate very well. she takes potato, squash, butternut, custard, rice, carrot, and a whole lot. thanks for all the contribution it has really been helpful.
Berenice Strydom on 9/29/2009 2:47:48 AM
I have started with the rice cereal, but my daughter seems not to like it. Then I tried the honey flavour and I must say she likes that much more. I am still very concern about her teeth. she is turning eight month on the 2nd of Oct. but stil no teeth.
Kandace on 9/28/2009 10:06:49 AM
In response to: sharon on 8/28/2009 9:39:09 AM "My baby Shania is eigth months old yet I cat get her to drink formula nor cereal the only milk she want is brest milk,she eat solids of all caing with no problem but I need to know what to do for her to start takeing cereal and formula. She is helty and devoloping acording to standard but I can't separate from her because she only wanth the brest milk" My sister-in-la breast feed with food until her son was 1 year then just went directly into whole milk, there is no reason to have to introduce formula at any point. For the cereal issue, try different types. My son does not like rice cereal but does well with barley and oatmeal. Hope this helps.
Veronica on 9/25/2009 7:10:17 AM
This comment is in response to Ambrosia's comment "My son is six n a half monts old, though i introduced the solid food in the form of wheat n apple cereal n give him a fairly gud amount of water he is constipated, i even feed him orange juice, apple, banana n pineapples (which he loves a lot)he is still sort of constipated, plz help me with this, i am worried at that!" ... my son has constipation issues as well (he is 9 months). The rice and barley cereals are binding and so are the apples and bananas. Apple juice helps loosen their stool, but apple sauce is binding. We have used oatmeal cereal and it hasn't been a problem. Or if you give you baby something that is binding, make sure to also give diluted apple or prune juice (1-2oz juice + 2-3 oz water) to help keep the bowels moving. Hope our experience helps!
Lyndsey on 9/17/2009 9:38:35 AM
I am responding to this comment I introduced my six months baby on solid food yesterday but she later cried soo much. I got scared and thought may she had stomach upsets due to the food i gave her. It was an egg york mixed with milk. Any advice please? Brittany on 9/9/2009 6:42:56 AM Brittany just a word of advise babies should not have eggs or milk until 1 year od age. Try the 1st stage baby food. My little guy loves the sweet potatos! good LUCK
sakshi on 9/17/2009 6:55:10 AM
My son is six n a half monts old, though i introduced the solid food in the form of wheat n apple cereal n give him a fairly gud amount of water he is constipated, i even feed him orange juice, apple, banana n pineapples (which he loves a lot)he is still sort of constipated, plz help me with this, i am worried at that!
Ambrosia on 9/14/2009 9:57:49 PM
So my question is, when do you go from step one, to step two baby food? I know step 3 they need to hve a few teeth, but dont know about one and two.
Amanda on 9/14/2009 12:31:44 PM
I agree that mom know when baby is ready, not every child is the same. I have 3 children and my baby will be 4 months old on Wed., he started eating food 2 weeks ago! He cried after every bottle and cried everytime we sat down to eat. He would try to grab food out of my hand and off my plate. We started with rice cereal and he knew right away what to do with it! He only eats once a day at the same time we eat dinner. I think parents should do what they think is best as long as your not doing it to make them sleep longer etc...
Modest on 9/14/2009 7:04:00 AM
I introduced my six months baby on solid food yesterday but she later cried soo much. I got scared and thought may she had stomach upsets due to the food i gave her. It was an egg york mixed with milk. Any advice please?
Brittany on 9/9/2009 6:42:56 AM
It bothers me that everyone wants to add thier too sense on what they think your baby needs. Only mom knows when baby is ready for changes. My pediatrician wanted me to start may baby girl on solids when she is 6 months. he is now 22 weeks and I strted trying rice cereal with her because she was acting so interested in our food and she was not as satisfied after her evening bottle. She loves it, she started has done great, opens her mouth with every bite and swallows great. it only took her two times to figure out what to do. My only question is, you stated to feed her with bottle first and then try solid food. Well should I never replace a solid food with her bottle? I feel like she is getting too much sometimes.
christy on 9/7/2009 9:45:39 PM
this page was very helpful. my son is almost 6 months old, he was geting so hungry- i began feeding him solids at about 4 1/2 months, he gets constipated fairly easy, so instead of the rice cerial i gave him the baby oatmeal (because of the fiber) he loves it and its a lot better for his tummy, esp. when i add stage one babyfood and some water to it!
Shalini Gupta on 9/4/2009 1:32:58 AM
this articles helped me a lot..my baby is abt 4.5 months old n everyone asks me to introduce solid food in his diet..now i can wait a lil more before starting them..
annashi on 8/29/2009 7:51:51 PM
thank you very much its help me a lots...
Ankita on 8/29/2009 6:04:40 AM
My son is 3.5 months old..Am glad I read this article else wud have introduced semi solids when he turned 4 months..also I was told by a friend that kids loose interest in milk when other foods r started too soon.. So best to wait a bit before starting rice cereal etc...
Steph on 8/28/2009 10:12:12 PM
I waited until both my boys were at least 6 months old. My youngest wasn't interested so we waited another month to try solids. He never did like rice cereal so I kinda skipped it and went onto home made baby foods. He is a bit of a picky eater, but we keep trying new things. He is still nursing 5 times a day so I really don't worry about solids if he doesn' them at this point since he does not need it for nutrition.
sharon on 8/28/2009 9:39:09 AM
My baby Shania is eigth months old yet I cat get her to drink formula nor cereal the only milk she want is brest milk,she eat solids of all caing with no problem but I need to know what to do for her to start takeing cereal and formula. She is helty and devoloping acording to standard but I can't separate from her because she only wanth the brest milk
valerie naidoo on 8/28/2009 7:24:08 AM
I was scared to start baby on cereal, my Pead said she could start at 3-4 mths. Started her at 4 mths and she has enjoyed it. Do you recommend store bought Purity or Organic range of food or home made. If home made do I put salt.
Flo on 8/28/2009 12:50:33 AM
My Son is almost 6 months and i introduced Rice cereal a week ago, he doesn't like it so i thought i could introduce the mashed potatoes and pumpkin and he loved thus we are sticking to that. he is doing well so far....
Lovelle on 8/26/2009 6:17:53 PM
our pediatrician suggested to me my baby boy still 4 months that he can eat solid food in small amount.He suggested mash potato, squash.so i fed mashed foods at 5 months.but in this article it suggested that it should be rice cereal first then mashed.but my baby is ok.so was it ok what i did?
lauren on 8/26/2009 10:09:48 AM
you know you baby best so do what you think is best for him or her!
hina waqas abdullah on 8/25/2009 10:18:52 AM
hey all, first of all viwe rice does constipation.stay more on home-made food than outside ready made stuff.give more of pulses.what i cook for my 6mth old daughtre is 3 tablespoons of rice nd 2 table spoons of yellow pulse( dont know the name), black pepper, a pinch of salt this will not make gas in chicken stock,add ginger and garlic(tiny pieces) for stomach and chest/cough.some times potatoe.
Amele on 8/25/2009 7:22:30 AM
I found this article very important too as my second baby is 4.7mo.I will start solid food at 6mo. I donot want to compromise her immatured digestve system though she is ver interested in our food.Thanks all
Melissa Quiana on 8/24/2009 9:10:08 PM
My daughter is 17 weeks and strictly breastfed. People are constantly trying to pressure me into feeding her solid foods. I finally gave in, and bought some rice cereal yesterday. However, because of this article I think I will wait a little longer. She is healthy and I don't want to compromise her digestive system.
Tamara on 8/24/2009 5:18:41 PM
I found this article helpful also I started my son on rice at 4 1/2 months he i now 7 months eating every veggie, and fruit they make in stage 1 food and loves it ( and he has both of his bottom teeth) so he will be moving to chicken bines very fast:)
maradesa on 8/24/2009 2:08:30 AM
i found this write-up helpful, i introduce cereal to my baby @ 4months now she is doing great
Grace on 8/24/2009 1:52:07 AM
This is lovely, I started solid for my baby @ 5 month and he loves it. he is now 6 months and start eating fish, beans and drinking orange. He is interested in our food when eating. U understand your baby better than anyone else. so, respond t0 his needs when he demands for it and be sure such food are safe for his age. Goodluck to all.
Viwe on 8/24/2009 1:04:09 AM
I tried giving by LG rice cereal a @ 4mnths but she got costipated. Now she is 5 mnths as is interested in the food we eat.I wil try again but I wil mix the cereal with B.milk instead of formula.Hope she'll be OK with it.
Anele on 8/24/2009 12:07:33 AM
I introduced my baby to solids at 4 months, and she is doing great! She eats Rice Cereal for breakfast and dinner, and she eats mashed fruit or veg for lunch. She still drinks her milk and water inbetween.
Judy C. on 8/21/2009 10:11:26 AM
Useful information. My question is how much (or do you) cut back on the amount of each bottle when baby starts to eat more and more solids? Any thoughts?
Felicia O. on 8/21/2009 7:14:22 AM
I found this Page very helpful cos i have been wondering how and wen i should introduce him to solid food, but now i think we are ready to hit it.
Cee Jay on 8/20/2009 2:59:44 PM
I agree,this article has been very informative. My baby is almost six months so I am getting ready to introduce solids. However, I think weaning him will be an entirely different story.Lol!
Mary mcCabe on 8/17/2009 6:46:47 AM
I found this page a great help as I had my last baby six years ago & had completly forgotton how to introduce solids to my new baby but now we are ready to go!!!!
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