It's one of the few things that many parents find they're unprepared for. And nobody ever really warns you about it. You have to be ready to learn how to feed your baby solid food when the time comes. And while the act itself sounds simple, it's important that you inform yourself of certain factors that go into the feeding process. To learn more about it, just simply continue reading below. We've compiled a small list of things you need to keep in mind as you're about to feed your baby.
Get The Proper Equipment For Eating
First and foremost, it's important that you equip yourself with the right products to feed your baby. Your standard plates and utensils aren't going to cut it for your baby. Babies can be fussy little mess makers. And they often exemplify this the most as they're eating. If you hand them food on a standard dining plate, they'll probably push it off onto the floor. And you don't ever want to hand them regular utensils. If you give them something like a fork, it can prove to be dangerous to their wellbeing.
Before the baby arrives, you want to ensure you have everything you need to accommodate for them. And when it comes to feeding, you essentially want to make sure you have at least the bare necessities (bib, high chair, etc). Take a browse through some of RPP Kids inventory. You'll find that we already have a lot of the equipment you already need to help feed your children.
Is Your Baby Ready to Eat Solid Foods?
Typically, after 6 months of birth, your baby is ready to eat solid food. But, to have a deeper understanding of when they should be ready, we've listed some signs below:
- Watch your infant closely next time you feed them. Is their tongue-thrust reflex gone? This reflex, which prevents young infants from choking also causes them to push food out of their mouths. When it disappears, it helps your infant-child to wean from the breast or bottle and to starting eating other types of food.
- Is your baby able to keep his or her head up without your support? If they can keep their heads straight by themselves, then they're ready. In order to eat solid food, an infant needs good head and neck structure/control in order to sit up properly.
- Has your child developed an interest in food? If so, then they're likely ready. When a 6-month-old child begins to stare and grab for food, it signifies that they're ready for some variety on their platter.
Through these signs, you should be able to indicate if your child is ready. However, it's always good to get your doctor's approval if you can. More so, if your child still seems frustrated and/or uninterested in the introduction of solid food, wait a few days or even weeks before trying again.
Feed Your Baby When They're Ready
With most newborns, they'll often need to eat roughly 12 times a day (one feeding every two or three hours) and they'll send you signals. Pay close attention to your child; if they're moving their hands to their mouth, sucking on their fingers, and/or smacking their lips, they're probably ready to eat. Fussing and crying are also other cues, and the sooner you start each feeding, the more smooth each feeding will go.
Tips For Feeding Your Baby Solid Foods
When you begin feeding your child solid food, it's important that they're a little hungry, but not so hungry that he or she is upset. To be extra careful to ensure they don't get fussy, you may want to breastfeed them a bit or provide the usual bottle. And when you do begin to feed them solid food, it's important that you have your child sit upright. Support them as they sit on your lap, or if they sit well on their own (as most 6 month infants are able to do) place them in a high chair with a safety strap. If you are without a high chair at the moment, you can order a quality one at Rooms For a Prince and Princess HERE.
As you begin to lift the spoon to your child's face, let them smell and taste it before you put the whole spoonful in their mouth. They might reject the first spoonful, which is totally normal for most young infants. And if they do reject it, just wait a minute and try again. Most foods that are offered to your child at 6 months will end up on the baby's chin, bib, or high-chair tray. Again, this is totally normal and will happen from time to time.
Typically, when you introduce a new food item to your child, you should introduce a new one after roughly 5 days. This is to make sure that the food you've fed your child doesn't cause an allergic reaction, diarrhea, rash, or anything of the sort. If you haven't noticed any negative effects caused by a new food item after 5 days, go ahead and introduce a new one to them.
Know What Foods Are Off Limits
While you should always seek a doctor's advice as to what to feed your baby, there are food items that should likely be avoided. If you or your significant other have a history of food allergies, speak to your doctor. In some cases, the risk for a peanut allergy often comes from when young children begin eating peanut products early. Your doctor will advise you on how to introduce such foods to your child.
Also, it's highly recommended that you don't give honey to your baby until after their first birthday. Honey contains spores that are harmless to adults but it can cause botulism in babies. Moreover, don't give your child cow's milk either until they're 1 year old. It doesn't have the nutrition that infants need.
Order Your Baby Feeding Products From Rooms For a Prince & Princess Today!
Through many years of provided service, RPP Kids has granted many customers quality baby products for new parents. And they've also been able to help many parents with feeding their child as well. When you browse through our inventory, you'll see quite a few bibs and high chairs for sale. But moreover, you'll also see many high-end products that will help you raise the best child you could possibly raise. For any inquiries, you may call us at 561-206-6173 or visit our contact page.