Starting your baby on solids - tips from a dietician.
Starting your baby on solids can seem daunting. But really, it’s not that hard. Here are five things that Caroline O’Connor (Dietician & Lactation Consultant) are helpful to know before you start.
It’s not a race!
It’s natural to always look to the next stage, especially with first babies.
Somewhere around six months, your baby reaches a stage where they must learn to eat and complement the nutrition they get from milk with nutrition from other foods, but there’s no rush. However, that won’t stop everyone, from your next-door neighbour to your great aunty Margaret having an opinion on it!
Current recommendations (World Health Organisation) say to start after or around six months, or 26 weeks. (HSE, SACN, ESPGHAN).
There are three reliable signs your baby is ready.
Although many signs might indicate your baby’s ready for solids, there are three reliable signs your baby needs to show at the same time, to watch out for. So, before breaking out the broccoli, watch your baby and see if they can:
Sit up well with minimal support.
Your baby may be unable to sit on the floor for more than a few seconds without toppling over. But they should be able to hold a stable sitting position with minimal support. Sitting well will help to prevent choking and also give your baby the best position of reaching and grabbing food as well as coordinating all those muscles in their mouth.
Hold their head steady.
It's pretty tricky, not to mention dangerous, to eat with your chin on your chest. So make sure that your baby’s head lag has gone.
Developed some hand-eye coordination
Is your baby reaching, grabbing and putting toys and teethers into their mouth. Great! Because they’ll need this type of hand-eye coordination to feed themselves.
Read more here about some common myths about WHEN to start solids.
There’s no right or wrong first food.
I’ve seen heated debates online about what ‘the ideal’ first food! But the bottom line is there's no consensus on which food to offer first.
Let's look at FIVE common options:
Baby rice: Berated online, it's just ground rice, not toxic at all! It’s a bit boring, though!
Fruit: Babies lap up sweet-tasting fruit as they’re born with a preference for sweet flavours. So fruit is an easy sell any time. Does that make starting with fruit a bit of a wasted opportunity? I think so!
Green veggies: Starting with vegetables is my favourite approach. And there's some (not tonnes of) evidence to show benefits of a veggie first approach. One study found improved acceptance of ALL veggies later on in those babies started on bitter greens. But like many things in life, there are no guarantees!
Iron-rich foods like meat, fish, beans or lentils: Iron’s essential for babies. So even if you don't start with these foods, there’s no need to go through every fruit and vegetable combo under the sun before moving on to these foods.
Potentially allergenic foods: Research now shows that it’s best not to delay the introduction of potentially allergenic foods. And you could even start your weaning journey with eggs or peanut butter.
It’s messy but that’s a good thing
There’s no getting away from it, feeding kids (and not just babies) is messy. Meal time clean up at our house still involves getting out the hoover and I’m well past the weaning stage. But mess isn’t just inevitable, it serves a purpose. Babies (and children) learn to accept and like new foods by working their way through several steps. They need to be tolerate, interact, smell and touch the food before they ever think of tasting it.
Here are a couple of ways that you can encourage a good weaning experience for your baby
Eat together
Offer finger foods with every meal. You can limit the mess by just offering 1-2 pieces of food at a time.
Offer purées or mashed foods from a suction bowl on the tray or table (rather than holding a bowl away from your baby) and let your baby get messy.
Give your baby a short-handled dipper spoon to self-feed runny foods like porridge or yoghurt. Or preload a spoon for them.
Don’t wipe your baby’s face during feeding. If your baby has sensitive skin, then apply a barrier cream before eating to reduce irritation.
Encourage your baby to explore and have fun food rather than just encouraging them to eat.
Every day is different.
Do you worry if your baby refuses a meal that on other day’s they wolf down?
If so, you're not alone. But it's only natural that your baby doesn't feel like eating every time you offer food. And the last thing you want to do is force it.
Here are some reasons your baby may refuse food:
Sickness- who feels like eating when they've got a cold or tummy bug? When your baby is sick, prioritise hydration. Their appetite will pick up when they feel better.
Teething-Sore gums don't make for happy eaters. Offer pain relief if you need to. And offer soothing foods like cold yogurt, homemade ice-pops or cold cucumber sticks as part of the meal.
Independence: Some babies never take to spoon-feeding. Others grow out of it. Take your babies lead and let them feed themselves.
Tiredness: Offer food when your baby is most alert. After sleep is usually a good time.
Distractions: Turn off the TV and put away other devices during mealtimes. And eat with your baby if you can.
Full: Sometimes, your baby just isn't hungry for food. Aim to space out milk and food through the day. But also accept that we all have days where we're not as hungry as others.
Busy: Learning to eat is only one of the skills your baby wants to master. Keep mealtimes short. And if your baby is crying to get down, then go with it. Don't force extra bites.
Your baby is unique.
It’s easy to compare your baby to others. But honestly, it’s never a good idea.Your baby is unique, and that’s why there are no recommended portion sizes for babies.
So aim to feed your baby to appetite and not to portion size! It’s your job to provide food; it’s up to your baby how much to eat. This responsive feeding is crucial for supporting your baby’s appetite regulation.
Don’t worry. Your baby will show you when they’ve had enough (turning their head away, avoiding eye contact and pushing your hand away are pretty obvious signs). On the other hand, some days your baby will want to eat lots and you’ll be wondering where they’re putting it all!
With this information in your mind, go ahead and enjoy this exciting new food adventure together. And if you’d like more no-nonsense professional information about starting solids then check out my online weaning course, Ready, Steady, Wean.
Thank you to Caroline for contributing this blog post. Caroline O’Connor is a registered dietitian, lactation consultant and founder of Solid Start. And chief feeder to four kids. She’s passionate about sharing no-nonsense, professional advice on food, feeding and nutrition. And has a special interest in weaning, fussy eating and allergies.
