I am coming close to 5 months old. This is when mummy and daddy decide to introduce solid food for me today. Well, I have teeth, apparently I am at a ealier stage than other babies! Mummy said that the possibility of an infant born with teeth is 1/2000. So am I special!!
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| the solid food.. Pear & Banana :-) |
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| Wait... Slowly mummy... Let me see first.... |
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| Wait... I say.... slowly..... |
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| Mmmmmmmm........ |
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| Yummy....... |
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| Finished! Total 2 teaspoon! What a Success! |
How can I tell if my baby is ready for solids?
Your baby may be ready to start solids if she:
- Can hold her head up. Your baby needs to be able to maintain a steady, upright position, to take her first foods.
- Sits well when supported. You may have to have your baby on your lap at first. A highchair can be pulled into action a bit later when she can sit up by herself.
- Makes chewing motions. Your baby should be able to move food to the back of her mouth and swallow. As your baby learns to swallow efficiently you may notice that she dribbles less. She may even have a tooth or two.
- Has gained a healthy weight. Most babies are ready to eat semi-solids when they've doubled their birth weight. This may happen before or around their sixth month.
- Is curious about what you're eating. Is she eyeing your meals and reaching out to try foods you're moving from your plate to your mouth?
How should I introduce solids?
You may find it easiest to start with simple puréed or well-mashed foods. Try offering your baby one or two spoonfuls of the following:You can offer food to your baby before or after a milk feed, or in the middle of a feed if it works better. Pick a time that's good for both of you. If the food is hot, make sure you stir, cool and test it on the inside of your wrist before giving it to your baby.
- Mashed or puréed vegetables, such as cooked carrot, parsnip, potato or sweet potato.
- Mashed or puréed fruit, such as banana, cooked apple, pear or mango.
- Baby cereal (non-gluten) such as baby rice, sago, maize, cornmeal or millet. You can mix these with some of your baby's milk.
It may take your baby a while to get used to these new flavours. Don't be surprised if she rejects the food or spits it out. Just try again later, or the next day. You can make the food a little blander by mixing it with a few teaspoons of your baby's milk.
At first, your baby may seem to eat very little. Be patient and remember it may take time for her to learn how to eat. As she develops more of a side-to-side, grinding motion, add less liquid to her food so the texture is thicker, with chunkier, soft lumps. This allows your baby to work on chewing, or gumming, and swallowing.
As your baby becomes used to fruits, vegetables and cereal, add a variety of other foods. Then gradually increase the number of times a day that she has solids. By the time your baby is about seven months old, she should be eating solids three times a day. A typical day's intake could include:
Tips for successful weaning:
- Make weaning a social experience from the beginning
- Give your
baby a spoon as soon as he or she can hold one- Use a plastic spoon as it feels better for your baby and is sterilised more easily
- Start with bland foods and make them almost as liquid as milk
- Stick with the same two or three foods for a few days before moving on
- Give your baby one taste at a time, that way you will know better which he or she prefers and can detect any adverse reactions
- Offer solid foods once or twice a day for the first month
- Do not rush a feed time with your baby
- Use a bib and put something down on the floor to catch any mess
- Never put solid foods in a bottle
