When Can My Baby Start Eating Solid Foods?

What Is The Right Time for Your Baby's First Solid Foods?

Signs indicating when can infants eat solid food are:

• Your baby should be able to sit in a high chair and hold his head steady.

• Watch for cues like watching others eat, reaching for food, and opening his mouth when food approaches.

• They shouldn't push food out of their mouths, a reflex that typically fades between 4-6 months.

• Babies should weigh around double their birth weight, usually about 13 pounds or more.

Consult your doctor to confirm when infants can eat solid food as they can offer personalized advice based on your baby's growth and development. Start with iron-enriched baby cereal and drink water, formula, or breast milk. One meal at a time should be introduced. Begin with diluted food followed by gradually increasing the meal thickness and look out for any allergies. Be mindful of choking risks, honey, unpasteurized items, high-sodium diets, and added sweeteners. Over time, serve a range of food items but remember that it can take several trials before your baby starts to like the new food. So have patience.

How Should You Start Solids?

Use a single-grain, iron-fortified cereal diluted with breast milk, formula, or water as your baby's first solid food. Use a tiny spoon and start with 1 or 2 teaspoons; do not add it to the bottle to avoid gaining too much weight. Gradually, one at a time, add pureed meats, fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, and yoghurt. Make sure to wait a few days between each new meal.

Foods like peanuts, eggs, and cow's milk might cause allergies in certain people, so be vigilant while consuming them. Steer clear of meals heavy in salt, honey, added sugars, unpasteurized goods, and choking dangers. Give newborns a range of meals from all food groups gradually; it may take a few trials to become used to new tastes.