First Foods for Baby

Localicious: First Foods for Baby

Hi, families with young babies. This one’s for you! Giving someone their first real taste of food can be so daunting. Let’s break it down and make it a process you can cherish and not fear.

When is the best time to begin your baby on solid foods?

Most sources indicate four to six months as a good period to begin solid foods. I lean toward six months because the digestive tract becomes more fully developed at that age and better able to break down solid foods. Six months is also the time that your baby may start needing higher amounts of some nutrients such as iron and zinc. Adding solid foods at this age can help achieve this.

How do I know my baby is ready for solid foods?

Look to see if your baby is sitting up on their own, starting to use a pincer grasp and if they are showing interest in foods. Both of my daughters showed extreme interest in food and actively tried to grab it when I was eating. So, while my goal was to wait until six months to offer food, I let them take the lead, and we began slightly before that six-month mark.

What food do I start with?

There is no one perfect food. Choose real food and make sure the size and texture are appropriate for your baby. What is appropriate for each baby varies, so observe how your baby maneuvers food. There are two popular food introduction techniques, baby-led weaning (BLW) and the more traditional pureed or soft foods on a spoon. I like both and have used a combination of both with my girls. BLW focuses on providing your child with foods they can feed to themselves, typically a steamed vegetable or fruit sliced in a wedge so they can pick it up and take bites. I loved this idea, but it didn’t always work for us. I learned what foods my babies handled well feeding to themselves and which ones went better when I was able to offer a spoon. Most of the recommendations below offer both versions.

Avocado

Bring on the healthy fats for brain development, the fiber for proper gut function, and the creamy softness that makes it easily palatable.
• Mash and offer on a spoon or place a slice in front of your baby to encourage them to feed themselves.

Steamed Carrot or any veggies

• Steam until vegetable is easily mashed with the tongue. Offer mashed on a spoon or whole for your child to pick up.

Banana

• Mash and offer on a spoon or slice in half and quarter lengthwise for your child to hold.

Egg Yolk

The yolk of the egg packs most of the nutrients is a good source of iron and choline and is a good size for your baby’s small tummy. Hard boil an egg, eat the white, and save the yolk for baby.
• Mash the yolk up and mix in breast milk or water until the texture is no longer dry. Serve on a spoon.

Pureed Meat

For those that choose meat, it is a highly bioavailable source of protein and micronutrients like iron and zinc. It nutritionally beats rice cereal. Rice cereal was traditionally first introduced to replete iron stores with a less absorbable form of fortified iron.
• Use a blender or food processor to puree cooked meat. Add in breast milk or water to achieve a soft texture that will be easier for your baby.

You may be a vegetarian family and The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says, “Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence and for athletes.”
Does your baby push the food out of her mouth with her tongue? This reflex may indicate that your baby is not quite ready for solid foods. Does your baby cough or have trouble gumming the item you offered? If so, try a different size, make the food softer, or try a different food item next time. If your baby is feeding himself, does he take bites or shove the food item in all at once? Too much food in the mouth can be difficult for your little one to maneuver.

You may want to try different techniques to regulate intake at the beginning, like offering only one bite at a time or offering on a spoon, so that you control the amount. Serving sizes don’t need to be large for your baby to get the benefit of solid foods as most of their nutrition will still be coming from milk.

I love the Nourished Beginnings Baby Food Cookbook by Renee Kohley and BLW Baby Food Cookbook by Ellen Gipson and Laura Morton. Lily Nichols, Renee Kohley, and Laura Morton have excellent accounts to follow on Instagram as well.

Localicious is a monthly column celebrating food in the North State. If you would like to suggest a food-related business or organization, email us at localicious@northstateparent.com.