Making the move from pureed foods to solids is an exciting time for parents and babies. But how do you know what foods the baby can eat and how to prepare them? Here are some tips to get you started feeding baby solids with confidence.
Fruits and Veggies
Before the transition to solids, you were giving the baby pureed fruits and vegetables. Now try the real thing. These foods need to be soft and small. Soft fruits include bananas, ripe peaches, raspberries and small pieces of peeled citrus fruit, if your pediatrician has given the green light to adding citrus to the diet.
Vegetables should be cooked until they're soft enough to mash between two fingers. Peas are a good size, but at first you may wish to cut them in half. Baked potato is a good choice. Sweet potato may also become a favorite. Bake or cook the potato in the microwave first so it's very soft. Scoop potatoes into small pieces instead of mashing them.
Cereals, Pasta and Bread
Some cereals are good first solids because they dissolve quickly and easily in the mouth. Examples of these include puffed rice, puffed wheat, plain Cheerios (avoid excess sugar) and Kix (puffed corn). You may wish to break Cheerios and Kix in half before for the first few weeks. Avoid cereals that are flavored with honey, which may pose a botulism risk to infants.
Cooked pasta may be given as well, as long as pieces are cooked until soft and cut into small pieces. Bread may be given if it's torn into very small pieces.
Be sure to watch your baby as he eats to ensure he hasn't put too many pieces of food into his mouth at once.
Crackers
Saltines and graham crackers are good starters. Some crackers especially made for babies will dissolve quickly in the mouth. Always be sure your baby isn't putting too many pieces in her mouth at once.
Meats and Cheese
Don't give the baby hard cheeses or string cheese unless it is cut up into small pieces. Give only a few pieces at a time, so only one goes into the mouth at once and is chewed and swallowed before another is inserted.
Meats need to be shredded or cut into very small pieces. Fish is usually soft enough for feeding and is a good place to start. Beef and chicken tend to be denser, so always cut them into very small pieces.
Most babies transition to finger foods around eight months of age. Eggs may not be allowed yet due to the possibility of an allergic reaction. Most babies start on eggs at around 12 months. If your pediatrician has permitted eggs, hard boiled or scrambled eggs cut into small pieces are a good choice.
As you did with baby foods, allow three to four days between each new food so you can note any allergic reactions that might occur. Avoid any nut products until around age two. Avoid honey and cows' milk until age one.
 | The guide to feeding baby includes basics behind feeding baby solid foods. |
 | When your baby begins eating solids, it can be a very exciting time. Baby feeding becomes slightly more involved once your child is eating real food, but it also signals a new level of independence. Knowing the correct way to introduce foods, as well as how to prepare them, can make this new stage easier and and a lot more fun. |
There are common baby food allergies that should be avoided if possible. Introducing your baby to new foods can be a fun experience, but it can also be a scary experience since you don't know how your baby will react to those foods. |
Babies can begin eating pureed foods as early as four months. Some pediatricians encourage you to wait until your baby is six months old. However, you do not have to purchase commercial baby food products. |
Making your own baby food sounds like an undertaking that is difficult but with the right equipment and just a little time, it is not very difficult. |
