For parents, the 6th month means finally, the baby can east solid food. But don’t get too excited. While we all want to give the best nutrition for our children, rushing (again) is not advisable. Babies are not yet familiar with solid food since they’ve been fed with milk for the first 6 months of their life.
When my eldest reached 6 months, I have to admit how excited I was to feed her. But of course, I had a fair share of eating advice too which I want to share with all the new moms out there.
- Start with soft, easy-to-mash vegetables. Squash, potato, carrots and broccoli are my best best. You can also go for soup or chicken broth.
- Avoid any seasoning. The baby is the one who’ll eat, not you. And besides, the vegetables tastes good enough even without seasoning. Plus, it’s unhealthy for the baby.
- Make sure the baby is in a seating position. A high chair, walker or Bumbo is advisable when feeding your baby. This can be a good training too since the baby can immediately associate highchair with “eating time.”
- Introduce one vegetable at a time. Your baby needs to get a feel of what is it like to eat solid food so again, take it easy.
- Watch out for any allergic reactions. It is advisable to feed the baby with a particular food for the first 3 days so you’ll know whether she is allergic to something or not.
- Avoid canned, processed baby food. My pediatrician told me not to feed my baby with Gerber or Cerelac. There is a tendency for the baby to become a picky eater when she grows us since canned foods are sweet. And true enough. I didn’t have any eating issues with my eldest and she eats anything given to her.
- Don’t feed 3 times a day yet. Again, start slow, once a day then make it twice a day until she get used to it.
- Lastly, don’t force. You’re introducing something for the first time, which might be a shock to the baby. Take it slow and eventually, your baby will develop her eating patterns.
Babies are different from each other. Nonetheless, I hope these tips can be useful when you feed your baby for the first time.
Ayi is a stay-at-home mom of two. When her kids are in their best state, she keeps up with chores, work, and ensuring that her sanity is intact. Join her as she navigates through this rollercoaster ride called motherhood.
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