What To Expect When Your Baby Starts On Solid Foods

Breastmilk is the food health experts recommend for newborns. Breastmilk is rich with the necessary nutrients they need while they still can’t digest heavy foods during this stage. However, as the baby grows, they require more nutrients, hence the need for solid foods. If you’re thinking about starting your baby on solid foods, you may be wondering what to expect. Here’s a look at what you can expect when you start feeding your baby organic carrot baby food.

Health experts recommend that you introduce solid foods between four and six months. Most parents can attest that this transition isn’t easy. As a new parent, here’s what to expect when your baby starts on solid foods:

Picky Eating

Picky eating is also referred to as fussy eating. This happens when your baby leans toward eating only one type of food, preferably what they like, and refuses to eat other foods. As a parent, you might be tempted to let them have their way, but it’s not advisable. They require different nutrients that they can only get from various foods.

If your baby is a picky eater, you can work around it. One, consider adding life to the foods they don’t like. You can cut them in funny shapes to grasp their interest. Two, you can give them healthy but tasty foods. For instance, make sweet potato crisps, carrot sticks, and smoothies full of fruits and vegetables. You can use online sources like the Serenity Kids website for baby food recipes for picky eaters.

Another way to combat picky eating is doing grocery shopping with them. Be sure to let them pick the foods they love by sight. The green, red and yellow fruits, and vegetables are likely to attract them, and they’ll pick these. Since they’re familiar with them and picked them out, they’re likely to eat them, minimizing struggle during feeding time.

Reluctance To Eat

Your baby has gotten used to taking breast milk for several months. Therefore, when they start eating solid foods, expect them to be a bit reluctant. Solid food is new and has a different texture from milk.

Some might take a bite or two and refuse to complete it. If this happens, you might worry if your baby has eaten well. Based on this, giving them solid foods when they’re a little bit full is advisable. This is because when introducing foods, health experts recommend starting with two or three spoons and increasing the portions as they adapt.

As you face reluctance, you shouldn’t give up. It’s said that babies might even accept solid foods after 10 to 20 trials. All you need to do is be patient and consistent.

Messy Meal Times

As previously stated, your baby is having new foods of all tastes and textures for the first time. Therefore, they’re likely to find it challenging to eat some of the foods.

Based on this, the challenge you’ll experience is them trying to spit out the food. Some will succeed, making the food fall on their clothes or bibs. Other babies will put their fingers in their mouths as they try to remove the food. They’ll then touch various surfaces around them, like the feeding chair.

At other times, as your baby fusses around, they might throw their utensils around, making the space untidy. Should this happen as you give your child solid foods, please don’t be alarmed. Prepare for this by anticipating the cleaning needs after feeding time. Just remember that this is a stimulating and enriching activity for your baby, and the mess is worth it.

Less Breast Feeding

The introduction states that you should introduce solid food at four to six months. Breast milk is a great addition to the baby’s nutrients during this time. Once you introduce solid foods, you’re likely to see some changes. The baby will reduce breastfeeding and formula feeding, probably from every two hours to four hours.

As your baby starts accepting solid foods, you might think of eliminating breast milk, but you shouldn’t. The two foods should supplement and not replace each other. To avoid overfeeding your baby, consider consulting with a doctor. They can help you regulate the amount of milk and solid food to give. The aim is to avoid baby discomfort.

Allergic Reactions

Food allergies happen when the immune system negatively reacts to the food you ingest. The system will interpret the food as harmful, hence the negative reactions. You might see some allergic reactions when you introduce your baby to solid foods. Remember, your baby’s body is experiencing different food for the first time.

It’s important to take note of your baby’s allergic reactions to foods you give them to avoid them. Some of the reactions include rashes, diarrhea, and vomiting. How will you know the food causing the reaction?

Doctors recommend introducing foods one at a time. Give your child one type of solid food for three to five days and observe how their body reacts. Proceed to do this with other foods. Doing so will help you identify the root cause of the allergic reaction. Should you identify such a food, consult with a doctor. They’ll inform you of alternative foods to give them the nutrients they might lack from not eating a certain food.

Conclusion

As a baby transitions from one stage to another, parents tend to be full of worry. You want to give your baby the best and what they need, but you can’t do it blindly. As your baby transitions from breast milk to solid food, be sure to do your research and prepare psychologically beforehand. As you do this, be patient with your baby. What works with one won’t necessarily work with yours. Just enjoy exploring and growing together with your little one.