Starting Solids

Sometimes, moms overthink things…(no, really?!). That can make what should be a simple task turn into something daunting and overwhelming. I find that to be true for mothers when they begin to think about starting solids. What should be a fun and exciting time for both mom and baby turns into a source of worry, work, and consternation. Moms will research the heck out of when to, how to, what to, and whether to. It needn’t be something that requires such forethought or agita. It’s really quite a simple thing- you are basically just slowly moving from a milk drinking baby to a food eating toddler. So what DO you need to know about starting solids?

First and most importantly is when. People will often tell you that a baby is ready to start solids when they show an interest in you eating. I’ve always said that a baby will show the same fascination in watching you put rocks into your mouth! Just because they find it captivating to watch you eat does not mean they are coveting your food and that they’re ready to eat it themselves. Babies should be at least 6 months old before you introduce any solid food. That’s when they experience what is known as “gut closure” which means that their intestines are less permeable and therefore less susceptible to irritation. They also should be able to sit up unassisted (eating in a reclined position isn’t advisable) and should no longer have a tongue thrust reflex. Some moms will wait until their baby can master the “pincer grasp” which means they can pick up little bits of food with their fingers. This is helpful if you’re going to skip purees and go right to “real” food. Keep in mind that the main source of their nutrition for their first year is either breast milk or formula, so any solids before that point are just for learning and fun. You don’t want to go too quickly and jump to three meals a day right away, or your baby will cut back on their milk intake which is not in their best interest.

How to introduce food is easy. (this is where moms can really go overboard!) No baby food cookbooks, baby bullet food processors or hours of preparation are necessary! Your goal is to introduce your baby to the food they will be eating in your family. You obviously need to avoid foods that are potential choking hazards or common allergens, but preparing special recipes and spending extra time making baby’s own meals is not needed. The main “rule” is to wait several days in between introducing new foods so that if your baby has a reaction, you will know what caused it. Doctors will often tell you to wait three days, but I always recommend waiting a week so it is clear if your baby breaks out in a rash or has a funky poop, you can tell what caused it. Start with one meal a day and see how your baby does and how they react. Some babies aren’t ready at six months and will do more throwing and feeding the dog than eating. Some babies will have tummy issues or constipation when they start food. It’s perfectly okay to back off and wait awhile longer if they don’t seem to be enjoying it or tolerating it. Slowly progress to two meals per day, and then by one year, your baby can enjoy all three meals with the rest of the family. If you are formula feeding, you can discontinue formula at the one year mark (no toddler formula needed), but breastfeeding can continue as long as both mom and baby want to keep going.

What to feed them is easy too! It’s a personal preference whether to start with purees or little bits of real food. The concept of baby-led weaning is to give your little one pieces of appropriate food that they can hold and feed themselves. Some parents are wary of this method because of the fear of choking, but if you stick to soft foods that aren’t potential air-way blockers (no hunks of steak or hot dogs!), choking is unlikely. If you cut up their meal into tiny pieces that they can pick up themselves, it is even less likely that they would have a problem. Just be sure to put small amounts on their tray at a time rather than a whole pile of food at once because some eager little ones will stuff the whole bunch into their mouths all at once! Eating solids is really supposed to consist of just that- solid food, not mush. Learning to eat involves chewing and getting used to textures and how to swallow them. Pouches are not advisable because although convenient and less messy, babies should not be “sucking” their solid food. Baby cereal has little nutrition, is a common cause of constipation, and tastes like wallpaper paste! Food should be yummy, especially when you give your baby their first taste of something other than milk! They love soft pieces of fruit, avocado, pasta, whole grain toast, rice, beans, and little pieces of sweet potatoes or squash. You can give them scrambled eggs made with just the yolks (wait a year to introduce the whites- that’s the more allergenic part of the egg) and pieces of pancakes or french toast. Meats are better waited on to be introduced until a little later (after 9 months) as they can be harder to chew and harder on the digestive system of many babies. Don’t worry about spices or seasonings (although don’t go too hot!), babies don’t need everything plain or bland.

Whether to start solids is again, a personal choice. Just because your baby reaches an arbitrary age doesn’t mean it’s a necessity. Many kids don’t start solids until close to one year, and they do just fine waiting. I have heard moms say that they’ve been told that if they don’t start solids by a certain point, their babies will never learn how to swallow solid food- like there is a window of opportunity and if you miss it, they will never learn to eat! This is silly and blatantly untrue. My last three children didn’t start solids until they were over 9 months old because they were all December babies which meant they turned six months in June. It was WAY too difficult to think about doing solids when it was vacation time, swimming lesson time, and summer activities and trips that would have made giving the baby food in the midst of all that much more trouble than it was worth. We waited until life settled into more of a routine in September, and all they did great starting food at that point in time.

So, when you and your baby are both ready to take the plunge and begin eating “real” food, go slowly, relax, and enjoy! Eating is supposed to be pleasurable, not pressured. If your baby doesn’t seem to like certain foods, don’t force it. If you offer nutritious foods, they will pick and choose what they like. Babies have preferences and opinions, just like we all do. Stay away from processed foods and things with additives and lots of sugar. Most prepared baby foods are processed to the point where there is very little nutritional value to them. Foods in as close to their natural state as possible are always the best choice not only for your baby, but for the whole family. If you maintain a low-key, relaxed attitude about eating, your baby will too!