Quand un bébé doit-il commencer à manger des aliments solides? - Aux p'tits cadeaux

When should a baby start eating solid food?

Quand un bébé doit-il commencer à manger des aliments solides? - Aux p'tits cadeaux

Switching your baby’s source of nutrition from solely breast milk or formula to a variety of food is an important moment in the life of your little one. Pediatricians recommend introducing new sources of nutrition once your baby is around 6 months old, and they highly discourage introducing solids or any other type of food before they are 4 months old.

This means that by the time he is 7 or 8 months old, your baby can eat a variety of foods from different food groups. These foods include baby cereal, meat or other proteins, fruits, vegetables, yogurts, cheeses, grains, and more. But since all babies are different the main question parents scratch their heads about is: “When should a baby start eating solid food?”


What signs tell you if the baby is ready for weaning?

These 7 signs tell you that your baby is ready for weaning:

  1. He sits up with support or alone

  2. He has good control his head and neck

  3. He opens his mouth when food is offered

  4. He brings objects to his mouth

  5. He tries to grasp small objects

  6. He swallows food

  7. He transfers food from the front to the back of his tongue

How often should my baby eat?

How should I introduce my child to food?

Introduce one piece of food at a time at first. This way you’ll see if your child has any food allergies or problems with the texture and taste. Wait for 3 to 5 days between each new food. Soon enough, your child will be on his way to eating and enjoying lots of fresh foods and he’ll have favorites!

When the time is right, you should give your baby a grain that is rich in iron. Although the most common first cereal is rice, you can start with whatever cereal you prefer. We recommend 1 or 2 tablespoons of mixed cereal porridge with breast milk, formula, or water to start introducing solids. Breast milk should still be the main source of nutrition until your baby is 1 year of age.


How should I prepare food for my child to eat?

You should prepare soft food for your child to eat at first. By that we mean mash, strained, and pureed food whose texture is smooth without any choking hazards. Even if you’re careful, your child will most likely cough, spit, and gag when trying something new.

As time passes, your baby will become a soft food expert and his oral motor skills will have developed. At that point, lumpier and thicker foods can be introduced slowly. Do not try to rush this process and feed your infant pieces of foods that can easily dissolve with saliva and do not require chewing. Offering small portions and encouraging your baby to masticate slowly is highly recommended.

The ultimate newborn checklist

Baby’s first foods by age

0 to 4 months

Infants in this age bracket should be fed exclusively on breast milk or formula. At this stage of development, babies have a natural ability to suck and swallow. If you notice signs of feeding problems (either your baby isn't gaining weight as expected, or your baby frequently arches his back, becomes fussy, coughs, or chokes during feedings) you should contact your doctor.

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4 to 6 months

At this stage, your baby may be ready to be introduced to solid foods, although breast milk or formula will remain the primary source of nutrition. When he is 4 to 6 months old, you should try to see if your little one is showing any of the weaning signs mentioned above.

6 to 8 months

In this age bracket, it is recommended to start introducing solids. Infants will still need breast milk or formula until their first birthday, but you can begin to practice drinking skills and hand-to-mouth coordination with a sippy cup.

8 to 10 months

At this stage, your baby can begin to eat with his fingers. His drinking and chewing skills will improve and be more fluid. Rotational chewing (moving the jaw diagonally to move food to the side or center of the mouth) will begin around this time. Spontaneously, your baby will begin requiring fewer liquids and more solid foods.

10 to 12 months

The baby can hold a cup and spoon and he will use his lips to help move the food into his mouth. At this point, the baby shows a genuine interest in what he is eating.


Tips for managing mealtime

  • Get your baby used to breakfast: Present this moment as a daily pleasure and never as a rush. Try to prepare it according to his tastes, without forcing anything.

  • Do not lose sight of the concept of portions: Faced with an excess of food, your baby will tend to eat more than is really necessary.

  • Feed the baby mid-morning: Around 10 in the morning it is likely that the baby will be hungry again, so after drinking milk, you can try to offer some seasonal fruits.

  • Lunch: Most babies usually need to take a nap around noon, so it is best to eat sooner than later so as not to interfere with their sleeping schedule. A good time to offer your baby lunch is between 12:30 and 1:00 p.m.

  • Dinner:A good time for dinner is between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., so the baby will have some time to digest before going to sleep.

Teethers and pacifiers

Baby food chart for starting solids

(source)


What about food allergies?

Experts on the subject advise beginning to introduce the most common food allergens (substances that cause allergic reactions) into the child's diet when they are between 4 and 6 months of age. However, it’s important to consider your family history of food allergies.

In the past, it was believed that babies should not be fed allergenic foods, such as eggs, nuts, and fish until they were one year old but now experts suggest that waiting up to a year can increase the chances that the baby will develop allergies to those foods.

You can therefore offer these foods to your baby as soon as the child starts eating solid foods. You must serve them in a way that makes them easy to swallow. For example, you can start by giving small amounts of peanut butter mixed with pureed fruit or yogurt, or scrambled eggs. Remember to introduce one food item at a time and to wait a week before trying something new!

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What happens if you give baby food too early?

Feeding your baby solid food too early entails some risks. If you introduce solid food before 4 months old, you can increase the baby's risk of choking while also encouraging the baby to drink less than the amount of breast milk needed. Note that certain foods are highly dangerous to babies, for instance, honey can cause infant botulism!


What if my baby refuses his first feeding?

Babies often refuse their first feeding because the texture and taste is entirely new to their taste buds. They are taken by surprise! You should not force the first feeding, instead try again in a few days. If your baby is in age and this problem continues, talk to your pediatrician.

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