Starting Solids: What? When? How?

 

When Should I Start Solids? I wrote a wonderful blog about myths around starting solid foods. Here is the LINK for the full article. But the quick and easy answer to when you should start solid foods depends on your baby. Some suggestions I have for you are as follows:  1. Wait until your baby is able to sit up on their own totally unassisted.  2. Usually your baby should be cutting some teeth.  This is a sign that their digestive system is ready for solids.  3. Your baby shows interest in solid foods.  For the majority of babies this is around 6+ months of age.  Starting solids earlier than that is unnecessary and can be a filler causing your baby not to get the nutrients they need.  Babies can be exclusively breastfed the whole first year of life without any solid foods.  I like to think of solid foods as an adjunct to breastmilk or formula.  Not their main source of nutrition.  It is for entertainment or for learning.  Something social to do with the family.  I hope this helps!  If you have any questions feel free to reply to this email!

Say NO to Rice Cereal Rice cereal is a filler food that has ZERO nutritional value.  It is highly recommended that you do not feed your baby this cereal.  It is also not recommended that it be put in a bottle at any age, and not fed to babies before 6 months of age if you do feed them this with a spoon.  Say YES to Family Meals There is one thing that stands out above ALL other parenting topics that can create a stable home environment for your family and that is eating meals together around a table.  I encourage you to get your babies involved in that early on.  Let them sit with you at the table and watch you eat.  Allow them to eat some of what you are eating as well.  (Obviously, age and readiness appropriate)