Share this with your friends!

When Can Baby Start Eating Solid Foods? Article from Swaddles n' Bottles

My little nugget is growing up. As every mom says, I wish I could slow down time. Breast feeding is still going great for us, but watching her grow every day has had me questioning when a few milestones should be happening. My recent google searches: teething, rolling over and sitting up unassisted and when baby can start eating solid foods? I did some pretty extensive research on the topic and then took what I had learned to Emmy’s pediatrician to see what he thought.

When is baby ready for solid foods?

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests starting your baby on solid foods between 4-6 months. During this time, keep an eye out for the following developments from your baby as they are a sign that solids can start being introduced:

  • Can sit upright and hold his or her head up.
  • Can turn head away from your breast to show they are done eating
  • Baby has at least doubled their birth weight
  • Baby seems interested in what mom and dad are eating
  • Baby can bring an object to his or her mouth
  • Baby seems consistently hungry after breast or bottle feeding

Remember, baby’s digestive system is not mature enough to handle solids before 4 months. Always consult with your baby’s physician before starting to introduce solid foods.

What you will need

If you want to cook your baby’s food (which I HIGHLY suggest you do) you will need some equipment.  I use the Baby Bullet and this cheap vegetable steamer. In the beginning stages of eating, baby will need their food in a puree form and these items help get it that way with ease. Steaming also helps preserve alot of the nutrients found in the food you will be serving baby.

You will need serving equipment for baby too! A high chair is a must, along with soft tip serving spoons, bibs and small bowls. I have also heard of moms using shower curtain liners under their high chairs for easy clean up. We aren’t to this point in our house just yet but I plan to use this parenting hack!

I personally prefer using the white hot spoons and this high chair. I like it because of the one hand tray and the fact that it rolls. But always go with one that is easy based on your situation. For example, we don’t have to store ours away every day, but if we did, it wouldn’t be a good fit as it doesn’t collapse well to fit into a small space.

Baby’s first foods

Once you’ve got the green light from your doc and you have all your baby feeding equipment, the fun really begins!

Read up on Baby Food Basics here!


 

Swaddles n' Bottles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This program does not effect the price a customer pays for products. To read more on affiliate links, please view our privacy and disclosure page.