by Kayci Roert

Created on: April 15, 2009

Healthy normally developing babies should make the transition from formula or breastmilk to solid foods around four to six months of age.Some signs to look for that your child is ready for solids are: Can hold head up, sits supported,opens and closes mouth around spoon, can move the food from front to back of mouth,and probably the most important is an interest in the food itself. It is not unusual for a four month old baby to want to know what you're eating and think maybe he'd like a bite himself. This is a great sign, however, do not give in to the temptation. Start with infant cereal mixed with formula or breastmilk. This mixture should be runny and easy to swallow. Baby should be placed in a secure upright position either in a carrier or a feeding seat. Never feed a baby lying in a prone position as this can easily cause choking.Baby cereal is not meant to be a replacement for formula and should not be used as such. At first you should only feed the infant cereal once a day twice at the very most. The baby's main source of nutrition should still come from formula or breastfeeding.From formula in the cereal to juice. And from there you can graduate to baby food. Start with a vegetable as it is harder to get them to eat veggies if they get accustomed to the sweet taste of fruits right off the bat. Feed only one type of baby food at a time and for a few days until you know the baby does not have an allergy to the food. You should not mix foods for the same reason until the possibility of an allergy has been eliminated.

Around seven to eight months of age you can move to what's known as '2nd' foods. This is a good time to start letting the baby have his own spoon during feedings. It tends to keep them occupied so you can actually get the food in their mouths instead of playing tug-of-war with the spoon you're feeding with.

At around nine months you can start introducing chunkier foods that require a little more work on your babies part.These are the '3rd' foods. Nine months is also a good time to start looking into finger foods.Cheerios, small diced mushy fruits and vegetables are some good options. Remember, no acids such as oranges or pineapple until the baby is at least a year old. Never leave a child unsupervised while eating.

And the most important thing to remember? Be patient. Babies do things on their own time. When he's ready, you'll know.

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