by Jane Vee

Created on: July 28, 2009

Introducing your child to solid foods

Firsts are always exciting for baby and you. You and baby will be excited and scared when introducing and eating solid foods. When it's time for solid foods, you will know because baby will always be hungry. Baby will still need milk, but not nearly as much.

1. Age - Between four months and six months old you will introduce solid foods to your baby. Solid foods are pureed and will be easy to swallow. Age isn't nearly as important as physical characteristics of your child.

2. Sitting alone - Your baby will be able to sit by himself or herself before you start introducing solid foods to your baby. Your baby will let you know if he or she is ready for solid foods. Milk or formula will no longer fill baby's tummy and the gag reflex will be gone.

3. Gag Reflex - Babies have something called a gag reflex. If your baby still exhibits a gag reflex he or she is not ready for solids. A gag reflex is when you put food on your baby's tongue and he or she can't swallow it, they gag. Usually, the gag reflex disappears after your baby quits curling his or her tongue in order to drink. A gag reflex prevents choking and is natural. This is one of the big keys as to whether your baby is ready for food or not.

4. Thrust Reflex - A major physical characteristic that will tell you whether your baby is ready for food is the thrust reflex. The thrust reflex is when you put food on your baby's tongue and he or she puts the tongue in and out of the mouth. This is sometimes part of the gag reflex.

5. Teeth - At six months old, your baby either has teeth or is teething. Your baby will need teeth to eat some food. If you are buying store bought food, you can confidently feed your baby foods with 1 on them until teeth start coming in. The food is safe for babies without teeth because it is just slightly thicker than breast milk.

6. Food - When you start feeding your babies food you should buy the foods with 1 on them. This is so your baby doesn't choke. You will need to introduce foods one at a time. It is best to introduce vegetables first because after eating fruit, your baby's may not eat vegetables. Fruit is sweeter and tastes better than the vegetables.

Introduce one food at a time over a three day period. The food should be eaten like this so if any allergies are present, you will know what the culprit is. Use common sense when introducing new foods. If the biological parents are allergic to a certain type of food, the baby may be as well. Put a little of the food on the baby's skin to see if he or she has a reaction.

If you are making home-made baby food, leave out high allergens. Wheat, nuts, and milk are some of the allergens to stay away from. You want to wait until the child can talk to start introducing high allergens to them. You will want to know if they are having a reaction. Feeding a baby can be a terrifying experience for a parent. It is also a fun and rewarding experience as you watch your baby grow from healthy food.

Learn more about this author, Jane Vee.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.