by Ashley Sayer

Created on: April 18, 2010   Last Updated: April 30, 2010

Giving Baby Solid Foods 

Watching your baby grow older you become more anxious to start feeding your baby new things and giving them satisfaction of new tastes. Just remember that until about 4 months of age, your baby’s stomach is not quite ready for it. When they reach 4 months, it is OK to let them taste baby stage 1 foods. Those are the safest foods to give baby. They are very easy to eat and they have less allergen. The best way to start introducing solids to your baby is to feed them the same food for a week. Watch out for rashes and runny stools. Another thing to keep in mind when they are this young is to start them on veggies first, if you start with fruits they will not ever eat there veggies.

When your baby starts to get used to eating the stage 1 foods and can eat the whole jar it is safe to go up to stage 2 foods. These foods will have a thicker texture and will come in a bigger quantity. Usually they will start this level around 6-7 months. Try to let them try each kind of food they have jarred for you, so your baby’s taste buds will be more selective when it comes to eating table food.

When your baby has tried all the 2nd foods and can eat the whole jar then it is usually OK to slowly start feeding him stage 3 foods. These foods are a little thicker in texture and will have some chunks of fruit and veggies in them. Try to get them use to the pear and apple sauce first then move onto the others. When they are around 9 months of age, they usually can eat any of the stage 3 foods. Again try to get them to try every flavor they have to see what kind of food your baby likes to eat.            

If you baby is having a hard time with stools and they are solid and it seems like he is hurting when he is pushing, try feeding him prunes and peaches. And really anything that starts with a “P”; remember P is for Poop.

While you are feeding your baby 3rd foods, you can also try giving your baby foods that are easy to gum like the yogurt bites from Gerber of Saltine crackers. And chicken start with really small bite size pieces so that they won’t choke. By the time your baby is around 10-11 months old he will be able to eat almost anything you eat. Try not to give them any whole milk till they are 12 months and don’t give them honey till after 18 months. Their stomachs are not able to digest it.

Remember to make feeding time fun and enjoyable. Don’t worry about messes and don’t get mad when he won’t eat all the food. Babies will eat when they are hungry. Remember to have fun yourself and enjoy the learning experience.

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