Food, Glorious Food: Starting Solids

You’ve made it through the first few weeks of breastfeeding, gotten into a groove over the next few months, possibly went back to work and handling the hectic schedule, and then you see it looming ahead - 6 months! Starting solids (also called complementary foods) is an exciting time, but it’s also another learning curve, for both you and baby.

​This roller coaster is what parenting is all about - just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, something changes...

Just like with any parenting task, there is more than one right way to introduce solid food to your baby. We all know about the lines of cute little baby food jars in the grocery stores. Some people choose to make their own baby food, and others use what is called Baby Led Weaning. We’ll briefly discuss these options here, but you will definitely want to read more about whichever method fits your parenting style.

• 6 months - Start solids at or after 6 months of age, with exclusive breastfeeding (or breast milk substitute) for the first six months. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend starting solid foods at 6 months of age, or later.
  
• Physical Readiness - Once your baby is 6 months old, s/he is ready to start complementary food when s/he is able to sit unassisted, hold his/her head up, and shows interest in your food.
  
• Complementary Foods - Did you notice we’ve been saying complementary foods, along with solid foods? Solid foods in the first year of life are complementary to a baby’s main source of nutrition, which is breast milk (or breast milk substitute). That means breastfeeding, or breast milk by bottle, should come before foods during the meal. Babies are learning to eat solid foods, learning new tastes, and experiencing new textures of food. It is fun for them and an important developmental milestone, but it is not their main source of nutrition.
  
• Baby Cereal - Baby cereal is not required! Most baby cereals are rice cereal and have very little nutritional value. You don’t have to feed your baby any cereal, but if you choose to, look for oatmeal or whole grains. Mix it with pumped breast milk for the best nutritional content.
  
• Best First Foods - I know most of us think about starting with fruits and vegetables, but the nutrients a baby needs in the second half of his/her first year come from animal fats and proteins. Meats, avocado, and squash are good foods with which to start.
  
• The Food - As previously mentioned, there is more than one way to feed your baby, and you don’t have to stick with just one way.
  
  • Pre-made baby food - Sold in grocery stores, they are easy to purchase and have ready when needed.
    
  • Homemade baby food - It’s easy to blend or mash up any food you want baby to have. You can make it in advance and freeze it in ice cube trays, or make it as you are making your own meal. You know exactly what your baby is eating, without extra preservatives added.
    
  • Baby Led Weaning - Let your children feed themselves! Baby led weaning allows your baby to learn how to handle different textures and sizes right from the start. This method has become very popular in recent years as families realize it is the normal way for humans to learn to eat, and control their own food intake. Be sure to read about it and watch videos so that you learn what babies can eat and how to do it.
    
• Progression - From 6-12 months, your baby will begin eating more food, until they eventually eat three meals and a variety of snacks each day. When they are 12 months old, they will be eating everything the family does.
  

When your baby reaches 12 months or just beyond, they will probably be getting most of, or all, of their nutrients from their solid foods. You can continue breastfeeding and providing breast milk for as long as you both want. Breast milk continues to provide normal and optimal nutrition and immunities for your baby well beyond the first year of life.

But if you’re reading this post, you’re probably not at 12 months yet, so enjoy the next few months of your baby experiencing new foods - and making a mess!