Babys First Foods

There is no way to know exactly when your child will be able to digest solid foods. Depending on the rate of enzyme production and intestinal membrane development - most babies are ready to start eating 'adult' foods between the ages of 6 and 12 months - but some can take longer.

If you are breastfeeding - you don’t need to worry about starting your baby on solid foods for nutritional reasons. Nutritional studies have found that your breast milk provides all the nutrients your child needs - and it’s best to plan on breastfeeding for at least 7 to 9 months. However - if your baby is primarily fed with formula - you should plan to start solid foods at 6 months - since formula does not contain sufficient nutrition for children beyond that age.

When you are ready to start feeding your baby solid foods - you will encounter a wealth of conflicting advice as to what constitutes 'appropriate' nutrition for your child. But you should bear in mind that there are no 'right' answers regarding your baby’s nutrition. You must decide what is in the best interests of your child - but it’s usually safe to bet on foods that are whole and natural and least prone to allergens.

However - here are some recommended guidelines for your consideration:

You might want to think about postponing solid foods if allergies run in your family or if your baby has encountered digestive problems - such as eczema and colic. If you had to change your diet while breastfeeding and those changes brought improvements in any observed digestive problems - this could be a sign of food allergies in your baby.

Your child is probably ready for solid foods if they: can sit by themselves - reach for or is curious about your food - makes chewing motions and has a few teeth - no longer gags or thrusts their tongue when food is put in their mouth - and seems ready - according to your maternal instinct. Go with your gut - not what anybody else tells you!

The way you introduce solid foods is important. The following general guidelines are given with ages - but the order in which you introduce the foods is more important than the age - depending on what age your child begins eating solid food. Also - the following recommendations are based on breastfeeding for the first year. If you have been feeding your baby with formula - you should introduce foods high in protein - such as egg yolks and beans - at 8-10 months.

The first solid foods you should feed your baby are avocados and vegetables - such as potatoes - sweet potatoes - squash - and green beans. Wait until 9 months to introduce nitrate-rich vegetables - such as turnips - beets - carrots - spinach - or collards.

After four weeks of vegetables - begin incorporating cooked fruits - such as apricots - pears - plus nectarines - applesauce - and peaches. Advance to raw - mashed fruit once the cooked fruit has met with acceptance.

Next - and as long as your baby is 9 months old - bring in heartier vegetables - such as tomatoes - collard greens - zucchini - cauliflower - kale - broccoli - asparagus - carrots - beets - and turnips.

When they are nearing 12 months old - add whole grains - such as oatmeal - millet - brown rice - quinoa - and barley. Try to avoid processed baby cereals which don’t contain as much nutritional value.

Also around 10-12 months - incorporate proteins - such as nuts {no allergenic peanuts!} - egg yolks {no allergenic whites!} and beans.

After all these foods have been accepted and your child is over one year old - it’s time to include egg whites - meat - and poultry. Once this is accomplished - you may incorporate allergenic foods slowly.

Wondering about dairy? Although many people use it without problem - cow’s milk is not recommended - but yogurt may be incorporated at 10-12 months.