Around the middle of the first year, your baby will begin to show you that he’s ready to start solid foods.
Some signs include:
• sitting without support.
• reaching for objects and bringing them to his mouth.
• getting finger foods to his mouth, chewing them, liking them, and reaching for more.
Babies eat the most safely when they feed themselves. If you’re not sure if your baby is ready, let him sit next to you at the table with appropriate food in front of him. When he’s mature enough to eat it, he’ll eat it! It’s as simple as that! You can help with a spoon here and there, but your baby will have the most fun and learn the fastest if he handles most of the solids on his own. And you’ll probably find that waiting until he can feed himself is less messy.
Your baby’s first meals won’t be very big – maybe only a bite or two, with plenty of smearing and experimenting. He’ll still need to nurse as his main source of nourishment for many more months. To make sure your baby continues to get enough milk while he transitions to solids, nurse him first, offer the solid food, then nurse again.
Good Early Foods Include
• pieces of banana, baked or steamed sweet potato “sticks,” and avocado diced into small pieces that are easy to pick up.
• other soft fruits like ripe plums, peaches, and pears. They may be easier for your baby to handle if the skin is left on. You’ll find he spits out what he can’t chew.
• cooked vegetables like green beans, broccoli, peas, and carrots.
• protein-rich foods like chicken, fish, or beans, cooked until tender.
• whole grain cereals, breads, and crackers
Foods that have a “handle” (like a broccoli floret or carrot stick) or that are large enough for the baby to hold two-handed (like a small pear) are easiest for your beginning eater to manage.
