When your baby is 6 months old, important changes come to your diet. It’s time to start eating baby food (solid). Feeding a baby solid food is not easy for parents, but the baby’s body is ready to accept solid food.
Feeding baby food is a tricky problem. It should be done slowly at several months of age. During pregnancy, the placenta plays an important role in the nutrition of the fetus. Therefore, the baby’s digestive system must be newly adapted after birth. This is why newborns cannot eat all kinds of food.
This article introduces you to how to make sure your baby is ready for baby food, what foods are recommended, and some general guidelines to consider.
How to know if it’s time to eat baby food
Babies should be fed only breast milk during the first few months of life . You can start feeding baby food when your baby is 6 months old. However , you can continue breastfeeding until you are up to two years old and give you other foods.
Aside from age, the second thing to consider is related to height and weight . At about 4 months of age, a baby will double its weight at birth . There are certain exceptions that must be directed by the pediatrician, but in some cases the need to start baby food can be assessed.
Another aspect to consider is the various signals the baby’s body emits. The following are signs that your baby is ready to eat solid food. For example:
- You can sit and raise your head.
- Show interest in the food around you.
- Open your mouth and take the food to your mouth.
- Pretend to chew or do an action.
This stage of feeding baby food is a key part of the child’s development and is a major change.
Recommended foods at the stage of feeding baby food
To start this new step, you can include a variety of foods in your baby’s diet. However, there are more recommended foods among them. Some of them are as follows.
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- Grains: Rice, oats, corn or barley are foods rich in vitamins and minerals. It is also an important source of fiber.
- Vegetables: Rich in a variety of nutrients and even protein. You can also make baby food from vegetables .
- Fruit: Fruit by itself can taste great. If possible, choose fresh fruits, not canned fruits.
- Animal foods: Meat and fish are rich in protein, vitamin A, iron, zinc, phosphorus and calcium. In the case of eggs, due to food allergies, experts recommend waiting for your baby to be at least one year old to see if they can accept this food in small quantities.
- Legumes: The best source of non-animal protein.
