Feeding Your Baby: When to Start with Solid Foods

Babies show normal feeding signs like putting their hands near or inside their mouth before reaching 6 months of age. This must not be understood as their body needs solid foods. If your loved ones have been advising you about your baby’s feed with different opinions, you don’t need to get confused. From breastfeeding or formula feed to solid foods, this transition needs to be done in a timely manner. Through this blog, a Top Child Specialist in Delhi, will help you plan when to start giving your baby solid food and what to incorporate in your baby's feed.

When Can a Baby Be Fed with Solid Foods?

Babies aged up to 6 months can meet their nutritional and energy needs, solely with breast milk or formula feed in the same amount, irrespective of their gender. Until this age, they can grow and develop without the intake of water, juice, porridge, or other foods/fluids.

However, a 6-month-old baby has to be introduced to soft foods. Twice daily, two to four spoonfuls of porridge or mashed fruits/vegetables and water will be the best for starting to maintain healthy growth and development of the baby with growing needs. While feeding the baby, make sure the hands and utensils are clean. If having HIV, provide solid foods at the age of 6 months but still breastfeed the baby while on the course of antiretroviral medications.

How to Know Whether a Baby is Ready to Consume Solid Foods?

The readiness of the baby to start having solid meals can be confirmed through these:

• The baby has good head control and can be seated on a feeding or infant chair.

• The baby is showing eagerness to be fed and reaching for food by opening his/her mouth as the food is brought close to his/her mouth.

• The baby is adjusting to having meals thicker or more solid than breast milk or formula feed by trying to swallow a spoonful of soft, solid food. If the baby rejects food and the food dribbles onto the chin, or the baby looks confused and wrinkles, that’s normal at the beginning.

• The baby weighs about 13 pounds or more, double his/her body weight.

How to Make a Baby Eat Solid Foods?

Follow these tips:

• Feed the baby with a half spoonful of solid food in between some portion of breast milk or formula feed. This way, the hungry baby can get satisfied and accept solid foods.

• Try making the baby eat diluted, soft or pureed solid foods at first and then gradually thicken the food texture to avoid choking.

• At first, the baby may not take solid food as expected. So, wait for 1-2 weeks to try feeding the baby again with solid food.

• Start feeding the baby with a spoonful or less amount of solid food and keep talking to the baby through this process.

• If the baby cries or refuses solid-food feedings, do not force the baby to eat. Also, don’t mix solid food with formula feed.

• When the baby starts taking solid foods, introduce a new ingredient from any food group every 3-5 days. Iron and zinc are important in the baby's diet. Check for any unusual reactions to food whenever some new baby food is prepared and provided.

• When the baby is old enough to sit in a feeding chair and bring hands or objects into the mouth, soft finger foods can be given to the baby to learn self-feeding.

• When the baby has begun to take solid foods, intake of not more than 8 ounces of water daily through a straw or open cup is important.

What to Expect When Feeding a Baby with Solid Foods?

Babies having solid foods will pass out more solid and variable-coloured stools, depending on what they consume. The odour of their faces will also be stronger because of their intake of sugars and fats. Stools may have undigested portions of meals that have not been properly mashed.

However, if stools get loose, watery, or contain mucus, this indicates the solid food has irritated the immature digestive system. This must be reported to the paediatrician to find out the underlying reason and get it addressed. The solid food meal must be stopped for some time and then re-introduced gradually.

What If There is a Hurry or Delay in Feeding the Baby with Solid Foods?

Babies younger than 6 months, if fed with solid foods, could get their health compromised. They could suffer from illnesses like diarrhoea, which makes them weak and could be fatal. Also, the babies would stop having more of mother’s milk or formula feed- their safest and healthiest food.

On the other hand, babies who don’t start eating solid foods at the age of 6 months or beyond will not gain a healthy weight and may become thin or weak.

Any Issues? Seek Consultation from a Paediatrician

To get help regarding your baby’s nutrition, any feeding-related concerns, or to receive general care guidance, schedule your baby’s visit to Best Child Specialist in Delhi and meet Dr. Promilla Butani. She is a well-renowned, highly experienced paediatrician with over four decades of experience.