Baby Food 101 :: Beginning Solids

Choosing to make your little one’s baby food at home is not only the most nutritious option, it is also the most inexpensive. Unlike the processed jars found in stores, the homemade foods here have absolutely no additives, filters or sugar. Being able to hand-pick the individual foods your baby consumes is a huge blessing for both you and your baby!

When is a good time to start solids?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends infants to begin baby foods and cereals around 6 months but I, personally, feel that it is important to gauge each little one differently. All three of my own children have started eating fruit and vegetable purees at 5 months because they were showing all the signs for being ready.

So what are the signs that your baby is ready to begin the solid food journey?

• Baby will begin to show interest in what you are eating and may try to reach out and grab it.
• Baby may act hungrier than normal, even after a normal milk feeding.
• Baby is holding his head up by himself and can sit supported {if your baby can sit properly in the Bumbo seat, this is a great reference to see if they are ready}.
• Baby may also be trying to put things into his mouth to chew on.

If your baby is doing all or most of these signs, you can try a preliminary feeding. {I usually try the first ‘trial feeding’ around 4 1/2 months to actually introduce the spoon.} Chewing and swallowing with a spoon and solid foods is a lot different than drinking milk from the breast or bottle. You may have to try several times before your little one will get the hang of the newly learned tongue positioning and swallowing pattern.

Do not stress if it seems your baby is not doing well. He may continue to spit the food back out of his mouth instead of keeping it in. This is completely normal for babies learning this skill. If this happens, take a break and try again in a few days. Make sure you don’t try to force baby to eat. This can cause baby to react to the stress and not want to have anything to do with the spoon {or you} for awhile. Beginning solids is supposed to be a calm, casual and pleasant experience for everyone involved!

Rest assured; this is an easy task to take on and I think it is fun, too! I love being able to make a variety of combinations, far greater than the few you can find in the stores.. The pros for making your own foods at home definitely outweigh the ‘convenience’ of store-bought baby foods.

Stay tuned for more Baby Foods 101 posts with more tips, tricks and recipes to make your own healthy baby food at home!