A Solid
Start
Read on for answers to your most
pressing questions about when, how
and what to feed your baby.
Most health guidelines would advise parents
to introduce solids to a baby’s diet between the
ages of five and six months. Prior to this all their
nutritional requirements will be met by either
breast milk or formula as their digestive system
is not mature enough to deal with solid food. Even
at this point, milk is still vitally important in your
baby’s diet and should continue to be until the
age of one.
signs that they are hungry. If your baby chews on
her fingers or puts her fist in her mouth, she may
be feeling hungry. A good way to tell if your child
is ready for solid food is to place a small amount of
baby rice or ‘starter food’ on their tongue. After one
or two tries, if they can swallow it with ease, you can
begin with small amounts of food.
There are two options for weaning your baby –
the classic puréeing route and baby-led weaning,
which is becoming increasingly popular.
Most of the equipment you need you will already
have, but you will need to purchase some baby
spoons to protect little gums (especially when she
starts biting down with every spoonful!). There is
no requirement to buy baby bowls and the
like unless you particularly want to –
your own bowls, ramekin dishes or
even a teacup are fine as you will
only be feeding small amounts
at the beginning.
How do I know if my baby’s ready?
There are a few things to look out for – if your baby
was previously sleeping through the night but is
now waking earlier an X\