Check out these 6 tips for transitioning babies to solid food!
Even though my oldest child is almost 7 and my “baby” will turn 3 this summer, it often feels like it was yesterday that I was a first-time mom, floundering to know even how to mother.
One of my biggest desires was to give my babies the best nutritional start possible.
I am a huge advocate of breastfeeding (if you’re able!), so I took the transition to solid food slowly. I waited until my girls were at least six months old, and I started feeding them solid foods at just one meal per day.
Over the course of transitioning three different babies to solid food, I learned a few great tips and tricks along the way. I hope these will help all of you new mamas who are transitioning babies to solid food!
Check out these 6 tips for transitioning babies to solid food!
1. Wait to introduce solid food until your baby shows all signs of readiness.
When I was a first-time mom, I heard our then-pediatrician and friends suggest: “Start feeding her rice cereal at six months!” Some advocated starting with solids at an even earlier age!
But I believe it’s best for baby to show the following signs of readiness before starting solid foods:
- can sit up and hold head unassisted
- is interested in food
- has doubled in birth weight
- still appears hungry after nursing or giving bottle (source).
My firstborn showed these signs around six months, but it was closer to seven months with my second child. My third child started eating solid foods closer to nine months old.
2. Introduce one new food at a time.
According to one of my favorite baby books it’s actually better to start with just one food at a time and feed that same food for three to four days before moving to a new one.
This way, you will be able to more easily tell if your baby is allergic to a new food or not. If your baby shows no signs of food allergy after introducing one food, you can move onto the next food.
(Please note that I don’t agree with the recommendation to feed babies soy products.)
3. Start with solid foods that you can easily mash up on your own.
There’s no need to run to the store and stock up with every flavor of baby food. In fact, you can easily start feeding your baby soft foods you most likely already have on hand!
I like for the first solid food I feed my babies to be mashed up avocado. You can simply mash a ripe avocado with a fork!
If you feel it’s too thick, you can add a little breast milk or formula to make it more runny. Avocados are one of the healthiest foods in the world and are great for your baby’s developing brain!
Bananas and mashed sweet potato are two other great foods to try feeding your baby.
This post gives more information on the best foods to feed babies!
4. Try making your own baby food.
It is not hard at all to make your own baby food! Some foods, like those mentioned above, don’t even require any special kind of equipment!
For most foods, simply boil or steam until very soft and then puree them in your blender! This homemade crock pot applesauce is a favorite and perfect for babies!
For more tips on making your own baby food, check out these five reasons to make your own baby food!
5. Feed baby what the rest of your family is eating.
I was afraid to do this with my first, but by the time I transitioned our third baby to solid foods, I mostly practiced baby-led weaning.
This is when you simply give the baby a cut-up or chopped-up version of what your family is already eating. Even before they develop teeth, babies can begin to masticate foods with their gums.
I love these five finger foods to feed babies (plus five to avoid!).
6. Simplify on-the-go feeding.
When I first became a mom, I had high aspirations of carrying homemade baby food around with me everywhere.
It just didn’t work out the way I thought. I didn’t like having to keep a cooler with me, and, quite simply, it was messier!
One of my go-to baby food brands was Plum Organics®.
I loved both their organic Super Puffs for finger foods while waiting at restaurants and in lines, etc. as well as their pouched baby foods. I reviewed a variety of baby food brands when I first started blogging, and Plum beat out the others both in taste and ingredients. (I even tried out the puffs myself and liked them!)
I am sure Plum has only improved their line since then, but you can go back and read my original Plum Organics review post here.
When baby transitions past baby foods…
I remember recycling so many baby food jars when my little ones were still eating baby food. One day, I got the idea to repurpose them!
Check out these ideas for how you can repurpose baby food jars.
Also, if your baby is no longer eating solid foods but you have a freezer full of homemade baby food, check out these six ways to use up baby food purees–even after they no longer interest your baby!
Baby’s Best Start Giveaway!
Want to WIN a $250 gift card and a Plum Organics Prize Bundle valued at $50?!
Enter here for your chance to win!
What are your tips for transitioning babies to solid food?
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Plum Organics, so I can wholeheartedly endorse after having such a great experience with them when my girls were babies. Thank you for supporting my site!
megan
I would not use doubling in birth weight as a requirement for feeding. My 9 month old is devouring table food and she has 3 lbs to go to double her birth weight as she started out at 10 lbs.
Erin
Thanks for pointing that out, Megan. I will look into that.
Brittany King
My daughter is 5m and only gaining about 1/2-1lb a month. If I wait until she has doubled birth weight she will 13m at the youngest. I feel like that is an extremely long time to try to distract her from eating solid food. She is already trying to grab food off our plates. What would the recommended age be if all other milestones are met except weight? She was 10lbs at birth.
Erin
I would probably ask your pediatrician…I know this is what I was told when my babies were little!
Amanda
I love pouches for on the go! You can even buy reusable pouches and fill them with your homemade baby food!
Erin
They are great!
LaToya
Straight from breast to table food here! My boys started food around 12 months old and were almost 2 before they settled into 3 full meals a day. Wouldn’t have it any other way
Erin
Awesome!
Lora Allemaney
I think it makes more sense to feed my baby food before I give her a bottle.because I am trying to gradually phase out the amount of milk that she is taking at each meal.