For most mothers, the best time to introduce solids is when the child is six months old. Keep in mind that infants require a particular diet that combines plant-based and animal products.
Breast milk is still an essential source of nutrition for infants up to six months of age, but it is insufficient on its own. In addition to breast milk, you must give solid food to your baby in order to meet their expanding demands.
You should start feeding some nutrient-rich foods in liquid form or smashed to make them easier for them to digest. In this case, millet porridge is the most preferred choice of many moms. Millets are wholesome foods that contain lots of essential nutrients.
Millex is a top brand born to feed the world nutritious food and is an ideal choice for attaining nutritious needs. Here, we have listed a few essential food choices to start your baby’s first solid food.
How do I know my baby is ready to eat solid foods?
How will you know when your child is prepared for solid food? These are some pointers:
- Does your child push food out of their mouth or swallow it? Natural tongue-thrust reflexes in babies force food back out of their mouths. Await the disappearance of this response. Usually around the time newborns turn 4–6 months old.
- Is your child able to hold their own head up? An infant must have adequate head and neck control and be able to sit up to consume solid food.
- Does your infant have a taste for food? When a baby looks, reaches, and opens its lips to feed, it is ready to attempt solid meals.
- Try waiting a few days before trying again if your doctor gives the all-clear, but your kid looks irritated or uninterested in solid foods.
Introducing solid foods to baby
Choose a time of day when your baby is neither sleepy nor grumpy, and the doctor says it's okay to introduce solid foods. A small hunger is what you want for your kid, but not enough to make them upset. Consider giving the following food for a good start:
Yogurt
Organic whole yogurt is a great first dairy item because it's already partially digested and easier for a baby to eat. This diet is well-balanced, containing milk sugar, protein, and healthy fats to nourish the baby.
It also has a high phosphorus, vitamin D, and calcium content. Yogurt is also naturally high in probiotics, which are good bacteria that help colonize a baby's intestines.
Sweet potatoes
Babies prefer sweet potatoes because of their texture and sweetness, making them one of the nutrient foods for babies and more popular first foods. These vibrant root vegetables are rich in minerals, including iron and copper, as well as beta-carotene and vitamin C.
Green peas
Green peas are a great first food to introduce a baby to since they are high in resistant starch. This indicates that they are resistant to digestion, which is exactly what it entails. They travel through the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine.
They nourish the beneficial gut bacteria. The fact that this little legume has a large variety of vitamins and minerals may surprise you. Puree some squash with the green peas to sweeten the pot if your baby doesn't like the taste.
Bananas
Bananas are a great source of fiber to maintain a healthy digestive tract and carbohydrates for long-term energy. They come in their own easily peelable package, making them the ideal portable baby food.
Make sure the bananas are ripe and well-mashed before giving them to small children. Chopped bananas can be used as finger food for older babies.
Millets and whole grains
Introducing millet foods to babies is a nutritious way to transition to solid foods. Millet porridge, cooked until soft and mashed is gentle on the baby's digestive system and packed with essential nutrients like iron and fiber.
Millex is introducing multi-millet health mixes that consist of 30+ ingredients, making them one of the wholesome, nutritious food options for introducing solid foods to your baby.
Incorporating millet into homemade baby cereals or mixing it with pureed fruits or vegetables adds variety and nutritional benefits to their diet.
Spinach and leafy greens
Most infants are willing to try new foods. Don't give up giving, even if they occasionally wince or move away—especially when it comes to nutrient-dense leafy greens.
Your child will soon adapt to the earthy flavor of spinach, kale, and chard, and you will be well on your way to raising an adventurous eater.
To make these safe for your child to eat, you may purée them after they've cooked or chop them up and add them to meals.
Eggs
A 6-month-old baby may make many parents hesitate when giving a highly allergic food like eggs, but recent research indicates that early introduction is essential to actually lower the risk of food allergies.
Start with the egg yolk, as it is the most easily digested and rich in nutrients such as choline. Important nutrients that a newborn needs now, such as calcium, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, and vitamins B6 and E, are also found in egg yolks.
Gently poach or boil egg yolks with a small amount of butter, ghee, or coconut oil. Maintain a runny and soft yolk for easy digestion.
Meat
Introducing meat to babies as one of their first solid foods can be a nutritious and important step in their development.
Pureed or mashed cooked meats, such as chicken, turkey, or beef, are excellent sources of protein, iron, zinc, and other essential nutrients that support growth and development.
Always consult with your pediatrician before introducing meat or any new food to your baby's diet to ensure it's appropriate for their age and development.
Prunes
These simple fruits are sometimes known as "dried plums" or "prunes." They may not seem fancy, but they are sweet, soft, and high in fiber. The transition to solid foods is a significant adjustment for your infant's digestive system, and it can cause constipation.
Add pureed prunes to your baby's meal to help with digestion and keep things going. For a naturally sweet treat, serve pureed prunes alone or combined with other foods like oatmeal, cereal, or applesauce.
The first meal for your baby- how to feed?
Your kid is only beginning to learn how to chew at six months old. The first foods should be soft, such as oatmeal or well-mashed fruits and vegetables, to make them very easy to swallow. Did you know that the amount of nutrients in porridge decreases with increasing water content?
Cook it until it is thick enough not to run off the spoon in order to increase its nutritional value. When you notice your infant making signs of hunger, such as putting their hands to their mouths, feed them.
Start by giving your infant two to three spoonfuls of soft food twice a day. Because of their small stomachs at this age, they can only ingest small amounts at a time. A new food may surprise your baby with its flavor. Allow them time to adjust to these novel flavors and meals.
Don't force your baby to eat. Instead, be patient. When you notice that they are satisfied, cease feeding them. Your baby's stomach expands with growth, allowing them to consume more food at each meal.
What to avoid while feeding solid to your baby
Since your baby's taste receptors are still developing, simple foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and meats have the ideal flavor. There's no need to add salt or sugar to your baby's meal to give it more flavor.
Excess salt can harm your baby's kidneys, and additional sugar should not be given to them until they are two years old or older. Because honey contains a germ that can cause botulism in infants, it is particularly harmful.
Serious side effects from botulism can include breathing difficulties, intense fatigue, weak crying, and muscle weakness. When these chemicals are added, their developing taste receptors are trained to favor the flavor of sugar and salt over the flavor of nature.
Wrapping up
Solid foods from both the plants and animals are essential for a baby's growth. If fed nutrient-dense meals, your child will have stronger physical and mental development, a healthy immune system, and protective microbiomes.
Packed with over 30 wholesome ingredients, Millex blands offer essential nutrients for your little one's growth and development. Give your baby the best start with MILEX Health Mixes - nourishment you can trust.