Is my Baby Ready to try Solid Foods?

A Guest Post by TummyThyme...

Just when you get into the rhythm of breastfeeding or preparing bottles, it seems like it is time to move onto the next phase of feeding your baby. You may hear conflicting advice about when you should start solids. Health Canada and the World Health Organization recommend six months of exclusive breastfeeding before solids are introduced. Meanwhile, many of our clients are telling us that their doctors gave the green light to start solids at four months. So what are you to do?

Rather than simply referring to the calendar to see how old your baby is, it is important to consider what they can do. Is your baby showing signs of readiness for feeding? Some signs include:

• The ability to sit well with support
• Good head and neck control
• An interest in food and eating
• The ability to indicate “no” (usually by shutting mouth closed or turning head away)

For most babies, this will occur around six months, though some babies may be ready a little earlier and some a little later. Starting solids before your baby is ready can be potentially dangerous since there is an increased risk of choking. Furthermore, starting solids too early can make your child uncomfortable about moving forward with eating. On the other hand, delaying solids much beyond six months can lead to iron deficiency since that is about when your baby’s iron stores are becoming depleted.

Once you feel comfortable that all the signs of readiness are in place, your baby is ready to try some food! By following your baby’s cues about when to start solids, instead of just following the calendar, you are starting them off with a responsive and respectful feeding relationship. This will go a long way in building trust with your child and promoting a healthy relationship towards food and eating.

TummyThyme owners, Brandy and Melanie, are Registered Dieticians committed to helping parents increase their confidence, knowledge and skills to easily provide whole, healthy foods for their families. They are your one stop nutrition resource for you and your child... from belly to baby to child. They offer workshops, small group sessions and private consultations. For more information, please visit www.tummythyme.com.