Solid Foods

Introduction of solids may start solid foods anytime after 4 months of age.

May start solid foods anytime after 4 months of age. 

Key concepts:

• Be gradual. (May introduce one new food every 2 days; not 3-4 new foods in one day)
  Sample progression:  rice or oatmeal cereal mixed with breast milk or formula to thin consistency first—after cereals, consider transition to veggies (typically least sweet to most sweet:  green then yellow then orange)—finally progress to fruits after cereals and vegetables.  May begin with Gerber #1 or #2 (or homemade options) as long as consistency is well tolerated.  (meats and chunkier Gerber #3 should be around 9-10 months of age)

• Enjoy the process—have fun: do not need to focus on a certain amount of solids or a number of feeding times in one day as milk will remain the number one calorie source until one year of age; instead focus on using solid-food feeding times as practice for the mouth and tongue in regard to new consistencies.  Also, taste bud development occurs between 6mo-2yrs of age.  This is a key time to improve “healthy tastes”:  homemade baby food with a food processor is a good idea.

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