Starting solids: fact vs fiction
We’ll help you debunk some common first-food myths.
Babies are ready for solids if they try to grab your food.
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Showing interest in your food is definitely a key sign your baby may be ready to begin eating foods – but they need some other important skills too. These include being able to sit up with support, having good head and neck control and bringing objects to their mouth. Your baby should also be at least 4 months old before starting solids.
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Baby cereal must be the first food.
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Avoid feeding eggs or peanuts right away.
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Meat should be skipped, for now.
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Veggies should be introduced before fruit.
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You must pick between giving purees or doing baby-led weaning.
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Not necessary for the first bite. It doesn’t really matter what food is baby’s first taste - avocados, pears, peas, or baby oatmeal are common choices. Baby cereal, however, is a really important source of iron and zinc for babies – nutrients they need in their diet once they start eating foods. And baby cereals are no longer bland – look for varieties with whole grains, fruit, veggies and legumes, or try mixing with their favorite puree.
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Actually, current expert recommendations are for infants to have common food allergens like eggs and peanut in their diet once they have tried a few solid foods. If your child is at a high risk for a peanut allergy, ask your doctor about introducing age-appropriate peanut containing foods between 4 and 6 months to help reduce the risk of developing a peanut allergy.
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No need to wait on meat, it’s a very nutritious food, especially providing iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. So feel free to puree it (to eliminate a choking hazard), and try baby meat purees and baby veggie and meat blends to serve to your growing little one.
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Contrary to popular belief, babies will not develop a sweet tooth and reject vegetables if you offer fruits to them first. Whether you want to give your baby a banana or pureed apples before offering them peas, that’s totally fine.
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Nope! There is no one best way to feed your baby. Spoon feeding baby cereal and purees, offering foods for self-feeding, letting your little one use their own spoon and combinations of all of these will result in a happy, nourished child if you feed responsively. Responsive feeding is tuning into your child’s hunger and fullness cues, offering nutritious foods and following their lead about how much they will eat.
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