The addition of solid foods to breastmilk or formula feeding is an important issue requiring compliance with various regulations. The latter concerns the preparation and other stages of a partial and complete transition to new nutrition.
However, contacting a trusted organic baby food and formula store will make this process easier, giving you confidence in the quality of the products. Moreover, a wide range of the latter will improve this essential process by making it more diverse.
Preconditions for Transition to Solid Food
Although the average age for introducing solid foods into a baby’s diet is between four and six months, it is recommended to refrain from switching from breast milk and formula until half a year.
Growth and individual characteristics of the body are factors in diversifying nutrition that determines the most appropriate age for this.
Nonetheless, it is significant to remember the caveats of switching too early to solid food. Firstly, it is about the sensitivity of the baby’s digestive system, not being able to absorb more complex ingredients.
Moreover, the crumb does not have an acute need for solid food due to the saturation of sufficient nutrients through the mother’s milk, infant formula, or their interoperability.
At the same time, too early abandonment of the latter with a full transition to solids is fraught with the danger of a negative impact on the formation of subsequent food habits. The baby may initially refuse these foods due to unavailability to eat, but over time this risks developing into a response to force-feeding.
Also, chances are, infants who reach the stage of eating with a spoon too early are at risk of becoming obese later.
In addition to age, different aspects directly or indirectly testify to the readiness to switch to solids. Among them are the following:
- ability to keep a head steady;
- baby can sit independently;
- the disappearance of extrusion reflex;
- characteristic backward and forward or up-down tongue movements;
- interest in solid food and self-food intake;
- the wide opening of the lips;
- and much more.
Even if most of the above points coincide with the behavior of your baby, it is necessary to first consult with an expert to make sure that the actions are correct.
A Few Primary Guidelines
If your baby is showing all signs of being ready to transition to solid foods, do not rush to eliminate breast milk from her or his diet. Usually, a combined alternative to mother’s milk is the best option, allowing the cutie to calmly and unobtrusively get used to the new feeding.
Regardless of the ingredients, they should be soft to consume in the optimum mashed state. It will not be superfluous over time to compact the content of baby nutrition by adding less liquid, making the food appropriate for the development of the abilities of a crumb.
The beneficial options for the first tests of solid foods would be cereals, fruits, vegetables, etc. At the same time, serving ingredients as puree contributes to cooking a unique soup full of all the necessary nutrients and suitable for the first steps in spoon feeding.
However, beware of undesirable products, including honey and milk from cows, which are dangerous for your baby. In this context, it is valuable to re-emphasize the need to consult a doctor for the best development.
Final Words
When it comes time to introduce solid foods, parents have to make sure that the baby is ready for such changes and then choose the proper diet suitable for his or her age and body characteristics.
Products with beneficial substances in the composition are the core of this process, making it clear that the baby receives all the valuable vitamins and minerals.