Baby's First Food

It is both exciting and terrifying to introduce new foods to your baby. You have to be careful with common allergens, watch for signs of choking and make sure your baby is eating enough. 

When my oldest was 4 months old, my husband and I took her to a party. My dad was watching her so we could get some food and handed her back to us covered in chocolate. She looked happy, but I started to freak out. I was about to leave when my dad said that she didn't eat any chocolate, he just made it look like she did. 

When my fourth baby was 4 months old, his toddler sister fed him a smartie. She liked it and obviously he would as well. I didn't freak out this time. Although it's not the best time to start solids(or the best food to start with), he was just fine. 

My first and fourth baby have turned out okay, despite the less than ideal way of starting solid foods. Here are a few other things I have learned when transitioning my baby to solids:

1. Don't overreact when your baby starts to "choke". Babies take a bit to understand how to use their toungues. I wait 5 seconds(as long as they are making noise and progress), before reacting. When I need to react, I react as slow as possible to keep my baby calm. Most times, my baby ends up either spitting it out or swallowing it.

2. You don't have to start with purees. Some babies absolutely hate the texture. Instead, you can try mashed or soft foods, and eventually transition to harder foods. 

3. Food is a cool toy. Babies get very messy when eating and most of it ends up on them or the floor at the start. As your baby gets older, they will get less messy. However, that might not be until they learn how to use utensils(after one year old). I reccomend getting a high chair that is very easy to wash and it's okay to need to bathe your baby after every meal. 

4. Allergies can pop up at random. My second child became allergic to bananas after he had been eating them for two months. After he turned one, he suddenly stopped being allergic. 

Always talk to your baby's pediatrician before starting solids and if you have any concerns.