Yay! Your baby is now 4 to 6 months old now and is reaching so many milestones including introducing new foods to his/her diet. Though it’s best to wait until your baby hit their 6 moth mark, your pediatrician may recommend that you start earlier if there are weight gain issues or other problems that they want to address. Speak with your baby’s doctor if you want to introduce foods before 6 months if you feel your little one is ready. Some babies are ready before 6 months, even without underlying issues. I know mine was!

Always start your baby with rice cereal. Find a baby rice cereal that’s high in iron mixed with formula or breast milk. Begin with a small amount, about 1 teaspoon of rice cereal mixed with 4 to 5 teaspoons of formula or breast milk. The consistency will be very runny and this is because your baby is used to that type of consistency. As your baby gets used to eating the rice cereal you can slowly make the cereal consistency thicker. Feed him/her the rice cereal once a day and later, twice daily. If your baby doesn’t like the cereal, don’t push it. Try again in a few days or couple weeks and see what happens.

Once your baby has mastered the rice cereal, start introducing fruits and veggies. Try things like sweet carrots, sweet peas, bananas and pear sauce (tends to be easier on the tummy than apple sauce). Do not try a new one everyday. Stick to one food for a week before introducing another. If your baby has an allergic reaction or a food doesn’t agree with his/her stomach you’ll be able to easily pinpoint what food to stop giving and avoid until much later. There are also foods that should not be introduced at all until they are closer to a year due to them being common allergenic foods such as eggs, nuts, strawberries and cow milk. If you or your partner have food allergies, it is best to avoid giving those foods too early as well.

The most common sign of an allergic reaction to food is a rash. The rash is usually found on the face with small red bumps, making the skin almost feel like sand paper. Also swelling around the mouth and difficulty breathing are definite signs that your little one is having a problem with the food. You’ll know if something isn’t agreeing with their tummy by any unusual fussiness after eating. Another thing to keep in mind, if your baby is breast fed, once you introduce foods, their stools will get more solid. Fussing while pooping is normal and nothing to panic over. However, if it is concerning you, you should always speak to your pediatrician.  

Introducing new foods is so much fun. Well, it is at least for me and my little ones. As long as you don’t mind a little bit of a mess that is always picture worthy, you’ll have a great time too. Remember to be patient with your little one. They are learning something new and what they like today, they may not like tomorrow. It’s trial and error just as all parenting is so have a wet wash cloth ready and have fun with it!