GUIDE 4
Which Foods First
for a Baby?
Until yesterday… bébé was only drinking milk, that was easy enough to follow. And not too much to think about. With the introduction of solid foods it’s a whole new world for you, and your baby: new tastes, new textures, all sorts of shapes and colors!
Yes, but it’s also a whole new schedule, new rules, new questions that need answers.
Worry not! There are ways to make it easy, and that’s exactly why Bébé Foodie was created. So let’s dive in!
Every baby is different
The introduction of complementary foods must be gradually implemented and adapted to your baby’s development. Always keep in mind that every baby is different. Which means yours might take a little longer to adjust to new foods, or conversely, ask for more very quickly. Whatever happens it’s all normal and the options of first foods are very wide, so here are the rules:
- Make it simple
- Have fun!
Easy? Now fast forward to D-day…
D-Day: Baby’s first introduction to solid food
This is it! The big day! You are getting your little one ready to take that very first long awaited spoon full of the goodness of your choice. A few things to keep in mind to set you up for success:
- Time of the day: This is really up to you but I like to recommend lunch time. Because it is often not too long after the last milk feed and last nap, so bébé is not overly tired or hungry. A good alternative is in the morning after the morning milk feed and before the mid-morning feed.
- Salt and sugar: When offering first foods (homemade or store-bought), make sure to avoid salt and sugar. Seasoning and healthy fats are welcome but not the very first month as we want the baby to try foods the way they are. Indeed doing so will allow baby’s brain to register the taste and we maximize the chances for baby to like it later on.
- A little advance prep: If you decide to make a homemade puree, make sure you prepare in advance. You never know what surprise your brand new blender has in store for you 😜. But also because we want to make sure the puree has time to cool down properly.
Try starting with a vegetable: No obligation here, but I usually recommend starting with a veggie. Just because babies naturally like the taste of sweet foods, and you might risk your baby showing a reluctance to explore savory flavors in the days to come.
- Introduce variety: Really what matters the most is to introduce a wide variety of tastes in the early days which will tend to lead to more acceptance later on.
So if you offer apple on Day 1, maybe try zucchini on Day 2? Or follow my lead and be a little too adventurous and offer spinach on Day 1 (Spoiler alert: Hugo did NOT approve. Also not sure if this is related but to this day my son will eat all his veggies but balks at the sight of spinach). Hey hey…early days… there’s still time Popeye.
First attempt feeding my son spinach:
- Seated and ready
Ok, so now that baby is comfortably seated in an upright position, bib around the neck, joyfully awaiting a first spoon (or finger food if you do BLW – we talk about safe textures and shapes in the keeping baby safe guide). It is possible that baby refuses or spits the food out, that’s ok! It might mean that your little one doesn’t know how to swallow just yet and will need a bit of practice. If spoon-feeding, try to position the spoon in the middle of the mouth and help to get the puree down. Usually after a few times, the baby gets it naturally. The very first days, you will only give one to three spoons in one meal and then the quantity can be increased.
Dowload Guide 4
“Which food first for a baby”
