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Yum Yum:First Solid Foods

• First tastes
• Getting enough iron
• The four food groups

Is your baby ready?
Most babies will give you signs that they are ready to try solids. Some will show great interest in your food watching you eat and reaching out to grab foods from you. Others may wake more often and want more milk feeds, perhaps even beginning to wake again during the night.

When and how to introduce foods
Some babies love new experiences, others take a while to get used to new places and new faces. New foods may be the same; your baby may love the whole idea and watch as you eat, reaching out for foods and almost asking to be let in on this new game. Or he may hate the idea of putting anything except milk in his mouth.

A baby that’s very hungry and desperate for milk won’t take kindly to being offered other foods, so give him half his usual milk feed first. Then, when he’s calm, but not yet completely full, try offering a taste of solids. Sit him on your lap, hold him upright to make swallowing easier, and offer a little bit of a very smooth runny purée on a small plastic spoon or the end of your clean finger.

If he is not interested wait and try again the next day. Choose a time of day when he is not too sleepy, and is awake and alert.

First tastes
It’s tempting to spend ages cooking and puréeing your baby’s first foods, but they only eat a teaspoon or two and they may well spit that out, so at first it’s easier to mix a little baby rice with some of their usual milk, or boiled cooled water. Make it a thin, smooth purée, which is easy to swallow. Baby rice is also quite bland and if you have only ever tasted milk before, strong tasting foods can be a bit of a shock. Start with baby rice and then, as he becomes more interested, mix in other puréed foods for flavour.

Try some of the following:

• puréed carrot
• cauliflower
• sweet potato
• swede
• butternut squash
• potato
• fresh pear or apple
• cooked plums
• ripe banana

Gradually increase the amount of purée and decrease the amount of baby rice. Start with single flavours so you know if any particular food upsets your baby, and then begin to mix two or more flavours together.

Food safety tips

• always wash your hands before preparing baby food
• wash all the equipment you use, e.g. bowls, spoons etc. in very hot water, and sterilise
• don’t keep half-eaten food; the spoon that you use to feed your baby will carry saliva (spit) from her mouth into the food and this will begin to affect the food and it will go off more quickly
• store unused baby food in the fridge in a covered sterilised container, but don’t keep it longer than 24 hours
• cook or reheat food thoroughly until piping hot and then cool it before giving it to your baby
• make sure frozen foods are completely thawed and cooked right through.

Getting enough iron
We all need iron to grow properly and develop well. Your baby was born with stores of iron that last for about six months or so, but now they are running out. It’s very important to offer your baby foods that are rich in iron, as a lack of iron is the most common nutritional deficiency seen in children. Good sources of iron include:

• red meat such as beef, and kidney
• chicken or turkey, especially the dark meat
• eggs (cooked until both the white and yolk are solid)
• beans, tofu and lentils (dhal)
• vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, curly kale, peas and watercress
• dried fruit such as apricots and raisins
• fortified baby foods and milks.

Beware fibre fillers
Fibre is important for adults, but it is not so useful for babies. Fibre fills a baby up and prevents the absorption of other nutrients from food. Avoid wholemeal pasta, breads, and cereals until your baby is 6-9 months old. Your baby will get enough fibre in fruit and vegetables.

Vitamin and mineral supplements
If your baby is having plenty of breastmilk and you are eating well yourself, your baby will not need any vitamin or mineral supplements before six months. Formula fed babies having plenty of formula milk will also not need supplements before six months. After about six months breastfed babies, or a baby having less than 500ml of formula or follow-on milk and not eating a varied diet, may need some vitamin or mineral supplements. Talk to your health visitor if you think your baby is not eating well or drinking enough milk.

Home-made purees

• to make first foods, peel, scrub or prepare the fruit or vegetables and cut into pieces
• do not add salt
• try not to add sugar; only use the smallest amount to make sour fruits more acceptable
• cook by covering with a little water and simmering gently until soft; you can also steam or microwave
• when cooked, add a little of the cooking water (as this will contain dissolved vitamins from the fruit or vegetables) or your baby’s usual milk
• push the soft, cooked foods through a sieve using the back of a metal spoon to remove any pips or tough fibres
• you can adjust the texture by adding more water or milk until you find a consistency your baby likes.

The four food groups
As your baby gradually begins to take less milk and more solid foods, it’s important to make sure that she is eating ‘a good balanced diet’. This means making sure your baby eats a wide variety of foods from the main four food groups

1. Dairy products like cheese, yoghurt, fromage frais and suitable milks. Use full fat products; low fat versions are not appropriate for under-twos, as they contain less vitamin A and D. These give your baby:
2. energy, fat and protein for growth
3. calcium and vitamin D, which are needed for strong bones and teeth
4. vitamin A, which is needed for growth and protection against infections.
5. Starchy foods like bread, cereals, rice, pasta and potatoes. These will give your baby:
6. energy and carbohydrate for growth
7. B group vitamins, which are important for energy too
8. fibre, which is important for a healthy digestive system, but don’t use high fibre versions.
9. Fruits and vegetables like apples, pears, oranges, bananas, grapes, tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage,and so on:
   All fruits and vegetables have fibre, which is important for a healthy digestive system.
10. leafy green vegetables provide iron for healthy blood, folic acid, and vitamin C
11. yellow and orange vegetables provide betacarotene, a form of vitamin A
12. berries and citrus fruits supply vitamin C.
13. Protein foods like liver (no more than once a week and only if your child is not taking supplements containing vitamin A), meat, chicken, fish, eggs, sausages, tofu, pulses, e.g. beans, lentils (dhal) etc. These will give your baby:
14. energy, fat and protein which is needed for growth
15. B vitamins, important for energy
16. minerals such as iron and zinc.

Sugary and fatty foods
Cakes, biscuits, jam etc., can be given occasionally but they are not necessary for a healthy diet.

Micro meals
If you use a microwave to reheat baby food, make sure the food is not too hot. Microwave ovens tend to leave hot and cold spots so the food may feel quite cool but be very hot in other places. Stir food after it comes out of the microwave heating and allow it to stand for a minute or two so that the heat spreads out evenly. Always check the temperature before feeding it to your baby.

Shop-bought foods
Check the ‘use by’ or ‘best before end’ date on readymade baby food before you give it to your baby. Check the ingredients and the suggested age range, too, to make sure it is suitable for your baby.

Salt warning
Babies 0-12 months old should have less than 1g of salt a day (0.4g sodium). Processed foods can be high in salt. Choose ones that have been specially developed for babies. Never add salt to your baby’s food.

For the next You and your growing baby guide Chapter, Your 6 month old, Click here