The Baby Expert: Solid Food

Now that Caitlyn is 6 months, it’s time for her next big step in life – solid food! The wife wanted to start our baby on solid food around 4 months, but I balked at that idea, and convinced her to wait. After all, there is no rush. It’s not like starting her early on solid foods will make her bigger, stronger, or more intelligent than other babies.

While most doctors and books will say that you can start feeding a baby around 4-6 months if they’re ready, the American Academy of Pediatrics still recommends breastfeeding exclusively or using formula for at least 6 months.

One of the main reasons is because the baby’s intestines need time to mature. Around 4 to 6 months, the intestines begin to mature and secrete a protective coating called IgA. This helps prevent potentially allergenic food from entering the blood stream. By 6 to 7 months, the intestines are more mature and able to filter out more allergens. This is why families with a history of food allergies are advised to delay the introduction of food to their baby.

Here are some other things to look for in order to make sure your baby is ready for solid food:

1. They have good head control.

2. They’re losing the tongue-thrust reflex. That means they don’t constantly use their tongue to push everything out of their mouth. When they’re young, this helps prevent choking.

3. They’re sitting up well when supported. In order to swallow well, you need to be able to sit up well.

4. They have the ability to move food from the front of the mouth to the back.

5. They have doubled their weight (or weigh about 15 pounds) and at least 4 months old.

6. They have a growing appetite.
7. They’re interested in what you’re eating.

The first food we started off with was rice cereal, which is what most people do, though this isn’t necessary. Pureed vegetables and fruit are other options you can try. Cereal just has the advantage of boosting a baby’s iron intake while also being easy to digest. The wife, being mindful of chemicals and what-not that can be found in food, opted for Hipp’s Organic Rice Cereal.

It took a few attempts to find the right mix of formula and cereal, but after doing a search on the web, it seems the majority of people say to start off with a runny consistency like apple sauce and then slowly making it thicker as the baby gets used to it.

In the end, feeding Caitlyn the cereal was a messy event. As expected, she simply tasted the food a bit and then kind of dribbled it out. With a few more attempts, she should learn how to begin swallowing the food. One thing for sure, we’re definitely going to need more bibs.