Being a mother of 8 month old,I can tell you how difficult it is to make your baby eat for the first time. But,contrary to what I earlier thought,IT IS POSSIBLE.
The baby,I don't know about others,but mine is sure to reject any new food not once but many a times. I felt so disappointed that I started thinking, will he only be surviving on milk? But thanks god,to my much needed relief, after a number of unsuccessful attempts I finally got it right. Some mothers start the first foods when the baby is 4 or 5 months old but some over cautious mothers like me don't do it until that 6 month mark is reached.I started with cereals because they are most risk free and does not cause any allergies. Rice cereals works best initially but I think babies don't like it much.
This is how I managed my trysts with the first foods:
- I tried many times inspite of him rejecting it. In a single day, I tried twice and then again the next day and gradually found him developing a liking for it. Probably he was not getting used to the taste and the idea of eating.
- Another trick i tried that got me through was to give food with the milk feed. Some amount of milk and then something to eat. This strategy allowed him to relate eating to hunger.Then later on,I started giving him food in between feeds and it works fantastic.
- Remember,the babies think that the only way to satisfaction when they are hungry is milk because this is how it is always. So never give them first foods when they are very hungry and also not when when they are not hungry. That's why the above mentioned strategy in the last point also works.
- Try milder foods at first with less odour and if possible no odour at all.That's why certain babies don't take bananas well as a first food although it was not the case with my baby.
- Distraction works. Initially distracting the baby with a toy or using some ploy to open his mouth is okay so that he starts accepting things. But make sure it should be used as sparingly as possible because he should have a habit of having food without any prop.
- Go slow and don't introduce a number of foods at a single time.I introduced one food at a time for few days and then tried another one so that he becomes familiar with whatever is given to him.
I am still trying and making him familiar with different types of foods and preferably not the sweeter ones because I don't want him to develop a sweet tooth in the beginning itself. You can find your child picking up a fruit from the table in later years but he will be selective with the veggies. So I am trying my hand at veggies more so that he starts and develops a liking towards them.
Would really like to know some more tips and tricks from your side.
Its really important that a child has healthy eating habits so that he becomes a healthy adult and if that is possible by putting a little extra effort on my part,I won't hesitate to do it.Labels: eating habits, first food, making baby eat, new foods |
thanks for dropping by my blog, it's happy we can meet here.u look expert in looking after a baby
I started my girl solid at 6 mths old, but she rejected. We tried again and it failed. She only start merely accepted it around 7 mths old. No worry when they are ready they will take it. Meantime you only try to offer more variety food to him.