Breastfeeding - Introducing Solid Foods

One of the big questions facing any parent is to when and how to introduce solid foods into their child's diet and which solid foods to use.

• Do not introduce solids before you baby is approximately four months old.
  • Introducing solids too early increases the possibility of food allergies.
  • A baby younger than four months old does not have the tongue control needed to eat solid foods. You'll just be stuffing food down your baby's throat.
  • Breastmilk is the best food for a young baby. By giving your baby other foods, you are depriving her or him from essential nutrients and immune benefits.
• After your baby is four months old, and is showing interest in solid foods, you can introduce them, though you don't have to yet--you'll probably be doing it mostly for your own sake, not the child's.
• Some time between six and nine months, your baby will need solid foods. Breastmilk will not be enough.
• If your baby is one year old and still living on an exclusive breastmilk (or formula) diet, you should start worrying and consult a doctor.

What foods to use?

• Avoid products called "follow-up formula", "weaning cereal", and so on. Those completely useless products are just a marketing gimmick that the artificial baby milk industry has created to circumvent the international code of formula marketing. Don't fall for it!
• What food you use depends partly on your baby's age.
  • A younger baby will eat infant cereal and mashed foods. You can use apple sauce, or buy prepared infant foods in jars. You can also mash some of your table food and give it to your baby. This is cheaper than buying prepared infant foods, and probably nutritionally superior too with some common sense.
  • An older baby can eat finger foods. At this point, you can stop buying prepared infant foods.
  • If your child seems to show a reaction to any food you introduce, stop using that food. There are plenty of other foods you can use. Depending on the kind and severity of your child's reaction, you can try introducing those problem foods again in a month or so--or avoid them forever.
  • Be cautious with foods that might cause choking (whole grapes, for example). You should be able to judge which foods your baby can handle at what age without risk of choking.

How to introduce solid foods?

• It's easy--when your baby is ready for it, you give your baby some food!
• It's best to take a low-key, relaxed approach. Don't turn feeding into a fight. If your baby isn't interested in solids yet, wait for a week and try again. Don't panic!
• Here are some recommendations on balancing breastfeeding and solid foods (see also the page on breastfeeding a toddler):
  • When you first introduce solids, breastfeed first. Then offer your child solid foods. Breastmilk is still the best and most important food!
  • Around one year of age, you can start giving other foods first, and top off with a breastfeed. Or just breastfeed for snacks and comfort.
  • Some infant nutrition books tell you that you should give your one year old child a cup or two of cow's milk every day, and breastfeed just for comfort. This is ridiculous advice! There is no age at which cow's milk is better than breastmilk. As long as your child is interested in nursing actively, you can consider breastmilk to be an excellent source of nutrition.
• If you are considering introducing solid foods because you feel that you don't have enough milk or that your baby isn't gaining enough weight, see
  • maintaining and increasing your milk supply
  • Supplementing breastmilk with other foods

Back to the breastfeeding main page

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