What is the ideal time for a baby to start eating solid foods?
Introducing solid foods into a baby's diet is one of the most important milestones during the first year of life. But when is the right time to take this step? According to the World Health Organization, the ideal time to begin this transition is around six months of age.
At this age, a baby's physiological and motor development allows them to begin eating foods other than breast milk or formula without posing a risk to their health. Furthermore, their bodies begin to need additional nutrients, such as iron, which they no longer obtain in sufficient quantities from breast milk alone.
"Starting around 6 months of age, babies need the added nutrition (iron, zinc, etc.) that solids provide. It's also the right time to introduce new flavors and textures into your child's diet," they note on the Kids Health website.
However, they also point out that some babies are ready to eat solids before they turn 6 months old, but they shouldn't start until the baby is at least 4 months old.
Why at 6 months? At this age, most babies have the following characteristics that will allow them to eat solid foods:
- They have a digestive system mature enough to process solids.
- They can hold their head up and sit with support.
- They have developed the coordination necessary to bring food to their mouths.
- They have lost the extrusion reflex (automatically pushing anything that is not liquid out with the tongue).
- Breast milk or formula no longer fully covers their nutritional needs, especially iron.
The WHO recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months. Photo: iStock
According to Kids Health, these are the signs that babies are ready:
- They have good neck and head control and are able to sit in a booster seat.
- They are interested in food. For example, they watch others eat, reach for food, and open their mouths when food is brought to them.
- They do not push food out using their tongue when putting it in their mouth, which is a natural reflex (called the tongue thrust reflex), which disappears between 4 and 6 months of age.
- They weigh twice what they weighed at birth, or almost twice as much.
The first recommendation is to talk to your child's doctor before introducing solids into their diet.
Additionally, Kids Health recommends that, when the time is right, you start giving your baby iron-fortified single-grain cereals.
"Start with 1 or 2 tablespoons of cereal mixed with breast milk, formula, or water. Feed your baby with a baby spoon. Don't add cereal or other foods to your baby's bottle, as this could lead to excessive weight gain. Let your baby practice eating with a spoon and letting them eat when they're satisfied," they say.
Another recommendation is that, once your baby gets used to eating their first food, you can introduce other foods, such as pureed meats, fruits, vegetables, legumes (such as beans or lentils), or yogurt . "Try one food at a time and wait a few days before trying a new food to make sure your baby doesn't have an allergic reaction."
Specialists recommend starting with simple, easily digestible foods, such as fruit purees (apple, banana) or cooked vegetables (carrot, pumpkin), as well as iron-fortified cereals.
It's important to introduce one new food at a time and wait three to five days before offering another, so you can identify any allergic reactions.
The texture should be gradually adapted to the baby's development, starting with soft purees and progressing to more solid foods as chewing improves. During this stage, breast milk or formula should remain the primary source of nutrition, supplemented with new foods until the baby reaches one year of age.
eltiempo
