Eating Milestone For Babies
In this Article
Take a quick look at the eating milestone of your baby by the way of this article. In addition, find out the right time to wean off your baby, as he progresses from bottle or breast to semi solid foods and then to solids.
Video : Your Baby’s Eating Milestones
It is perfectly fine for a newborn baby to survive on breastfeed or bottle feed, especially during the initial weeks. As he grows, his palate needs to be widened. Beginning with the introduction of water, he will move onto soups and semi-solids, and by the end of his first year, he might well be feeding himself, though clumsily. Take a look at a baby’s eating milestones:
Water First
Water should be introduced only after the baby is six months old. Before it, his stomach is small and he needs to stock up on nutrients from breast feed or his bottle. Between 6-8 months, he will learn to drink from a cup held by someone else.
Starting Solids
4 -7 months is seen as the ideal age to introduce solids. This is the time when babies begin to give up the “tongue-thrust reflex”. It’s a reflux which makes it difficult for them to eat, but it may help them suck. However, if you have been exclusively breastfeeding your baby, you might like to wait for 3 more months before you bring in the solids.
Past The Puree
Purees and mashed foods are the first step towards eating solids. Babies take time making this progression, and it should be introduced using a gradual step-by-step process : from soups to purees to chunkier solids. You do not need to wait for their teeth to come – they are good at chewing soft solid foods like rice and lentils using their gums. By 8 months, your baby will have learnt to chew by moving food in his mouth with his tongue.
Onto The High Chair And Using Spoons
As soon as the baby can hold his head and neck, and can sit with support, he can be put in a high chair. He might just like sitting on the high-chair even though he might have a long way to go before he starts to feed himself. 
Finger Foods
Between 7 and 11 months, the baby is ready to try finger foods. He will indicate his readiness by trying to grab food from you. He will enjoy trying out soft food items like carrots, pasta and chicken cut into bite-sized pieces. By the time he’s 11 months old, he should have learnt to use his fingers to pick up food rather than raking it with his hand.
Allergen Foods
Some doctors say high allergenic foods should be introduced only after your baby turns into a toddler. However, if you have no family history of food allergies, you can try foods like soft boiled egg or fish even earlier.
You Might Consider Help if Your Baby
- Throws up frequently or seems in pain.
- Has chronic diarrhea or constipation.
- Finds it tough to chew food and relies heavily on purees.
- Habitually keeps food in his mouth for long periods.
- Has an allergic skin reaction to some foods.
The progression to solids is a gradual one. Do not be in a hurry to introduce new foods. Allow the baby to take his time to learn to enjoy and savour new textures and flavours.
