Introducing Foods to Babies
Written on September 3, 2021
Introducing foods to your baby is an exciting time! You have your highchair and your pediatrician’s green light to introduce solids. As you start out on this food filled adventure, here are a few ideas to keep in mind!
Expression is Everything
- When you are introducing foods to your baby, make sure you share the same facial expression/excitement for each food, no matter how YOU feel about that food. Your baby is extremely observant and will notice your dislike before it even hits his/her lips!
Not for Nutrition
- Whether you choose to go the BLW or puree route, your purpose should be about exposure and experiences with food, not quantity or nutrition. This is the time your baby is learning how to eat and experiencing new tastes and textures. If, after a few bites, your baby indicates he/she doesn’t want anymore, let your baby be done! You want your baby to ENJOY this experience so he/she will want to do it again and again!
Messy Mayhem
- Put down the towel! The messier your baby gets now, the less likely they will become overly sensitive to food spills (on his/her body or surroundings). As your child’s feeding skills progress, the messes will naturally decrease!
- Did you know that the sippy cup is the same oral motor pattern as drinking from a bottle/breast? It was invented with the sole purpose of reducing spills. When introducing the “next step” to an infant, we should be introducing the straw and open cup!
If your baby is having difficulty transitioning to solids, BDI Playhouse Children’s Therapy offers free screenings to give you the tools to help your baby “eat” their way to a healthy toddlerhood.
Written by: Jessica Keenan, MA, CCC-SLP/L, CLC
