Once your baby has enjoyed a few single foods, you can start mixing them together so she gets to experience different flavors. Mixing iron rich foods (cereals or spinach, as examples) with a food rich in Vitamin C (oranges or lemon) is a great combination. The Vitamin C increases your baby’s absorption of the iron, and both are needed to build new tissues.
Rejection
Dr. Linda, what should I do if my baby doesn’t like a food the first time she tries it?
Your baby making a funny face when she is introduced to a new food is not considered a sign of dislike or of a food reaction. She is born preferring sweet tastes and disliking bitter or sour foods. Did you know she can’t even taste salty flavors until she is 4 months old?
Why this is
One theory is that sweet foods (breastmilk) are high in energy and so babies prefer them. Another theory is that foods which are toxic to humans are generally bitter or sour, so we learned, as a species, to avoid them. Unfortunately, many of the foods that are very good for us are considered ‘bitter’ such as broccoli, spinach, kale and green leafy vegetables.
So, if your baby makes a funny face but is eating the food, keep giving it to her, you are not hurting her!
If, on the other hand, she refuses to take it by closing her mouth or by pushing it away, offer it another few times during that meal. If she continues to refuse it, stop it for now, and offer her another food you know she likes or just go to milk to finish that feeding.
Try this:
Then, wait a few days and try that same food again. She may like it this time, but if she doesn’t, don’t give up! Picky eaters are made by accident. Parents who don’t know any better, take one or two rejections of a food as final, so they stop offering their babies that food. Studies show that you must try offering any new food up to 15 separate times before you can know for sure that your baby is not going to take it. Even in that instance, wait a few weeks and try again.
Tastes develop and change, you never know.
Remember. Linda’s Dr. Linda’s first RULE for baby diets: there are no hard and fast rules!
Guidelines on Texture
4-6 Months Old
When your baby is 4-6 months old, give her smooth, runny purees.
Increase the thickness every 1-2 weeks or as you baby tolerates it.
To make foods thinner, use clean filtered water, breastmilk, or formula to thin the consistency.
Around 6-8 Months Old
Your baby can advance to thicker, lumpy foods when she can:
- Sit up alone
- Reach for food
- Handle smooth pureed foods well
Around 8-10 Months Old
Your baby will be ready for finger foods when:
- She handles thicker, lumpier foods well
- She chews her food and then swallows it
- She sits up by herself.
- Is putting food into her mouth on her own.
Around 9-12 Months Old
You baby can advance to table foods once your baby can:
- Feed herself efficiently
- Drink from a sippy cup on her own.
Baby-led Weaning
Over the last few years baby-led weaning has become more popular. See my blog on Is my baby ready for solids for more detail. If you have a very opinionated, independent baby you can try baby-led weaning
You can always mix up the textures of the food you give your baby. You can give pureed, mashed and finger foods in any combination that suits you and your baby.
Finger Food
Here are some examples of healthy, safe finger foods:
- Soft, small pieces of fruit
- Small soft pieces of vegetables
- Small pieces of cheese
- Small soft pieces of tender meats
- Small soft pieces of cooked pasta
Foods to Avoid Until 3 Years of Age
The swallowing mechanism is incredibly complex. It requires a combination of combination of brain, nerve, and muscle development. In fact, the ability to swallow safely does not fully develop until your child is at least 3 years old.
The risk of choking depends not just on the size and shape of certain foods that can get stuck in the airway like peanuts and hotdogs, but also on the consistency of the foods. For example, thick nut butters can be a choking risk for young babies, and a hard consistency is a risk up to the toddler and preschool ages.
Choking Hazards
For any child less than 3 years old, these foods present a choking hazard:
- Whole nuts, especially peanuts. You may try nut butters with young babies (see blog on food allergies) as long as you thin them out and they are not too thick. Start with a very small amount and carefully increase if your baby does well with it and does not have a reaction to it.
- Grapes
- Raisins
- Popcorn – the kernels are a particular hazard
- Hard candies
- Raw carrots
- Hot dogs
For a more extensive list go to the CDC Website
If your baby is choking badly, having difficulty breathing or turning blue call 911 immediately.
In resources you will find links to 2 good videos on handling choking in your baby should it happen. Make sure to watch them. It is also a great confidence booster for most parents to get training in infant CPR.
Also read Part 1 on Baby Food Advancing
If you are interested in homemade baby food you can read about it here
To your holistic health and happiness,
Dr. Linda
