For many parents, giving their baby that first bite of solid food is a milestone and a memory that they will never forget. Whether it’s peas or carrots, apples or bananas, nothing will delight a baby more than their first chance at real food. But how can parents know when to feed their baby solids for the first time – and what kind of solids should they begin with? This handy guide will get you started thinking about your baby’s nutrition and provide you with tips for talking to your pediatrician!
Ages or Stages?
One question many parents have is whether they should go by their child’s age or developmental stage when feeding. For generations, the answer had been the former, as parents estimated their children were all likely to be ready at the same time. Today, baby food companies and pediatricians alike believe that children all learn, grow and develop differently – and that includes eating! Use estimated feeding stages – gauged by your child’s current activities and milestones – to find what is best for your child right now.
Keeping It Real
A growing trend among parents in the last decade has been the revival of fresh food being fed to babies. What this means is that more and more parents are making their own fresh baby food from simple, wholesome ingredients rather than buying processed foods from their grocer’s shelves. This allows parents to have a better understanding of what is going into their children’s mouths and their bodies.
Unfortunately, not every parent has the luxury of time to spend cooking, puréeing and storing the food their baby needs. Busy working parents still want to provide the best for their children, though, so another growing trend in recent years has been ready-made, fresh baby foods made from simple ingredients. While these are still relatively rare on store shelves, some Atlantic city baby food companies are offering fresh baby food delivered straight to customers’ doors. These brands even offer subscription plans to cut down costs and make ordering easier, so parents can spend more time enjoying the milestone of feeding and less time worrying about when their baby’s food will arrive.
Think it’s time to start feeding your baby solids? Talk to your pediatrician about your baby’s stage and ask about fresh food options available in your area. It might finally be time to break out that baby spoon – and the camera!
