Introducing Solids: 4 signs your baby is ready

Let’s talk solids! Introducing solids into your baby’s diet is a huge step—it’s exciting and sure to be messy!

When to Start Solid Foods

Health Canada recommends starting solids at six months. Until then babies only need breastmilk or formula.

Some moms are eager to start their babies on solids as soon as possible, believing it will help them sleep longer (myth!) or that a large baby needs solids sooner (also a myth!); others want to prolong that infant stage by exclusively breastfeeding beyond six months.

But it’s important to get the timing just right.

Introduce solids too late, and your baby will lack vital nutrients like iron. You’ll also risk nurturing a picky eater who has a harder time learning to chew or who refuses textured food.

Introducing solids too early may prematurely slow down your breastmilk, and baby will miss the nutritional advantages it offers. It’s also just hard for young babies to digest solids. Those mothers who say introducing solids early helped baby sleep longer likely started solids at a time when baby would have naturally started sleeping longer anyways!

Signs Your Baby Is Ready to Start Solids

Around the six-month mark, there are four clear developmental signs that your baby is ready for solids. Each baby develops individually, so these signs may be more important than age:

1. Baby should be able to hold his/her head up & sit in a high chair

2. Baby should be able to open his/her mouth wide when you offer food, and closes lips over the spoon

3. Baby turns his or her face away when they have had enough

4. Baby can keep food in his or her mouth instead of pushing it back out.

Baby Gourmet has plenty of healthy options for easing your baby into solids and textures, packed full of nutrients and flavor.

Jennifer House, Registered Dietitician

firststepnutrition.com