Your baby’s food
The moment when you start to diversify your baby’s food is crucial to shaping your “culinary” personality. In fact, this moment extends, from 6 months, when he/she first tastes the fruit puree, up to 3 years, when, he/she has already tasted of all the foods you have offered.
The way you present the food, the way you cook it, the way you serve it, all these counts. So, you have to know from the very beginning how to make your baby not become a tasteless child when it comes to foods.
Here are 5 tips for successful baby-led weaning:
Choose the temp
In the first 6 months of life, baby is dependent on breast or nipple, and is all he needs.
From 6 months one of the meals will become juice or mashed fruit, then vegetables, and filled with milk. Then, from 7 to 8 months, three meals a day will be a dish (morning fruits, vegetable meals with or without marmalade, 5-6 yoghurt, cheese).
These moments must be chosen carefully so that the child is not tired, not upset, not to be inconvenienced. The kid has to be hungry, but not too hungry, and around him there should be silence, no loud music, not phone calls, no nothing.
All these conditions are especially important during the first three months of baby-led weaning, when the little one becomes accustomed to the program and to the tastes, the texture, and the new foods.
The baby has to feel comfortable from the beginning around the food, not to think that meal time is a punishment, a torment, but nothing that will spoil him.
Do not quit
At first, you will see that the little one takes some bites and then refuses to open his mouth on all foods!
What you feel to be very tasty, to him is still unclear, weird, mysterious.
Refusing to eat does not mean he does not like it. That is why you must not give up serving it.
Give up on that day but during the next day try again, over a week again, over a month again. You could even have the surprise that a few days later, when you give the same food to your baby, you beloved one will enjoy it.
Studies have shown that it takes at least 15 attempts, on average, until a child accepts a new food.
Varied baby menus
Even you, the one who thinks you are not moody, after eating three times in a row a vegetable soup, you won’t really want to eat it anymore. So does your baby.
As soon as the little one has become accustomed to the act of eating solid food, put on his menu as many food as possible and as soon as possible – a new food for three days, is one good rule.
That does not mean giving him the same food. Have you already introduced the carrot? Then add it to mashed potatoes and celery, then pasta, then potatoes.
You will be able to see if there is any reaction to the new food introduced but you can also offer new flavors to make your kid happy.
Be creative!
If you see that your baby likes bananas, add them over the fruits your baby usually refuses.
If he likes potatoes, mix them with the unblemished spinach. If you do not know what foods to include in the menu, think about the colors of the rainbow and make a list of fruits and vegetables that belong to each rainbow color.
Do not forget about spices! From 9 months, after your little one got used to new tastes, you can also add various spices. They are healthy and offer a delicious taste: parsley, dill, nutmeg, cinnamon, sweet pepper, ginger, sage, vanilla, mint.
Let them know what they eat
Children are in love with the things they recognize. It offers them a huge sense of comfort. So, whenever you give your kid something to eat, tell him/her what food he.she is going to eat.
Show the food in books and magazines and tell your kid about the food. Do not let the food be a mystery to your baby.
Studies have even shown that a child is more willing to taste a new fruit if he is already familiar with it. And as it grows, keep the little one near you in the kitchen when you cook.
Show him how to prepare different foods and do not forget that people are withdrawing from everything that is unknown to them.
Conclusion
In order to achieve the best level or to improve yourself in what you want to do you need more resources, not just knowledge.
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