What are the first foods to start weaning your baby?
Your youngest is 4 months old? Your mission, should you choose to accept it: introduce your baby to a whole new range of tastes and textures. Don't worry, you won't need to be a spy or a superhero to succeed, just a few wise tips!
When should you start giving vegetables or fruit to your baby?
Just yesterday, you were surfing the Milky Way. Your baby nursed peacefully or gulped down bottles without a fuss. It was simple: they only drank milk. But from 4 months onwards, this little glutton has already changed quite a bit... and their body is ready for new taste adventures: to put it simply, let's say their gastrointestinal functions are now able to digest foods other than milk. That's when everything changes... or almost. No need to put the cart before the horse: until 6 months, milk (breast milk or formula) remains your baby's main source of nutrition*. Now you're thinking: "OK, fine, but what do I introduce my little one to first?" Discover what the first food should be and how to introduce it.
What vegetables should you introduce into your baby's diet?
Observing, touching, smelling, tasting... At four months old, your baby has only one thing on their mind: discovering new tastes and textures . However, we'll take it slowly! (So, for zucchini and goat cheese risotto or pork stir-fry with sweet potatoes, we'll wait a little longer! Be patient... and take the time to explore!). With your pediatrician's approval, you can begin introducing solid foods .
Take advantage of a quiet moment (avoid teething periods, for example!), during a leisurely lunch at home, to start introducing solid foods and let your baby taste their first puree of cooked vegetables :
- Carrot
- Little Pea
- Sweet potato
Choose milder vegetables and, above all, don't mix them. The idea is to introduce him to only one vegetable at a time so he can discover the true taste of food !
How to introduce solid foods?
With your spoon (preferably flexible and with rounded edges to start with) and your lovely vegetable puree, you will scrutinize your baby's face.
- Option 1: He opens his mouth (that's already a victory), accepts the purée, swallows it (without spitting: victory number 2), and, to top it all off, flashes a huge smile. We won't lie to you, this doesn't work every time, even if we hope it does!
- Option 2: There are, of course, a few times when your dear baby will make all sorts of faces or gestures that, in baby lingo, simply mean "NO THANKS" (yes, all babies are polite). In this case, take a deep breath, keep smiling, stay calm, gently put their purée back in their favorite container or put away their Pea Bowl , and try again... later. Not in six months, obviously, but simply the next day.
Keep in mind that the more a baby is exposed to a vegetable, the more likely they are to eventually enjoy it. So even if it doesn't always seem like a sure thing, don't hesitate to offer it again and again (up to 8 or 10 times). They won't find you pushy! As for quantity, there's no need to panic. For your little one, all of this is truly new: they will eat at their own pace (sometimes no more than one or two spoonfuls to start) and according to their appetite.
What fruits should you introduce into your baby's diet after vegetables?
After vegetables, it's time for fruit ! Two weeks after starting solids, continue the adventure of taste with the wide variety of fruits. At dessert time or for an afternoon snack, in addition to milk, offer your baby a purée of cooked fruit. As with vegetables, introduce only one fruit at a time , without always mixing it with apple.
At Good Goût, to give you the best chance of success, we offer pouches with a single fruit :
You'll be spoiled for choice when it comes to first foods, and so will your baby. The important thing, here too, is to never give up and, above all , forget all your preconceived notions : just because you find plums too sour or you love mango doesn't mean your baby will share your opinion (yes, we know, it's hard to hear, but your child will have their own tastes and a unique personality!). In any case, look on the bright side of introducing solids : in a baby's life, it's simply an incredible time, full of delicious promise!
Reminder:
At the end of the first month of weaning, your baby will eat approximately 100g of vegetables at lunchtime and 90g of fruit at snack time or dessert in addition to milk.
*Consumption = minimum between 500 and 750 mL / day
