Is your little one turning 4 months old? Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to 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 do it, just a few wise tips!
When to start giving vegetables or fruits to your baby?
Just yesterday, you were surfing the Milky Way. Your baby was nursing quietly or gulping down bottles without flinching. It was simple: he only drank milk. But from 4 months, this little glutton has already changed a lot... and his body is ready to experience new taste adventures: to put it simply, let's say that his gastrointestinal functions are now able to digest other foods besides milk. This is where everything changes... or almost. No need to put the cart before the horse: until 6 months, milk (breast or formula) remains your baby's main food*. At this point, you're thinking, "OK, fine, but what should I give my little one a taste of to start with?" Find out what first food to give your baby and how.
What vegetables should you introduce into your baby's diet?
Observe, touch, smell, taste... At 4 months old, your baby has only one thing on his mind: discovering new tastes and textures that are still unknown . However, we're going to take it easy! (For the zucchini risotto with goat cheese or the pork sauté with sweet potatoes, we'll have to wait a little longer! Be patient... and take the time to discover!). In agreement with your pediatrician, you will be able to start weaning your baby .
Take advantage of a quiet moment (avoid the teething period, for example!), during a quiet lunch at home, to start weaning and give your baby their first cooked vegetable purée :
- Carrot
- Pea
- Sweet potato
Choose milder vegetables and, above all, don't mix them. The idea is to introduce him to one vegetable at a time so he can discover the true taste of food !
How to diversify your diet?
With your spoon (preferably soft and with rounded edges to start with) and your pretty vegetable puree, you will examine your baby's face.
- Option 1: He opens his mouth (that's already a victory), accepts the puree, swallows it (without spitting: victory number 2) and the cherry on top, lets out a mega smile. We're not going to lie to you, it doesn't work every time, even if we hope it does!
- Option 2: There are still a few times when your dear baby will make a whole bunch of faces or gestures, which, in baby jargon, simply mean "NO THANKS" (yes, all babies are polite). In this case, take a deep breath, keep smiling, stay calm, kindly put your puree away in your favorite container or put away your Pea Bowl and try again... later. Not in 6 months obviously, but simply the next day.
Keep in mind that the more a baby is exposed to a vegetable, the more likely it is that they will end up liking it. So even if it doesn't always seem like a given, don't hesitate to offer it again and again (up to 8 or 10 times). They won't find you heavy! As for quantity, there too, don't panic. For your little one, all this is really new: they will eat at their own pace (sometimes no more than one or two spoonfuls to start) and according to their desires.
What fruits should you introduce into your baby's diet after vegetables?
After vegetables, it's time for fruit ! Two weeks after starting solid foods, continue the adventure of taste with the great fruit family. For dessert or snack time, in addition to milk, offer your baby a cooked fruit purée. As with vegetables, introduce him to only one fruit at a time , without systematically mixing them with apple.
At Good Goût, to give you the best possible chance, we offer pouches with just one fruit :
- Mango
- Banana
- Williams Pear
- Gala Apple
- Plum
So 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, to forget all your preconceptions : just because you think plums are sour or you love mango doesn't mean your baby will share your point of view (yes, we know, it's hard to hear, but your child will have their own tastes and a personality of their own!). Whatever the case, take the positive side of weaning : in a baby's life, it's just an incredible time full of delicious promises!
Reminder:
At the end of the first month of weaning, your baby will eat around 100g of vegetables at lunchtime and 90g of fruit for a snack or dessert in addition to milk.
*Consumption = min between 500 and 750 mL / day
