Mothers are usually very excited when it’s time to introduce solid foods to their babies. The excitement comes with the knowledge that their baby is growing, and they can stop exclusive breastfeeding as their babies try other kinds of foods.
However, the eagerness fades pretty quickly when the process comes with some unexpected results. This is why mothers should be well-informed about what usually happens at this stage of their baby’s development. This article tells you some of the things to expect when your baby starts on solid foods.
You May Have To Try Several Times
It could take time for your baby to get used to a particular flavor or taste. In fact, it could take 10 to 20 attempts for a baby to love food. They’re new to this and you have to be patient with them. Don’t be discouraged when you see your baby doesn’t like a specific food for the first time. They’ll eventually come around to love it.
At this stage, you need to switch from infant formula to toddler formula, such as organic whole milk from Serenity Kids. This will provide additional nutrition as your baby gets accustomed to solid foods.
Since babies generally love sweet flavors, they may prefer fruits over vegetables, which usually have a bland taste. You may wait for about a week before giving your baby a particular food that was once rejected. You could also mix new foods with the old ones that your baby loves. In other words, you just have to try and try again.
They Could Make A Face
You may have put a lot of effort into preparing your baby’s food and you have high expectations for your baby to love it. Upon tasting it, your baby may make a face, but that shouldn’t discourage you.
This is not to say they don’t like the food, it’s simply new to them. It’s normal for babies to make funny faces while trying out different flavors they’re not used to. This is something you should expect. As you keep feeding them solid foods, they’ll eventually get used to them and eventually like the taste.
You may visit myserenitykids.com for more baby food options for your little one to try.
There Would Be A Huge Mess
This is a baby. You can’t expect them to be as prim and proper as adults. Your baby will make a huge mess of their eating area, that’s for sure. That could mean a lot of work for you, but it’s part of the process. There’s hardly anything you can do about it.
The best you can do is make the cleaning job a little easier by lining their eating area with plastic to prevent stains. After feeding your baby, you may need to clean the floor and other areas where the food may have landed along with your little one. This will go on for a while, but it’s worth it.
Poopy Diapers All The Way
This is one sign that lets you know your baby actually ate the food and didn’t just make a big mess out of it. However, you should expect the nature of your baby’s poop to change because of the introduction of solid foods and playing around the pool.
If you’re used to your baby’s easy-to-clean poop while feeding exclusively on breast milk or baby formula, you shouldn’t be worried or surprised when you see your baby’s poop looking more like yours. It only tells you that your baby is growing and you should be a proud mom.
Gagging Occurs More Frequently
Gagging is a reflex commonly seen in babies as they start eating solid foods. They can’t help it. It’s simply a reaction that brings food back into their mouth so they can chew it better.
It’s normal for your baby to have a gag reflex. But watch them closely to ensure they don’t choke on their food.
Your Baby May Want Less Milk
You should expect that your baby will want less milk now that they’re consuming solid foods. There’s no reason to worry as this is probably the best time to wean your baby off your breast.
The reduced milk intake will give them more space to try out new solid foods. Their demand for breast milk or baby formula will gradually reduce as they get used to solid foods.
Your Baby May Sleep Less
You might have been used to your baby falling asleep easily after getting their fill of milk. And you probably expect it to continue when they start eating solid foods. However, that may not always be the case.
Your baby may sleep less as they start on solid foods. They might even wake up at night in case of stomach reactions to new foods. Don’t be surprised to discover that your baby is no longer asleep for most of the day.
Conclusion
Before you know it, your baby starts to eat the same food as other members of the family at 12 months. This is the beauty of the process of introducing solid foods to your baby. However, don’t expect this to happen easily without any challenges. Also, note that your baby is unique and may react to solid foods differently from other babies.
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