If your baby has started watching you eat at mealtimes, no longer shows signs of the tongue thrust reflex, and can sit up and hold his or her head upright – then it might be time to start the weaning process.
Or, your baby may have already started on solid foods, but you’re wondering how to keep mealtime interesting and your baby nourished.
Many parents wonder, “What are the best starter foods for a post-weaning baby? How fast should new foods be introduced? Will using a baby food maker cut down on prep time?”
You’ve got questions and we’ve got answers.
Here’s what you need to know as your little one enters a brand new phase in life – eating solid foods.
Eat This, Not That – Best Foods for Post-Weaning Baby
Feeding your baby the right foods will make the weaning process much easier. Age-appropriate and nutritious foods will be more appealing, help your little one to grow, and reduce stress and anxiety for everyone.
Here are some great options to get the ball rolling and solid foods in your baby’s tummy!
If you’re just starting out: For the littlest of babes, around 4-6 months of age, choose a single-grain cereal. Start with a runnier consistency by adding plenty of breastmilk or formula. You can gradually thicken the cereal as baby gets used to the concept.
To start adding variety: Once your baby is latching on to this new way of eating, you can move past cereal and start to serve up some new and tasty options.
Fruits, veggies, and meats that have been pureed are all new and exciting ways to tickle your tiny one’s taste buds! Most babies are in this phase between 4 and 8 months of age.
Some favorite options are sweet potatoes, green beans, chicken, bananas, avocado, and more. There are many different approaches on which foods to offer first, but the key here is consistency.
Make sure that pureed fruits, veggies, and meats are truly pureed and won’t pose a choking hazard. This is where a baby food maker can be a real lifesaver – more on that in a moment!
Getting hands-on: If your baby is starting to increasingly use hands and fingers to try and touch the spoon or explore the food you’re offering, it may be time to introduce finger foods.
Many babies are ready for this phase between 6 and 8 months. Watching your child squish a handful of food onto their chin may sound like a dining disaster, but self-feeding is an important part of development.
Again, be sure to watch out for anything that may be a choking hazard. Hard, raw fruits and veggies are likely too much work for little chompers at this stage of life.
Softer foods and those that are easy to grasp with limited motor skills will be easier and safer for your baby.
Your Post-Weaning Survival Tool – A Baby Food Maker
You might be thinking that the transition to solid foods sounds daunting. It can be. The weaning process is often filled with a mix of emotions, challenges, and triumphs.
A baby food maker can help to ease some of the stress. It might not solve all your post-weaning challenges, but it can make healthy, nutritious meals easier to prepare for your baby.
Why is that?
A baby food maker like the Baby Brezza One Step Deluxe Baby Food Maker is capable of steaming hard, tough-to-chew items like apples or potatoes into soft, chewy cubes of delight. It can then blend those same tidbits into a puree that is easily swallowed and digested by little tummies.
What makes the Deluxe Baby Food Maker even better?
Here’s a few facts that real moms and dads like you appreciate about the baby food maker:
- It can steam, blend, or steam and blend automatically at different time settings. Prepare food your way!
- Saves time by automatically blending after steaming, if that’s the setting chosen. No more watching and waiting or dirtying up extra bowls!
- Allows you to know exactly what goes into your baby’s food.
So if your baby is ready to venture into the world of solid foods, pick up a baby food maker today and get ready to steam, blend, and puree your way into a lifetime of healthy eating habits for your little one!