We’ve recently been getting a lot of questions about how parents can know when their baby is ready to start on Baby Mum-Mum’s. The answer is when your baby is showing signs that she is ready for solid foods, like wanting to open her mouth and let a spoon in, then she is ready for Baby Mum-Mum so get ready for the exciting (and sometimes messy) adventure of introducing solid foods!
Not only are you introducing foods to her tummy for the first time, you are also setting the course for her lifelong eating behaviors. Most global health experts agree that babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life, but this varies from baby to baby and most doctors recommend introducing solid foods between 4 and 6 months of age.
Signs of Readiness for Solid Foods
The leading expert on when it is time to introduce solid foods is actually your baby. Babies will express the following signs when it is time for solids:
- Ability to sit and hold head up unassisted
- Doubling of birth weight
- Loss of the tongue- thrust reflex: when something reaches a baby’s mouth, he automatically pushes them out. This will cease around 6 months when ready for solids
- Reaching for your fork or spoon at mealtime or food off your plate
- Development of the pincer grasp: picking up objects with the thumb and index finger
- Ready and willing to chew
Oftentimes parents, even physicians, will tout increased hunger as another cue of readiness for solid foods but that alone should not be the reason especially if it is too early. Babies often experience a growth spurt around 3-4 months that may require more frequent nursing but often go back to normal within a few weeks. There may also be temporary other factors like teething, cold, flu, or developmental changes so make sure to look at all the signs of readiness for solids. Check out our Nutrition Resource page for more information on introducing solids, teething, and infant and toddler feeding guides provided by Mum-Mum’s own dietitian.
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