Feeding your baby is an exciting milestone in his development. It helps him discover new flavours and textures other than milk and you could now use that cute baby tableware that you have been keeping for so long. Aside from knowing the best foods to give your little one when he is still starting on solids, you might also need some tricks when feeding the baby. Here are some simple tips that could help you make your baby?s mealtime more manageable and enjoyable.?
Introduce Feeding Utensils
If you?re already planning to start your baby on solid food, you could pick his interest by introducing feeding utensils that he?ll be commonly using ? from spoons, baby feeding bowls, a cup, and many more. Simply allow him to look and explore these things. By the time you start feeding, those things won?t feel new to him anymore and he?ll be more willing to cooperate in the feeding process.?
Encourage Exploration
It is common for babies to play with their food since it feels like a new thing to them. Although it would end up really messy, this is actually baby?s way of exploring and learning about the new foods that you feed him. It also teaches your baby to feed himself by picking up finger foods and leading to his mouth. Just encourage this kind of exploration to support your little one?s learning.
Keep Baby Seated
When feeding your baby, it is best to let him stay seated during the entire duration of the feeding. It helps develop his balance and develop the skill of sitting upright without a support. It also helps them get used to the norm of staying seated when eating. It would really be a lot more convenient feeding your little one without having to chase him around the house or sit with him while playing with toys during mealtime.
Avoid Force Feeding
There might be some foods that your baby doesn?t want to eat. It?s normal for your baby to turn away to some foods or cry when you feed him food that he doesn?t like. If this happens, just quit and try again next time. The more kinds of food you let your baby try, the more exposure he gets and would be a lot more explorative in choosing foods.
This also applies when your baby already had enough food and feel full. Don?t force him for some extra bites since it could even make his stomach upset when he eats in excess. When feeding a baby, it is important to keep the experience fun and enjoyable. Force feeding won?t do any good since your baby would associate feeding to a negative experience instead of something to look forward to.
Once you notice that your baby is starting to get interested in foods, usually about 6 months of age, you could already start feeding him solid foods little by little, until he gets used to it. It might be a messy experience but everything is all worth it when your baby grows up eating healthy.
