Baby Feeding Stages: A Cheat Sheet For Newbie Parents!

"Happiness is to watch your little one try solid food for the very first time and look at the funny faces they make." But what if you don't actually know what and how to feed your little bundles of joy? 

Newbie parents often struggle with the fact that they might not be feeding their babies the right kind of food. That's normal and kind of sweet because this means that you don't want to harm your baby at any cost. Well, feeding a baby isn't as easy as preparing meals and making them eat. There is certainly a lot more to learn when your baby starts eating solid food in their 6th month. It ranges from what they should eat and how they should eat. That's a lot of homework for newbie parents.

 Don't worry! You don't have to go through all the parenting books again. We've got you covered here. This article will walk you through the tips and tricks age-by-age so that you can feed your baby properly. Without any further ado, let's get started right away!

●     Stage 1: No lumps

You might have seen those jars and packages at the grocery store labeled with level numbers and stages. You'll be surprised to know that those are actually helpful. When your baby starts eating solid food, make sure that you understand his/her eating habits and pattern.  

First of all, you need to know that nutritious foods such as rice and cereal were earlier considered ideal starter food. Still, you can go with your guts and start with foods like veggies and fruit purees.  

Secondly, ensure that whatever food you are making your 6-month-old baby eat is thin and has drippy consistency. Pureed food with no lumps or chunks in the food will help your little one swallow properly. You can also mix these purees with breastmilk or formula, for starters. 

Don't get afraid if the first bites come right back out of his/her mouth. He/she is still learning how to swallow. Try using a bib around your baby's neck to avoid the mess.

●     Stage 2: Multiple and complex flavors 

Babies at the age of 8-12 months adapt themselves to solid foods. But it’s still not the time you can feed your baby anything that is in your kitchen. Try to go slow because they are still developing their taste for newly introduced flavors. 

At this stage, you can add multiple flavors to your baby's plate. You can go for food that is rich in protein and iron. You can also start adding small amounts of cooked meat and fish (make sure the pieces are soft.) In fact, you can also try experimenting with a variety of fruits and veggies, such as peeled and grated carrots, apples, peach, and raspberries. Mashed banana and small pieces of cooked pasta such as macaroni and penne can also help in meeting your baby's nutritional needs.  

Try exposing your baby to a variety of flavors and ingredients to develop familiarity. Doing such things at a really young age can help you skip those picky eating phases that start to crop up during the toddler years. In fact, studies show that babies who are exposed to a blend of veggies and fruits are much more likely to accept new and complex flavors later in life.  

But hang on!  

Are you using the right cutlery while feeding your baby? Do you toss the food on the tray and get on with it, or you have separate cutlery for your little one?  

According to the pediatricians, having appropriate baby feeding accessories for your little sunshine helps with adequate food proportions. And a divided plate can help you with precisely that. Choose the ones with cartoons or smilies with multiple compartments so that you can measure the food and fill each section of the plate appropriate for your baby's tiny tummies. Divided plates are a visual reminder that your little one needs a variety of food. Also, using silicon or bamboo plates instead of plastic ones can be a sustainable option for your little bundle of joy.

●     Stage 3: Lumps and finger food

Congratulations! Your little one is now one and can be called a toddler. You might have noticed that your little one has now completely adapted to newly introduced flavors and is responding well to a variety of fruits and veggies. Perfect! 

Now you need to change your baby's eating habits and draft a schedule. According to renowned pediatricians, a toddler should be able to enjoy three meals and be offered two to three snacks a day to fill up his/her small tummy. Try not to force-feed and encourage self-feeding habits.   

Swap bottles with cups and teach your little one how to use a fork and spoon. Don't encourage picky eating habits; instead, teach your toddler to eat everything that's on the plate. Try giving easy instructions such as "food stays on the tray" so that he/she does not create a huge mess for you while eating. Also, mirror healthy eating behaviors so that your baby knows how fun it is to eat all the veggies.  

Also, it's still not time to add treats such as ice creams and cakes on your baby's plate. Keep continuing with veggies and fruits such as avocado and banana. But you can still add small dice of finger foods that are easy to chew. And try to skip packaged snacks; instead, find the ones from your own kitchen so that it is healthy and full of nutrition and, best of all, non-toxic for your little sunshine.

To sum it all up! 

As a parent, everyone wants the best for their kids. And newbie parents are often on their phones with their pediatrician asking what's good or bad for their little ones. But that ends now! You might have understood that the key is to feed the right food in the right way at the right time. Hopefully, the feeding stages mentioned above helped you draft and monitor the feeding habits of your baby without any confusion or dilemma. baby feeding