Everything we did to introduce Sage to solids, including what we chose for baby’s first foods, how we knew she was ready and what we learned along the way.

By the time Sage turned six months old I had breastfeeding down to an art, but I couldn’t stay too comfortable for long. It was time to introduce solids! Here’s everything we did in the first few weeks of starting solids, and everything we learned along the way. 

How we knew Sage was ready to start solids

One thing we started doing long before starting her on solids was just sitting her in her high chair once she could sit up on her own with support so that she could get used to it. She’d play in there and hang out even while we would eat at the dinner table. That way it wasn’t a totally new experience. 

Why do babies start solids around 6 months?

I’m sure there are many more reasons to start feeding your baby at 6 months old and I’m no expert. I’m just a first time mama learning as I go, but here are a few I thought were interesting! Remember EVERY baby is different and it’s always best to speak to your doctor/health professional once you feel your baby is ready to begin solids. 

• Iron storages start to deplete from birth so they need to get it from food once they’re around 6 months old
• Their digestive system is ready around now
• Solid food will support their growth and help meet energy and nutrient needs 
• There is a window around 8-11 months for babies to learn how to chew and swallow their food
• Prevent picky eaters by introducing them to a variety of food, flavours and textures
• It’s a fun, sensory experience for their development

Baby led weaning vs purees

There’s a lot of pressure these days to choose baby led weaning. It’s the ‘in’ thing. There are of course lots of benefits to baby led weaning, but I think the main thing I’ve learned over these past few weeks is to do what’s right for you and your baby. Everyone is different. As with most things parenting related, you’ve got to follow your gut instinct. I decided to do a combo of baby led weaning and thicker purees, and it’s worked really well for us. 

The key for us has been to pre-load the spoon and still encourage Sage to feed herself even when she’s eating purees. Did you know, this is still technically considered baby led weaning? I didn’t either! 

I recommend researching a lot of different methods and coming up with your own plan, rather than trying to follow someone else’s. I found the Happy Healthy Eaters course SO helpful and informative. If you want to try it out be sure to use the code SAGEEATS for 15% off!

Baby’s first foods

Here are the foods we decided to try Sage on during the first few weeks. We made sure to give her only one new food at a time for a few days so that we could check for any reactions, and that’s worked really well for us. Then slowly combining foods such as peas and banana and adding baby friendly spices like cinnamon in her morning oatmeal. Be sure to check out the post I did on Baby Food Resources I’ve Been Loving, where I show you the utensils we’ve been using and some recipe books that have been super helpful.

• Avocado
• Sweet potato
• Bananas
• Broccoli
• Carrot
• Peas

What we’ve learned over the past few weeks

These few weeks have been a whirlwind, but we’ve learned a lot of things and are continuing to learn each day. Here’s what we’ve learned so far:

 

• Take your time to feel prepared before you start.
• Feed your baby in just a diaper – less mess and less clothes to clean!
• Trust your mommy instinct. You know your child better than anyone.
• Do you research, but don’t feel pressured into a specific approach.
• Use a silicone bib with a lip that catches falling food for easy clean up
• Don’t expect miracles. To begin with, baby will be more interested in playing with the food than eating it. That’s okay!
• Have a little bowl with warm water next to you so that you can wipe everything down easily.
• Taking a course is super helpful and increases your confidence. If you want to try the course I did (which I loved!) be sure to use code SAGEEATS for 15% off!

 

Have you got any top tips for introducing solid foods? I’m always on the lookout for suggestions so let me know in the comments below! 

If you’re preparing to start your baby on solid foods, you may also want to check out my Baby Food Resources I’ve Been Loving post.