Early Solid Food Feeding Techniques

by | Feb 26, 2014 | 0-6 Months, 6-12 Months, Featured, Uncategorized | 0 comments

On Saturday, we had guest speaker Cynthia Epps (infant feeding specialist) come in to give us some tips on early solid food feeding techniques. Here are some suggestions for our parents:

  • To protect the baby’s most important nutrient, his/her breastmilk or formula, you may offer one one meal/day for the first month, then two meals with two foods per day for the second month.
  • You may keep your baby seated facing outward, on your lap, or, you may sit him/her up straight in a high chair facing you. If baby faces you, sit directly in front of him/her
  • Use a small, shallow-bowled, long handled soft tipped spoon
  • Allow him/her to discover the first spoon, coated with pureed “food flavor”
  • Hold your spoonful of food so he/she can see it, about 12 inches from baby’s mouth
  • Wait for your baby to “cue” – pay attention to the spoon of food before you try to feed it
  • Anticipate your baby’s grasp, and encourage him/her to take the spoon by placing the stem across your baby’s open palm
  • You may also gently drip food onto your baby’s lower lip
  • Offer a second spoonful and follow your baby’s cues – dripping onto the lips until your baby opens his/her mouth
  • Drip the food into his/her mouth only when he/she opens up
  • Feed as slowly or as fast as your baby wants to eat
  • Always pause and wait for him/her to show you readiness before offering the next spoonful
  • Let baby touch the food on the spoon and/or tray to explore. This can get messy, but is normal food exploration to develop self-feeding skills
  • Talk to your baby and keep him/her company during the feed, but don’t be exciting or entertaining
  • Stop feeding as soon as your baby indicates he/she is done – small whimpers, sudden arching, hands waving, and head turning away
  • Never force your baby to finish another “bite or two”
  • Babies eat better when they feel like they have control of the situation

Cynthia says: “Remember, if you want to encourage your baby to try a new food, simply fill the spoon, allow him/her to see it, and then put it into your mouth. Smile, swallow, and offer the next spoonful to your baby, without comment. Children cannot resist a happy parent model!” We thank Cythina for joining us at the group and sharing great information with us!

Cynthia Epps, MS, IBCLC

MotherWork

Metabolic Nutritionist

Board Certified Lactation Consultant

(310) 458-6430  

 

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