What You Need To Know About Starting Solids

Starting solids is a big deal! When my baby was about 4 months old, I started doing a lot of research on how to feed my him solids! I wanted to know what he should and shouldn’t have first. I didn’t find any one place that had all of the information I was looking for, so hopefully this post can help you with that!

If you find this post helpful, check out my recent post How to Introduce Solids Correctly (The Order).

Best Dishes For Starting Solids

Whether you decide to start solids by baby led weaning or by purees, you’ll need some kid friendly dishes! I really like THESE SUCTION BOWLS. At the beginning, they were just useful for heating food more evenly, but as my son has become more interested in touching everything, the bowl stays on his high chair tray and isn’t thrown across the kitchen!

THESE SPOONS are seriously the best! I have used other spoons, and these are by far the easiest to use! The baby will like the spoon, and more food will stay in his mouth. These spoons are meant for baby led weaning, but I have also LOVED using them for purees. I honestly can’t recommend these spoons enough! They are a little pricey, but SO worth it! My husband even agrees that they are worth the money, and that says a lot!

You’ll also want some good bibs for your baby. I really like THESE SILICONE BIBS because they are easy to wipe down, and they do a good job at catching dropped food (which is less clean-up for me).

SIPPY CUPS are important to have too! You want your baby to start learning how to drink out of something other than a bottle when they start solids. Sippy Cups that have handles on them are great for babies learning to hold their drinks on their own.

Pick Which Method You Want to Feed Your Baby

There are two popular ways to introduce solids to your baby now. Each way has it’s pros and cons, and I would definitely recommend discussing both options with your doctor if you aren’t sure what to do.

Baby Led Weaning

Baby led weaning is a newer way to feed solids to your baby. In this method, you give your baby big chunks of food and let them feed themselves. There will be a lot more gagging in this method. Gagging can be scary, but after the first few weeks of baby led weaning, your baby will be so much better at swallowing and they’ll start to gag less. Remember, gagging is good, choking is bad. Be sure to know the difference. Studies have also shown that it tends to prevent babies from being picky eaters. HERE is a video about baby led weaning that might interest you.

Purees

Puree feeding is the more traditional way to start your baby on solid foods. This is when you blend foods so that they are in a puree form (think of a smoothie). You can make your own baby food into purees, or you can buy it at the store. This method involves less gagging, but can be a very slow process.

No matter which method you choose to use to start your baby on solids, you should be educated on what to do if your baby chokes. Shannon Tripp has some amazing courses and story highlights on Instagram that will help you feel confident! Definitely check her out so that you can be prepared to save your baby’s life in case he/she were to choke!

HERE is a list of the order of foods for your baby to eat. Always approve things with your pediatrician before starting them. Hopefully this will help you feel more confident when starting solids!

Do you have any other advice for starting solids with your baby? Tell me in the comments!