Look for these signs that your baby is developmentally ready to start solids:. Your baby may not know what to do at first. She may look confused, wrinkle her nose, roll the food around her mouth, or reject it altogether. Increase the amount of food gradually, with just a teaspoonful or two to start.
This allows your baby time to learn how to swallow solids. Do not make your baby eat if she cries or turns away when you feed her. Go back to nursing or bottle-feeding exclusively for a time before trying again. NOTE: Do not put baby cereal in a bottle because your baby could choke. It also may increase the amount of food your baby eats and can cause your baby to gain too much weight.
Rarely, cereal in a bottle may be recommended if your baby has reflux. There is no medical evidence that introducing solid foods in any particular order has an advantage for your baby.
In the past, single-grain cereals rice, oat, barely have usually been introduced first, however for most babies it does not matter what is given first. Nowadays we generally recommend avoiding rice cereal because of possible arsenic contamination and because it tends to constipation. There is no evidence that your baby will develop a dislike for vegetables if fruit is given first.
Babies are born with a preference for sweets, and the order of introducing foods does not change this. They will not necessary love vegetables if given veggies first! If your baby has been mostly breastfeeding, he may benefit from baby food with iron meat, or iron-fortified cereal early on. Once your baby learns to eat one food, gradually give him other foods.
