Ways to start on solid food for your baby

As a mother of a very picky daughter, it takes so much energy just to try to let her eat everymealtime. Everytime she eats, the food stays inside her mouth for a long time so I would always have to remind her to chew her food, swallow her food. Letting her eat was very hard that there was a time that she really lost weight when she started schooling. I hope mothers out there would find these tips helpful to those whose babies are just starting on their solid food will have better eating habits.



To improve eating:

* serve small portions

* make mealtime pleasant

* help your child recognize hunger

* have your child eat sitting down with the family for at least 1 meal/day

* make her feel in control

* serve it so often so she can be familiar with it.

* have her eat at the table with you

* have her around other children & let her see them eat. It may spark her curiosity & motivation to try it herself.

* timing counts: appetites are keenest at the start of a meal, so offer new foods first & have a backup

* When introducing new food, wait at least 3 days before introducing another one.

* it takes at least 8-10 tries of a new food before it becomes an accepted food. Research has shown that the more often a young child sees and tries a new food the more apt she is to like it. If she rejects new food, you need to repeat your offer up to 15 times, at one week intervals. Don't force your child to eat a new food, but at least 2 bites.

* servings should gradually increase from a few teaspoons to about 2 tablespoons twice a day

* Have your child participate. Accompany her to the market to help choose a new vegetable or fruit for the whole family to try.

*Most kids don't like mushy foods, specially on veggies, start on carrots, yams, squash. Don't overcook for most veggies, color, crunch, and character are preserved with just a brief blanching

* Set a good example yourself works better than pushing her to swallow every bite of strained vegetables.

* When parents get stressed out over toddler's actions, he feels even more powerful and is likely to keep repeating the behavior to get attention. If you don't push her to eat, there's nothing to resist. So to put an end to the battle, don't bribe or beg-- and try to ignore her antics.

* another way to satisfy a toddler's need for control is to give her a role in preparing the meal.