Encourage a Baby to Eat Solid Food - Pick the right time to try. If you are nursing, consider giving your baby solids when your milk supply is lowest. For most women, this is in the late afternoon and early evening. However, if your baby is very hungry in the morning, you may want to try then. Be flexible and if you aren't successful at one time, try another. Start with one meal a day and gradually add a second meal.
Take your cues from your baby. If you are ready to give your baby solids in the afternoon and she is tired and fussy, you may want to reconsider. Introducing your baby to anything new is unlikely to go well when she is sleepy and cranky. Wait until your baby is happy and alert before giving solids a try.
Encourage a Baby to Eat Solid Food
Give your baby a bit of milk or formula before giving food. Be sure not to give him too much milk. Give him just enough to whet his appetite and make him receptive to try solids. This will also ensure that your baby is not too hungry to experiment without getting frustrated.
Give you and your baby plenty of time. Do not try to squeeze mealtime into a 5-minute period. Your baby will spend much time spitting out and playing with the new foods. Be aware of this and allot enough time for her meals.
Put your baby in an appropriate seat or high chair. This will make the experiences a bit easier and a lot less messy. Be sure that your baby is comfortable in the seat or high chair You may even want to set it up a few days before the planned introduction. Put your baby in the chair and let him get used to it before trying to feed him. This way, he will not have to deal with two new experiences at the same time.
You will probably begin feeding your baby solids between 4 and 6 months of age. At first, more food will end up on the bib, high chair and you, then will end up in your baby's tummy. Do not be discouraged. As long as your baby is still nursing or eating formula, the amount of food that your baby actually consumes is irrelevant. Consider this time to be a learning period in your baby's life. Remember, that she is only used to a liquid diet of milk or formula. She is bound to reject foods, at first. Give her time to get used to the different flavors and textures of food. Here are some ideas for getting your baby to eat solid foods successfully. - by eHow
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