Every baby—and every mum and dad—eventually reaches the first-spoonfuls stage: introducing foods other than milk. Parents often worry: Will our baby eat what we cook? Will mealtimes become a struggle? Will we get it right? What if we make a mistake and cause harm? Will every spoonful be a battle? What if our baby is allergic to everything?

Mums and dads, let us reassure you: there is no need to worry or turn mealtimes into a battle. You can handle most situations yourselves. Just remember one basic rule: take it calmly.

When to Introduce Solid Foods—and Why Not to Delay

Even for an exclusively breastfed baby, there comes a time when milk alone is no longer enough. By then, your baby also needs to have started learning to eat a variety of foods. That is why it is important to introduce complementary foods at the right time while continuing to breastfeed, rather than delaying unnecessarily.

A baby’s body is ready for complementary foods between four and six months of age. You can therefore begin offering those first spoonfuls at any point during this period. Doctors have found that delaying the introduction of foods offers no benefit and does not protect babies against developing food allergies.

The opposite may be true: a baby’s body does not recognise unfamiliar foods, perceives them as foreign and may respond with an allergic reaction.

The Benefits of Introducing Foods at the Right Time

Children who start complementary feeding at the appropriate time eat a more varied diet and reject fewer foods than children who start later. They are familiar with more flavours, feel more confident around food and are less reluctant to try unfamiliar foods as they grow older.

Get Ready in Advance

If you have a young baby at home, those first spoonfuls will soon be on the agenda. What will you need?

Prepare Yourself Mentally

The most important step is to stay calm. It is completely normal for your baby to reject new flavours, spit food out, dig around in the bowl and throw food everywhere. This is a natural part of development: babies explore food with all their senses.

There is also a new object in their mouth—a plastic spoon—along with a completely unfamiliar taste. Mum is no longer right beside their cheek, and they are not drinking breast milk. They may feel confused, uncertain or even a little afraid of what comes next.

Believe us, at this age your baby is not doing it on purpose or showing a lack of appreciation for the effort you put into cooking. Those first foods really are about trying a few spoonfuls. Do not expect your baby to finish a whole plate straight away.

And do not worry about them going hungry. They still have breast milk or formula from a bottle. Feel free to take a break tomorrow, recharge your patience and try the same spoonful again the following day.

Colourful Bowls and Spoons

Babies discover the world through all their senses, so why not let their bowls and spoons be part of that experience? Buy baby spoons and bowls in advance and let your baby play with them and explore them with their mouth. When the time comes for that first spoonful, the spoon will already feel familiar, making your baby less likely to resist it.

Choose your baby’s first feeding utensils carefully. Buy only products certified as safe for feeding young children. Before using them for the first time, wash them thoroughly—ideally with a product designed for baby feeding equipment—and sterilise them in boiling water.

Wipe-Clean Table Covers and Washable Bibs

Expect food to end up everywhere. This is partly because your baby may become frustrated and spit food out, but also because their development includes a stage of exploring objects with both their hands and mouth. Bringing things from hand to mouth is entirely normal. Keep this in mind and do not punish your baby for it. This stage will pass.

Instead, prepare for the mess:

  • Get bibs that you can wipe clean or boil-wash.
  • Put away the tablecloth for a while and use a wipe-clean mat instead.
  • If you have a wooden floor beneath the dining table, consider temporarily placing an office chair mat underneath—by “temporarily”, we mean the next three years—to protect delicate surfaces from food damage.

A High Chair

You should start introducing complementary foods when your baby can sit up at least a little. A wipe-clean high chair with an adjustable seating position can therefore be useful. Younger babies need more support and may find a semi-upright position more suitable for eating.

However, every baby develops at their own pace, and some learn to sit later. You can also offer those first mouthfuls:

  • while holding your baby in a side-cradle position,
  • in a baby bouncer,
  • in an infant car seat.

Always keep your baby’s head and at least part of their chest upright.

Never try to feed your baby while they are lying flat.

Suitable Ingredients

Decide what will work for you: will you cook every day, or use jars of baby food? There is no need to worry about either option—you can combine the two as needed.

Always use fresh ingredients with no signs of spoilage, mould, rot or sprouting. Wash and peel them thoroughly before cooking, then cook them well in water suitable for infants, without adding salt.

When using jars of baby food, always check:

  • that the food is suitable for your baby’s age,
  • that it is within its use-by date,
  • that the lid makes a popping sound when you open it.

If the lid does not pop, do not give the food to your baby, even if it is still within its use-by date.

Autor: Jitka Tomešová