Switching over from formula to solid foods is an important stage of a child's growth and diet cycle. It is the first step to starting a new dietary lifestyle altogether, because this is when your child gets the first taste of the food he is going to consume for the rest of his life.
Age
The American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) guidelines state that the ideal age for switching from breast milk or formula to solid foods is when the baby is four to six months old. If started earlier, the digestive system is not stable enough to process solid foods. Moreover, the child's immunity levels are usually not high prior to this stage, hence ingesting solid food is likely to lead to infections. Until this age, foods such as water, juices and other supplements are not necessary because breast milk or formula have as much of these nutrients as the child needs.
Signs It's Time to Switch
Parents should look for the first signs that the child is ready for solid food. When your child is able to fork his tongue out for longer periods, it is safe to assume that he is not likely to choke or throw solid foods out. If he is able to lift his neck without support and can support his head by himself, this is another sign that he can be given solid food. Another vital sign that the baby is ready for solid food is a psychological sign. If the baby stares at food that other members of the family are eating and makes an attempt to grab it, it means he is looking to try that food out!
Making the Switch
Despite the child's readiness, the parents or caregivers should make sure the process is a gradual one. One simple thing to try at first is to make sure your child is hungry when the first real food is offered. Parents should be prepared to keep formula ready or be prepared for the mother to breast feed if your child does not accept the food, which is new to him, after all.
It is ideal to start with foods that are soft and easy to swallow and digest. Rice cereal is the ideal first solid food as it is gluten free and not many are allergic. Other foods such as ground carrot or non-citrus fruits can also be tried. Add these foods gradually one at a time, after your child appears to have mastered eating cereal. Only one new food should be added every three days (or one new food a week if allergies run in your family or your baby has an allergic reaction) so you can monitor your baby for signs of allergic reaction and easily be able to identify any foods that cause digestive upset.
Babies may not eat very much at first, as they have to get used to putting food in their mouth and swallowing it. As a result, they may spit much of the food out when first offered. You should expand from the rice cereal only when they begin to swallow that and seem ready to move on to other foods.
It is equally important to avoid some foods such as juices, eggs, citrus fruits and cow's milk as a baby's digestive system may be unable to process these foods. Baby Center suggests waiting until a child is 12 months old before introducing these foods.
