Part 1 of this article can be accessed here

Expert article discussing new guidelines on solids here

Introducing Solids - Part 2

Some tips before starting out

Remember that all babies are different. They eat different amounts, have different taste and texture preferences, and progress at different rates. (See Figure 1 for general guidelines.)

When starting out, offer breast milk or formula first so bub gets all his or her nutrients each day.

Avoid upset tummies by not pushing bub to eat too much initially. He or she will quickly learn to show you they are ready for more.

Introduce new foods only once every 3-5 days and always check for reactions.

The top foods for allergic reaction include egg, milk, seafood, nuts, soy and wheat (not in any order).

Make your purees for storage thicker than you need so you can thin them down and warm them up after being refrigerated with boiling water, breast milk or formula.

When preparing purees for bub to eat straight away, don't make them too thick; they should be soupy to start with until your little one is drinking water. This can help to reduce the likelihood of constipation.

In the early days, use ice-cube trays to store cooked pureed vegetables. They are a handy size, just pop out, and are easy to thaw. Ensure they are covered and name and date the pack. Some kitchen storage companies make sealed ice-cube containers which can be very useful.

Cook up to three or four vegies (in separate pots) and puree or m ash them. Using 250 ml air-tight containers, fill only a third of the container, label, date and freeze. You can take out three at a time to make mixed vegies. This gives you the freedom to make different mixes as often as you choose and helps to ensure a varied diet.

It is always handy to have some ice-cubes of clean boiled water in the freezer. If the pureed food is too hot, just pop in an ice-cube to cool and thin it down ready for use.

Chop woodier vegies like parsnips into smaller pieces to cook faster and make pureeing or m ash ing easier.

Buy bibs of different colours. Why? Well, use a bib the same colour as the food you are serving to bub, for example a red bib for beetroot days, a green one for pea days and so on.

Keep in mind that:

When baby starts teething, this may affect their appetite so don't be put off if he or she seems to have lost interest at this point. It is likely to just be temporary.

It can take up to 10 or more exposures for a baby to take to something new, perseverance is important! Don't confuse rejection with permanent dislike.

Avoid imposing adult meal and food preferences onto your baby; they don't need specific 'breakfast-type' foods such as sweet foods. There is plenty of time for that beyond 12 months.

When bub starts to become mobile they sometimes temporarily lose interest in food as this new-found movement is more interesting to them. They will be fine and it will pass.

Cleanliness and safety

Without doubt, cleanliness is crucial to avoiding food contamination. Most of us are very careful with hygiene; however, when dealing with food, it's worth remembering the following:

• Wash fruit and scrub vegetables before use or before refrigerating.
• Use hot soapy water to wash your hands.
• Use appropriate cutting boards. Wooden boards have been shown to yield the lowest bacterial covering after use and w ash ing.
• Take care when heating food in a microwave as the food can be hotter in certain areas than others.
• Do not cross-contaminate foods, for example raw meats, poultry or eggs should not be placed together.
• Avoid using your fingers to handle food.
• Keep hair away from food.
• Reduce the food's exposure to anyone who may be unwell.
• Wash sponges in the machine or place in the microwave for two minutes and replace regularly.
• Clean up food spills with paper towels and dispose immediately.
• If in doubt, discard food that is suspicious.

Food and safe eating

A recent study of food-related choking in America found that 90% occurred in infants and children under the age of 5 years and 65% in children under 2. Of the 103 foods studied, round-shaped foods were found to be the most common offenders. The study found the following foods to be most risky (in order):

• Hot dogs and sweets
• Nuts
• Grapes

To further avoid choking, ensure your baby eats only while sitting. NEVER leave infants or young children to eat alone. Avoid hard and round small foods; instead chop food into irregular small pieces and quarter grapes. Some reports suggest avoiding sticky foods such as melted cheeses and peanut butter; however, there is a low incidence of asphyxiation with these foods.

Quick tip: Baby-feeding meshes are a recent product on the market. They are plastic holders with a mesh bag to hold food that baby can then chew on. Fantastic for teething and safely introducing finger foods, for example a wide range of fruit, vegies and other foods. These replace the home-made version using muslin. A great invention.

What should infants drink?

Babies need more water than adults to digest their food. Why? Because babies' kidneys are not fully developed and therefore not as adept at handling the waste products from the digestion and metabolism of food. Infants' kidneys use more water than adults to dilute and remove waste products from the body. As solids are increasing in volume in the diet, it becomes more important to monitor the amount of water a child is drinking, particularly in the case where milk feeds are being replaced by solid foods.

Water is much better than other fluids, particularly juices and cordials. Ensure that drink bottles and cups are placed in easy-to-see and reachable positions and check the levels throughout the day.

Dietary guidelines recommend that children:

Are not given any fruit juice before 6 months of age.

Are not given juice in bottles or other vessels that pour easily allowing a child to drink juice over the day.

Are not given juice at bedtime.

It is generally agreed that young children should not be given fruit juice and that water is the most preferable fluid.

Created by Leanne Cooper, nutritionist mother of two and director Sneakys; adapted from What do I Feed my Baby? A step-by-step guide to starting solids, by Leanne Cooper 2008

This fact sheet may be reproduced in whole or in part for education and non-profit purposes with acknowledgement of the source. It may not be reproduced for commercial use or sale. The information provided is not meant to replace medical advice .

The above chart is only a guide some foods are introduced at different times in some families.

Created by Leanne Cooper, nutritionist mother of two and director Sneakys; adapted from What do I Feed my Baby? A step-by-step guide to starting solids, by Leanne Cooper 2008. The information provided is not meant to replace medical advice .

Contact details for Leanne Cooper and Sneaky's: PO Box 313 Manly NSW 1655: Ph: 02 9400 9759: Web: www.sneakys.com.au

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