Feed your baby what you would want to eat….
Do not overthink it.
You like food with spices and herbs, they will too!
I have sessions with so many parents who stress and stress over what their child is eating… I am here to tell you to take a deep breath and trust your instincts. There is no right or wrong way to feed your baby. Embrace the foods you enjoy eating and share them with your baby, simple as that. The overall goal here is to encourage a healthy and happy relationship with food. Not a relationship filled with stress, structure, and unattainable routines.
Listen to your body. And allow your baby to do the same.
Your child will eat when they are hungry. I know this is a hard truth to accept, yet they are the ones experiencing their bodily needs and will instinctually listen to that. Therefore, they will eat when they are hungry, they will decide how much to eat, they will decide when to eat, and they will decide what they want to eat.
A parent’s job when starting solids is to emphasize support and patience during the process. A big no no is force feeding your child as this will foster an unhealthy relationship with food. The parents who role model healthy eating habits and wholesome relationships with food tend to pass these onto their children as well.
Exposure is key when starting solids with a baby. Reminder that this is their first time trying everything, so it is vital to be patient and allow them to explore the foods with all their senses.
Release control and expectations of how the experience is supposed to happen. Stop obsessing over the mommy blogs portraying this perfect image of starting solids. It will get messy, like many things in life, so please don’t fret and embrace the beautiful journey of watching your baby try new foods and learn to love nourishing their bodies.
By Dr. Kathleen McCue
