Introducing Solid Foods Before 6 Months

The most surreal feeling in the world is welcoming a newborn into one’s life. The greater responsibilities that come with great joy. And one of them is making sure your baby is getting the best possible nourishment. Mommies frequently worry about their infant’s mealtimes, nutrition, and feeding routine. Whether or not to introduce solid meals or if breastmilk is sufficient for the child’s nutrition. Hence, today we’ll discuss whether your infant requires solid foods before 6 months of age for growth.

Is It Necessary to Introduce Solid Foods before 6 months?

Mothers have often been advised by our grandmas or mothers that solid food is the actual diet of babies and that, once they reach over 2 months, they need to be fed something other than breastmilk. Because breastmilk cannot provide all the nutrition a baby needs as they grow. Another prevalent myth is that newborns cannot satisfy their nutritional needs and hunger with breast milk. Hold on, let’s study the truth behind each of these statements.

You may already have a strategy about this, or you may be puzzled due to many different pieces of advice from family and friends. Here’s what science says, WHO recommends breastfeeding primarily for infants younger than 6 months. Your baby should be only on breastmilk for about six months after birth, according to the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics). The AAP encourages the continuation of nursing after that, along with introducing new meals. At six months of food introduction, you should continue breastfeeding as long as you and your kid want.

Why Should we Avoid Processed Baby Foods?

As their baby’s first soft diet, mothers unquestionably favor Cerelac or custards. Although evidence contradicts what the media has already led us to believe, these baby foods are not the best first meals for infants. We’ll talk about why.

For infants older than six months, cerelac is an instant nutritional cereal that can be given when it’s suitable to begin a child on a diet other than breastmilk alone. Cerelac is advertised as the protein- and nutrient-rich meal for your baby, but its amount of sugar makes it questionable whether it’s healthy. Every 25-gram serving of cerelac contains at least 1/2 tsp of sugar. Other than that, it also contains glucose syrup ad maltodextrin. According to researchers, consuming too much sugar contributes to several health problems, such as tooth decay and obesity. Also, because Cerelac has been shown to have an addictive quality, switching to a Cerelac diet may prevent your baby from eating home-cooked. Cerelac is a preferred diet in many households, but fresh homemade foods should always be welcomed.

Mothers are often seen feeding their babies sweet biscuits or cookies, which turns out to be an unhealthy snack alternative for babies. Because of their immature digestive systems, underdeveloped body systems, and kidneys, newborns have difficulty processing foods high in wheat and sugar, making them more likely to have constipation and other digestive issues. More than 80% of the food we eat today contains artificial sweeteners. Because newborns have a natural addiction to sweet flavors, food manufacturers add excessive amounts of added sugar to all baby foods, endangering your children’s health. The other thing to consider is that if we give our infants sugary foods at a young age—say, 6 months or less—their preference for sweet flavors will only grow. It causes various health problems, including heart disease, tooth decay, and obesity. So please be assured, mamas, that giving your babe fruit will set them up for sugar addiction. 

What Could be the Healthy Sugar Alternatives?

 So, mommies, don’t worry. I will share some healthy food alternatives with you. First and foremost, know that your breastmilk is enough nutrition for your baby until 6 months. Nursing helps your baby develop their immune system and fight infections in the first few months. It also starts to wear off the baby’s reflexes, such as the gag and oral thrust reflex, making eating easier for infants. You could be thinking about what foods you should feed your infants that they will appreciate. Instead, you can prefer diets with no added sugar but high in nutritious ingredients like fruits and vegetables, which are naturally sweet. Remember that natural sugars in fruits and veggies are safe for infants because they contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

After 6 months, your baby needs extra nutrition and breastmilk, so now is the time you can introduce diet to your child. 

Ensure your baby will initially only consume a small amount of solid food. Mommies, we will learn more about how to help your baby eat healthy in upcoming blogs.