Transition Food: Suggestions And Tips For Your Baby

Transitional foods are where you begin to incorporate new foods into your baby’s diet – this may involve solid foods, fluids and semi-solid foods – while continuing to breastfeed. Read more in this article and get great suggestions for transition food .

Transitional foods are recommended for babies who are 6 months and older. It helps provide babies with more nutrients as they continue to grow.

Transition food means that you introduce a variety of foods to your baby’s diet, in addition to breast milk. However, it is important to note that the new foods do not serve as a substitute for breast milk, which babies should consume for at least 24 months.

This transition food has specific properties; certain foods are not recommended for babies.

The properties of the transition food

The purpose of menopause is to address the nutritional deficiencies that breast milk does not cover. As your baby gets bigger, they have more nutritional needs. This also applies to babies who receive infant formula.

These foods should have the following properties:

• Nutrients that provide energy
• It should be easy to swallow and digest
• It should be simple and should not be harmful to infants
• It must be rich in iron to compensate for the lack of milk
• It should be easy for the child to ingest himself
• The quantities must be based on their needs
• The temperature should correspond to their body temperature, which is about 37 degrees. You can cool or heat the food so that it reaches the appropriate temperature.

The foods you incorporate into your baby’s diet when they are six months old should also teach them to eat and use cutlery.

We need to teach them to eat themselves. We need to let them pick up the food with their hands, recognize scents and textures and let them put the food in their mouths.

Your child should also be able to recognize their own plate, spoon and cup, which should be the right size for them.

It is not recommended that fluid be introduced through a vial as this promotes gastrointestinal problems and delays the transition between breastfeeding and menopause.

When should we offer transition food?

Specialists recommend starting when the baby is six months old. However, there are other criteria to consider before embarking on this phase.

For example, it is important that the person responsible for feeding the baby dedicates time to preparing the baby’s food properly. They should also be prepared to feed the baby and observe them with patience.

In addition, it is important that the baby has developed sufficiently in terms of motor skills, senses and mentality. We recommend that you observe your baby until they begin to show signs of independence in everyday life. Once they do this, you can start giving them transition food.

There are many things to consider

Other criteria you should consider include:

• The baby should be fed in a quiet moment. It should be a pleasant activity and not a punishment. It’s a good idea if you have not given them milk for a while. They must not be too hungry, tired or crying. 
• When you start the transition food , the most important thing is that the baby can sit by itself, either with the help of a high chair or by an adult.
• Encourage them when you eat together as a family so that they will imitate everyone else. Take the highchair to the table. This allows them to be social, and discover that it is a common activity. You can fill their plate as soon as everyone else eats. 

• It is recommended that you put the food in front of them or put it in their hand. This allows them to practice grabbing the food.
• Do not force them to eat. They may need more time to observe and recognize food. It is important that you are very patient and keep an eye on them at all times.
• It is recommended that you introduce food little by little. They can try another food once they get used to the first. In this way, they learn to distinguish between textures and tastes.