Babies are a consistent source of joy and happiness for their parents. But that’s not the only point. As many parents are happy to see their babies, but still, they cannot stop worrying about them. They are often stressing over their baby’s growth, well-being, or development. As a child grows up, parents start worrying about various aspects of their baby’s development. And what kind of food they should feed him/her, beats everything else.
Most of the parents don’t know when to start giving solid foods to their little ones. The best time to begin with solid foods is when your baby turns five months of age. Various pediatricians prescribe giving different solid nourishments to a sound and healthy baby. You should stay in touch with your pediatrician regarding this because there is no vital rule about when you should start feeding your baby solid foods. Every baby is different, and every baby’s body responds differently.
When is a baby ready for solid foods?
Most of the pediatrics worldwide say that 4 to 6 months of age is the accurate time to start giving solid foods. But the answer cannot be the same for every child and may vary from baby to baby. There are some signs from which you can judge that your baby is ready for solid foods.
- He can sit with some support.
- He can hold his head up.
- His neck muscles are in his control.
- He no longer has tongue-thrust reflex (pushes his food out of his mouth automatically).
- Eight to ten breastfeeding or 32 ounces of formula milk do not satisfy his hunger, and he still seems hungry.
- She is significantly gaining weight.
- He can turn his head away from the food he does not like.
If you see these signs in your baby, then your baby is ready to start solid feeds. But remember, don’t rush to achieve this milestone. Most of the infants are ready for solid foods between five to six months. But some children might take some time to get ready for solid foods. It depends on your baby and his needs.
How much milk does a five months old drink?
Your baby is five months old, and formula feeds or breastfeeds three to five hours a day. Besides, he might have begun eating solid foods around two to three times a day.
Formula feeding:
How much of the formula milk does a five months old baby need? Numerous infants this age need four ounces of formula milk around six times each day.
Breastfeeding:
You ought to nurture infant every three or four hours; however, each breastfed child might be marginally different. What’s significant is that the infant appears to be content, your boobs feel empty (they become softer), and your baby is putting on weight steadily.
Pumping milk:
If you pump your breast milk, you are most likely thinking about how much breast milk is sufficient for your five months old? Usually, a five-months-old need 25 ounces of breast milk every day. So you have to divide that by what number of feedings your baby probably has every day. In case you feed your baby around eight times each day, he ought to get approximately 3.1 ounces of breast milk at every feeding. That is how much milk a five months old must drink.
What foods can you give to your five months old?
Cereals:
When your baby turns five months old, begin giving him rice and oatmeal-based grains/cereals. Remember to add enough water or formula milk, for softening the cereal texture. In the beginning, only stick to plain cereals and abstain from using flavored or seasoned cereals. When your baby starts showing that he loves eating cereal, then you can start introducing him to different cereal flavors steadily.
You can also heat the cereal. Simply put, the cereal in the microwave to make it increasingly soft.
Fruits:
Fruits are highly enriched in vitamins, and five months is the perfect age for your baby to start eating them. When you freshly start feeding fruits to your baby, make sure to mash them properly. You can also cook them slightly before feeding your little one. You can start with feeding your baby bananas or avocados as they don’t need any cooking. Only feed your baby tender and ripe fruits.
Vegetables:
You can offer your five months old vegetables like papaya, potatoes, and carrots. Make sure to cook them a bit before giving them to your baby. Cooking them helps increasingly softens the texture and makes it easier for your baby to swallow.
Make sure to thoroughly mash the vegetables and make them seed-free so that your baby has no difficulty in chewing or swallowing the vegetables. Do not give raw vegetables to your baby before he turns one year old. Moreover, it is advisable to avoid fibrous vegetables as well.
Lean Protein:
Developing infants likewise need lean protein, yet you must pick with care. You can feed your baby boneless fish slices or well-cooked meat like a chicken. Doctors suggest beginning your child on dairy items after he turns eight months or older.
Eggs:
Eggs are known to be super nourishment, particularly for developing kids. In any case, would you be able to incorporate eggs into your five months infant’s food?
Until recent years, doctors never suggested eggs as reasonable nourishment for growing infants. However, in 2011, the American Academy of Pediatricians lifted this prohibition.
Make sure that your baby is comfortable with eating different kinds of solid foods. Only then give boiled, or semi boiled eggs to your baby. For the best outcomes, give egg as a meal.
A feeding schedule of a five months old baby:
Breastfed baby:
Breastfeed your baby until his hunger gets satisfied. Feed him every three to four hours. If your baby is ready for solid foods, give him one to three ounces of solid foods. Make it in three proportions. Give him solid food three times a day.
Formula-fed baby:
A 5 months old baby feeds formula milk four times to six times a day. If your little one has already started eating solid foods, start giving him one to three ounces of solid food. Make it in three proportions. Feed solid foods to your baby three times a day.
Few feeding tips for your five months old:
If your baby does not eat some food you offer, then try that food again after two or three days.
- Doctors suggest introducing one food at a time.
- Wait for at least two to three days before introducing another food.
- Whatever food you give to your baby, write it down. It will make it easier for you to identify the cause in case of any adverse reaction.
- There is no specific order of introducing new foods to your child. So you can introduce and feed whatever you want and in whatever sequence you want.
- Ask your doctor or look for a detailed step by step guide to feeding your baby. It will give you the basic knowledge of feeding solid foods to your baby.
- Ask your doctor to suggest some good ways of introducing new solid foods to your five months old baby.
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