How to Feed Your Baby

The first few times you try to feed your baby, you should make sure your baby has a bib on (and not much else), sit your baby on your lap and give it a go. Chances are, your baby is not going to manage to swallow much of what you offer. Setting up the first few solid feedings as big productions will just be a wasted effort.

Use a small spoon and definitely go for the soft, covered spoons rather than metal since your baby could bite down and hurt her gums on a metal spoon.

Another suggestion that I loved when my son was first eating was from Dr. William Sears: Just use your finger. I made sure my hands were clean and then I'd just dip my finger into the food and he'd suck and gum it off. It was a nice transition for him in the beginning as he didn't really like the spoon much.

Some experts say to feed your baby in an infant seat and this is acceptable if it can adjust to a mostly upright position. Some seats recline too much to be used for feeding and really, if your baby isn't sitting well enough for a high chair or your lap, then starting solids can wait for a few more weeks until these milestones are reached.

Offer tiny amounts at first and be ready for both a mess and some faces that border on hilarity. Even if your baby is a big fan of food, those first experiences with new tastes can be a shock. Remember that taste is a sense. It is underdeveloped like other infant senses, but just like seeing bright lights or hearing loud noises for the first time, the taste of food can be a bit of a jolt.