Your baby is hungry… now what?
With these helpful hints, mealtime can be as easy as Ready, Set, Go!
- Get Ready: Before you feed your baby, wash your hands and theirs.
- Get Set: Set your baby in a high chair so that he or she is sitting up-right. And help set the mood by removing distractions, like cell phones and TV.
- Go! Go ahead and get into it! Show your baby just how yummy food can be. Don’t forget to smile and make eye contact while you’re feeding your little one.
- All-Finished: Your baby will let you know when he or she is finished eating by turning his or her head, closing his or her mouth or pushing away food. Every day can be different so trust your baby to show you when he or she is full.
And remember, this is not actually a race! So let you your little one explore, have fun and get messy! You’re helping your baby develop healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime.
And as always, talk to your child’s pediatrician or health care provider about any questions or concerns.
To learn more, check out these additional resources related to this topic:
- More bite-sized videos about introducing first foods – 1,000 Days
- Mealtime Routines and Tips – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Starting Solid Foods – American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children