When can I start with first foods?

In the first few months, your baby only needs breast milk or "Pre" first infant formula. From the end of the 4th month you can theoretically start with supplementary food. Why purely theoretical? Not every baby is ready for this at that point. Some are very attentive from a very early age and want to try what you eat, while other babies are completely satisfied with milk. From the 7th month at the latest, however, you should slowly start with complementary food, as your baby simply needs more nutrients from this point on. From the 8th month you can also start using bone broth for your baby's meals. Nevertheless, it is important that the baby has a say in the start. Click here for the nutrition plan for babies in their first year of life .

Complementary feeding plan

Introducing complementary foods takes time. Depending on the months that you can already hold your baby in your arms, after introducing vegetable porridge for lunch, you gradually begin to feed it, for example,  cereal porridge in the evening or fruit porridge in the afternoon .

5 signs your baby is ready for solids

1. They keep a close eye on what Mom and Dad are eating and shows a clear interest in it

2. They reach for your food

3. With a little help, they can sit up straight

4. When you come with the spoon, they opens their mouth

5. The initial reflex to push the food out of the mouth with the tongue has disappeared

If your child gives you a clear signal that they want to eat solid food, you should consider whether you would like to either feed them purees or whether you would rather start with the baby-led weaning method (more on this below) or mix both methods.

Introduction to baby food

Baby food can be roughly divided into three groups:

• vegetable mash,

• fruit puree, or

• Grain porridge or porridge

Make your own baby food or buy it ready-made?

Whether it's porridge made from vegetables, fruit or grains, if you cook it yourself it is a little more effort, but you know exactly what's in it. The quality of fruit and vegetable puree in the jar is also good so that you can feed it with peace of mind - or you can look around for other great alternatives, these are available frozen, for example.

You can find cereal porridge in the form of instant porridge or as baby porridge. The ready-to-use instant porridge only needs to be poured over with hot water. It's quick, but the porridge often lacks taste.

Cooking porridge is a tastier option. It is the cooking process of real grains that supports the taste and can encourage babies to enjoy eating.

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It starts with the lunchtime porridge

Spoons, a bowl and a drinking bottle or cup should be available - and then you can get started.

You can start, for example, with a vegetable puree at lunchtime, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin or parsnips. To rule out intolerance or allergies, you should first give your baby each type of vegetable one after the other:

In the first week, for example, carrot porridge, in the second week you can add another vegetable and so on. The combination of cereal porridge with vegetable puree is also super tasty.

Start with a small appetite

Since porridge isn't easy at first, and will likely end up on the bib more than in the mouth, your child shouldn't be super hungry. He could quickly become impatient and start crying, which could make him choke quickly. Tiredness is also not a good sign as eating with a spoon is a learning process and can be very tiring for your baby. 

How much porridge per meal?

At the beginning it is enough to offer only a few spoonfuls of porridge. If your baby refuses the porridge, don't force it to eat. Approach slowly together.

So that you don't have to throw away too much mash, you can freeze the freshly cooked vegetable mash in ice cube trays. Your child will probably not eat more than an ice cube-sized portion at first.

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The baby-led weaning method or the puree-free diet

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Going on a puree-free diet means your child is eating what you and your family are eating. Again, there should be signs that your baby wants solid food.

Unlike the mash method, you don't have to follow a specific order here. Your child can simply sit at the family table and eat with you. Steamed vegetable and fruit sticks are a good place to start, but grain-free bread or waffles (without sugar or honey, of course) usually work well too.

Your baby should bring the food to his mouth with their hands if possible. Prepare for a little mess, your baby will most likely want to play with the food too. Almost feel and taste.

Since your baby can choke easily, you should not leave him unattended while eating. Often the little ones just spit out pieces that are too big.

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Baby's nutrition plan for the first year of life.