The Trick to Getting Your Baby to Eat (Hint: It’s Not What You Think)

It’s one of the most common problems new parents face, particularly first-time moms and dads: How do you get your baby to eat? Babies can be notoriously picky eaters and figuring out how to get them to open their mouths for more than just the occasional taste can feel impossible. After all, babies have been eating solid foods without trouble since dawn – so why should things be any different with your kid? The truth is that getting your baby to eat isn’t as complicated as it may seem at first glance.

Introduce new foods early

Experts recommend introducing new foods at six months. Some infants may be ready as early as four months, while others won’t be until they are nine or ten months old. A common misconception is that if your baby rejects a food during this sensitive period, he’ll never like it; experts say most babies who initially turn up their noses at something will accept it later. Another issue is serving size–kids’ serving sizes have gotten smaller over the years, and parents often unknowingly overestimate how much their child should eat in one sitting. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a toddler needs about three servings of fruit and vegetables per day–that can add up quickly when you’re preparing meals for a family of four!

Have a Mealtime Routine

Introducing a mealtime routine will help promote healthy eating habits and give you more control. When it comes to snacks, try giving your baby some fruit, veggies, or cereal instead of crackers and cookies. Stay on top of the food supply by always having healthy snacks in case your baby gets hungry at a moment’s notice. When it comes to dinner time, introduce new foods one at a time to ensure your baby is not allergic or intolerant before adding them into the rotation. Finally, stick with meatless recipes for as long as possible since kids need lots of iron and protein from animal sources for proper growth.

Choose your battles

Parents can have their hands complete when getting their kids to eat what they want. So many different types of food can be served and offered. It’s no wonder why little ones get overwhelmed. It all depends on what you try to accomplish with your little one. I find the key is not focusing on winning every battle; you might be better off skipping some of the battles altogether.

Taste Before Serving

My baby will only eat blueberries. I can’t even get him to try a bite of avocado, and he completely avoids carrots. Before serving anything new, I do a taste test. I mix it with breast milk, put it on my finger, and touch the baby’s mouth with it, so he knows what he will taste next. This makes him more likely to take a bite since he already knows what it tastes like, and once he tries it, I feed him with a spoon from the other side of his mouth, so he accepts it after being introduced to the flavor before eating.

Let Your Child Lead

Kids love finger foods. They’re more fun and accessible than having a puree served with a spoon. Don’t force your child to eat one way when they could be eating another, just like we want them to think for themselves as they grow up. Let them lead the way, and you’ll soon find that their appetite will lead the charge!

Stay Positive

Often the issue is not that you’re a terrible parent who doesn’t know how to feed your baby; they are experiencing an uncomfortable feeling that they need help. Before you lash out at them in anger, try looking at things from their perspective. Here are some of the most common reasons babies may refuse food and some tricks for getting them back on track.

Babies can experience food neophobia which can be expressed through disdain for new or unfamiliar foods. Foods typically evoke these responses are spices or anything with a pungent smell. Simple solutions like peeling cucumbers before you give them may seem insignificant but could result in a welcomed change in your child’s eating habits.

Don’t stress about it

Most people have days when their baby is stubborn about food. If you try everything and nothing seems to work, you give up or make yourself frustrated, which only adds to the problem. Here are some little tricks that usually work.

• When they don’t want a certain food, offer something new but in a different form, such as toast instead of avocado toast. This will keep them feeling like they can still choose what they want when it comes down to it.
• Don’t talk about other times when your baby did not eat their food; if this stresses them out more, it might make them not want any food.
• Offer tiny bites of different things until you find something that works for them.

Enjoy yourself!

After my son turned six months old and stopped feeding as often, I noticed he wasn’t very hungry anymore. So, I started thinking about what could be wrong and found out he needed more sleep! A tired baby is an unhappy baby who isn’t hungry or cooperative at meal time. If you’re noticing your little one turning their nose up at food lately, it might not be a temper tantrum—your baby might need some extra shut-eye!