Starting Solids
Let's talk about first foods!
I know, it can be SO hard for some to give up this season even a tiny bit (I've been crying over this for days and only just now gave my son his first solid food!). Or for others, you might feel like you can't start solids soon enough (as it was for my first).
Every baby is going to be different, but we aim for 6 months to introduce solids for a number of reasons.
The first reason we start solids is for the nutrients! Introducing solids shouldn't replace breastfeeding, but it should be a great and exciting opportunity to bring in nutrients and vitamins that breastmilk might be lacking in your baby's diet. Primarily iron! Around 6 months is when your baby starts going through a lot of growth spurts and mental milestones, and needs all the nutritional support they can get!
Second, it's a great way to get them used to the diets and foods of your culture that your family eats.
According to recent studies, babies are more likely to enjoy a diverse palette of foods and have fewer allergies if started on solid foods early.
These same cultural and personal food flavors are also in the amniotic fluid AND breast milk! (Did you know most babies LOVE garlic flavored breastmilk?) It's so cool what our bodies are capable of!
Now, hear me when I say, exclusively breastfeeding for the first 6 months and beyond is SO important and has so many benefits for mom and baby. This season does not need to END or even be less just because you're introducing solids. Keep nursing just as often, and let them explore new tastes and flavors immediately after a feed.
For my son, he doesn't have any teeth, and isn't quite sitting up on his own yet, so we're taking things slow! I found these high quality, organic beef sticks off of Thrive Market and I'm just letting him suck on them and gain nutrients that way! He loves it, and I don't have to let go of any nursing sessions.
Over the next couple of weeks, we'll start giving him parts of our diet that he can gum or suck on, as well as SerenityKids pouches for some bonus high quality organic nutrients!
But there is SO much grace in this.
Your body was created by a perfect God to sustain this life, and he hasnt made a mistake in the makeup of your milk! Keep strengthening your child's body and healing your own while you continue this breastfeeding journey and grow in this new way together. It's so exciting to watch your child's personality expand so much with foods! Suddenly they have preferences and favorites and you get to discover that together! Have hope, Momma, you're doing wonderfully.
I also know some of these organic and high-quality options can get expensive fast, but I want to help get you and your baby started off on the right foot.
Please reach out.
