Living and Loving – September 2019

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42 | SEPTEMBER 2019 | L&L

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or the first few months, your baby

only needs breast milk to meet his

nutritional needs, satisfy his hunger

and support his growth. From

around five to six months, milk will no longer be

enough to satisfy him, and you’ll begin the journey

of supplemental feeding. So, what foods should you

avoid giving your little one for the first 12 months,

and which ones should you include in his diet?

Cath Day, spokesperson and registered

dietician for the Association for Dietetics

in South Africa (ADSA) explains that when

starting your baby on solids, it’s important to

practise responsive feeding (RF). This simply

means following your baby’s hunger cues and

responding to them. “Every child is different, and

not all babies will drink the same amount of breast

milk or eat the same amount of solid foods. Let your

baby guide you as to how much food he needs

and when his hunger is satisfied,” she says.

Cath’s top tips for starting solids:

● Start on a weekend, because you’ll

have more time to feed your little one

and get him used to the process.

● Start with one to two teaspoons of smooth, pureéd

or mashed food. Start with one meal per day.

● The type of food you start with is not important,

rather focus on offering variety once your

baby learns to manage solid food.

● When he is eating larger quantities (more than

two teaspoons), add a second meal until you

eventually progress to three meals per day.

Starting solids is a major milestone for your little one,

but did you know not all foods are safe to

give your baby during his first year?

BABY’S FIRST YEAR