How To Feed Your Baby Solid Food When You’re A Paranoid Parent

Before I get started, I want you guys to know a little something about me — I’m a worrier. I worried before getting pregnant, I worried after getting pregnant, and I worried pretty much every single night once I gave birth. I basically clutched the baby monitor in sheer panic until my daughter, Charlotte, turned one. As a mom, there’s a lot I’m going to worry about in the future. But I’m here to tell you that introducing your baby to solids should be something you feel confident about. Because, real talk: You can’t feed kids straight grocery store purees until they’re ten.

Most children are ready to try solids around the six-month mark, according to Parents.com — but every child develops differently. Make sure you talk about it with your pediatrician, since they’ll be able to assess your baby and give some tips. Charlotte was getting much better with purees by that point, but I had to build up more confidence before handing her anything she could pick up and eat herself. Because again — I worry.

And, I worry for a good reason. The fear of choking is a real one, and every parent should be well-versed in figuring out what to do if this scary situation happens. But with a bit of logic, it shouldn’t happen as quickly or as often as you might assume. Babies have certain instincts, and when you follow the proper precautions, the transition can be pretty easy. That said, every meal should be supervised, and yes — taking a CPR class or reading up on it is kind of an important thing for everyone, even those who don’t have tiny people crawling around.

While every child is different, here are a few transitional, “adult” foods that worked for me (that I Googled heavily before trying.)

Bananas

A finely mashed-up banana is likely to be your baby’s first solid. Since it’s soft, it’s easy for them to gum if they don’t have teeth. Just make sure it’s not too chunky if you don’t know how your baby will react to it. In time, you can graduate up to more chunks when you feel confident. (And trust me, that moment will come.) Dr. Sears states mashed bananas are the perfect first food for babies who nurse, based on the level of sweetness they’re accustomed to.

Teething Wafers

Charlotte is so satisfied with these, and I’m not going to lie — they’re not bad for adults, either. And yes, I’ve tried them. They’re pretty much a thin cracker that dissolves pretty quickly. You might see them at your local store as Baby Mum-Mums, but she’s a bigger fan of the HappyBaby brand of teethers. One of their flavors is purple carrot, and I literally just learned that purple carrots were a thing maybe five months ago. I’m glad she’s getting the vegetable education I’ve sorely lacked.

Spaghetti

The stereotypical “baby eating” image is likely a child in a high chair covered with spaghetti and spaghetti sauce. It’s not the cleanest food you can try, but it’s enjoyable to watch them try to pick up noodles. Try to stick with thin spaghetti, and cut it to a level where they can pick up the noodle, but not gag on it. Charlotte is especially fond of cut-up ramen noodles, and I can’t wait until she can actually enjoy one in its natural form.

Chicken Nuggets

It’s the quintessential kid food for a reason. If you cut up your nuggets teeny tiny (seriously — if you think they’re good enough, cut them once more to be extra safe) your baby will be able to enjoy. Sure, it’s not the healthiest and shouldn’t be an everyday meal — but it’s meat, which — unless you’re going the vegetarian route — is often hard to introduce into a baby’s diet.

Eggs

Every day for breakfast, Charlotte has a scrambled egg with some finely cut pieces of spinach in it. And she looks forward to it, too. Scrambled eggs are something she can pick up herself, or be spoon fed. Adding the vegetable was something that made me feel very “mom,” as I wanted to ensure she was eating some type of green. Note, babies won’t like these hot off the stove. Portion some aside and let it sit for a little, or even pop it in the freezer for a short time to lower the temperature a little.

Avocado

Babies! They’re just like us! (Obsessed with avocados, that is.) A mashed-up avocado is a really good first food to try. Aside from being delicious, it has all the healthy nutrients your baby needs. Not only are avocados filled with fiber and vitamin B, Australian Avocados pinpoints that avocados offer up folate, which is a total bonus.

Cheerios

If you’re not the type of person to have cereal in the house, it might be good to stock up on Cheerios. Cheerios will help your baby learn how to pick up food, and since they’ve got a hole in the center, they’ll help reduce your panic. (But still, if you’re a little terrified, you can break them in half until you and your baby feel more confident. Don’t let people tell you “you’re being too paranoid.” As a mom, you know best.)

Oatmeal

Oatmeal can be the perfect breakfast food — it’s filling, fairly healthy, and if you nuked it in the microwave, it’s easy. Plus, adults can jazz up their bowls with fresh fruit. Babies typically have an easy time with regular, spoon-fed oatmeal, but you’ll want to allow it to cool for a bit before giving it a shot.

Yogurt

There’s yogurt out there that’s marketed for babies, but any type of yogurt that doesn’t include big chunks of fruit will work just fine. The one plus about baby yogurt is that most types don’t need to be refrigerated, making it a wonderful snack to bring during a weekend trip. There’s just one con. If your baby has a known milk allergy, you’ll definitely want to talk to your doctor about any sort of dairy-based solids.

Cottage Cheese

Another great way to get calcium! Babies often don’t mind a little cottage cheese, especially when they’re teething — a spoonful of it is often soothing for babies who don’t mind the texture. Again, you’ll probably want to avoid if your baby has a milk allergy. While some babies grow out of it with time, your pediatrician will be the best judge.

Applesauce

Applesauce is a great way to get more fruit in your baby’s diet. Even better, it’s super easy to make at home if you want to avoid any added sugar. After making applesauce, you’re just one step away from being a contestant on MasterChef.

In general, once your baby reaches a year, they’re at the stage where they’re ready to try almost everything — if it’s cut into super tiny pieces (and isn’t too spicy). Just remember, you know your baby best. He or she will have no problem telling you when they’re ready to move up a level to solids. And they will let you know what kind of foods they enjoy most.

Once you take that first step in introducing solids and standard, everyday food to your baby, it’ll get so much easier. Thus leaving you plenty of time to worry about the next milestone in your child’s life.