It’s quite typical for a Mom to notice that her baby is starting to get hungrier than usual and will ask her pediatrician when she can introduce solid foods. Ultimately, the baby decides when he/she is ready to make the transition, but there are a few signs you can watch for that will let you know that the time is near.

It’s important to note that just because your baby seems hungrier than usual, it doesn’t mean that they are ready for solid foods. Just like older children, babies can go through sudden growth spurts at which times they also eat more. The main thing to watch for is consistency in the hunger.

In theory, your baby can begin to eat solid foods as early as 4 months old, but there is no definitive rule. So, if your baby is not showing signs of wanting to eat solids, then don’t push it. It will come.

Here’s a few things to watch for:

Neck control
Your baby is going to have to have adequate neck control in order to swallow anything other than milk.  If your baby’s head still wobbles around uncontrollably, then solid foods aren’t ready to be on the menu yet.

Extrusion reflex
Babies will naturally push things out of their mouth with their tongue to protect themselves from choking. This is known as the extrusion reflex. In order for your baby to begin eating solid foods, he/she has to be past the extrusion reflex.

Chewing
It goes without saying that you need to chew in order to eat solid foods. You may see your baby start to naturally make a chewing motion which may indicate that he/she is ready to eat solid foods.

Weight gain
Another good indication that your baby is ready to make the transition to eating solid foods is weight gain. Although, this alone is not a sure sign that your baby is ready, if he/she has double in weight, then it might be time for solids if combined with any of the other indicators.

Ultimately, your baby will begin to let you know when he or she is ready to move past breast milk or formula and on to solid foods.

There is that moment for every Mom when she hits the frustration point with her child and her eating habits. It’ almost guaranteed that at some point your baby will go through a stage of not wanting to eat what you put in front of them and even be extremely adamant about not eating it.

When your baby denies the plate of food in front of him, don’t worry about it. Just like adults, babies have their favorites, likes, and dislikes. It may just be something as simple as your baby not liking the texture, how it tastes, or maybe even how it affects their little tummy.

One rule to follow is not introducing new foods more than once every 2 or three days. This gives your baby ample time to know for sure if he likes it or not. You also get to see if the first time he threw it o the floor was just a mood swing or if it was a genuine dislike for the food.

Another important rule is to not feed your baby when he is upset or cranky. If your baby is upset, sick, or even slightly irritated at the moment, don’t persist until they are back to their cheerful self.

It’s important not to acted stressed out about them choosing to not eat a a certain vegetable that you feel is important.  The best approach to take is mix things up and show a little compromise as yo go. You can always try another vegetable in a couple days or mix one or two in with something he does seem to like and see how that works.

For instance, if you wanted your baby to eat blueberries, but he seemed against it on their own, mix a few into the cereal that he eats every morning and see what happens. The combination might agree with him more than the blueberries did on their own.

The most important part of dealing with a picky eater is to be patient with your baby. With so many foods to choose from, not eating one or two fruits or veggies at the moment is not detrimental to you or your baby’s health. Just keep trying.