Excerpts from the Baby's First Foods guidebook below. The complete step-by-step guidebook is available for purchase with one of our kits.
If Baby turns their head away, they might not be interested in eating at that moment (or in that particular food). How wonderful that Baby is learning to communicate with such sophistication, rather than relying on fussing or crying! Listen to what they’re telling you. It’s perfectly okay for Baby to refuse food if they’re not hungry. Most likely, they’re done with the meal—and this is their cue. If you really suspect they are still hungry, give Baby the reins to feed themselves and that freedom may encourage their intake.
Spitting out food is a completely normal part of learning to eat, especially in the first month. This response doesn’t mean Baby dislikes the food; rather, it indicates that Baby is getting comfortable with eating and learning to control how to move food in their mouth. Further, since Baby is still discovering which/what items are actually food, it's important for them to be a bit skeptical before swallowing while developing the reflex to reject unwanted items.
Babies often have varied facial reactions to different foods, which can be the most entertaining part of this stage! Keep in mind that Baby may be imitating the facial expressions of their caregivers and may not always be able to express their feelings clearly. A strong facial reaction might actually mean Baby is very interested in the food but needs some encouragement to feel confident about eating it.
If you're concerned that Baby doesn't like a particular food, a good rule of thumb is to introduce that food at least three times before deciding they are not interested. If they still resist, take a break from that food, but feel free to reintroduce it a month later. As Baby's palate expands, their response to different foods may change.
Expect to wipe down Baby, the highchair, table, and nearby floor with a soft damp towel or burp cloth once mealtime is over. Keep a few small towels within reach to manage spills and messes, then toss the towels into the laundry as needed.
For especially messy meals, a full bath might be the best solution—those meals are great to save for bath nights when a bit of extra clean-up is already on the agenda.
Like adults, babies can occasionally get food caught in their throat and will instinctively try to cough it out. However, if Baby is struggling to clear their airway through natural coughing, the steps for helping, often referred to as the Heimlich maneuver, are different for infants than for older children and adults. Instructions for infant the Heimlich Maneuver can be found at this American Red Cross website. We recommend watching a quick online video as well to make these instructions easy to understand.
Further, our step-by-step guide emphasizes eating together at a table. We say this because not only because it builds a healthy relationship with food, but also for safety reasons. By guiding Baby towards where safe food is and making sure caretakers are around while eating, you are helping avoid issues with choking both at mealtime and when playing with toys.
Even this young, it’s important to teach Baby the basics of good behavior. Reasonable expectations include:
1) Don’t throw food containers.
2) Don’t purposely dump food on the floor.
3) Sit calmly while eating.
Inappropriate expectations at this stage include expecting Baby to eat without any mess, eat quickly, or eat a defined amount of food (aka “clean their plate”).
Fortunately, Baby is eager to be part of the family and wants to learn.
Gentle guidance goes a long way. If Baby throws food, respond calmly and clearly: “No, we don’t throw food,” then remove the food that was tossed. Keep your tone firm but loving to help reinforce boundaries without creating fear or confusion. Yelling or harsh tones can be distressing for Baby and may make meals feel unsafe.
On the flip side, a soft, cooing “no” can sound like encouragement—tone matters just as much as words. If Baby continues the behavior after a few reminders, it may be a sign that they’re done. In that case, calmly wrap up the meal. Their attention span might simply have run out, and that’s okay.
This is normal and expected, as well as a healthy indication of solids food intake. No solid food can be as perfectly formulated for Baby as breast milk and infant formula. At this stage, however, Baby’s body is well-adapted to handle a variety of foods, even if their caregivers' noses are not!
Mild symptoms can be expected as Baby’s body adjusts to solids. To help balance their diet, offer a mix of foods. For example, the high iron in oatmeal may cause constipation, while prune puree can lead to diarrhea. Offering a little of each at mealtime can help achieve a balanced diet, just as you would for your own body. If symptoms persist, consult Baby’s pediatrician.
We hope you’ll laugh to realize this is likely from you wiping their mouth clean too often given their sensitive skin. Limit the wipe downs to only at the end of the meal, and the rash will dissipate on it’s own. If the rash extends beyond the wipe zone or does not resolve on it’s own, it may be a symptom of illness or allergies, in which case it’s best to have it checked by Baby’s pediatrician.
No worries. It's important not to impose adult expectations on how much a baby should eat. They’re tiny! Also, while Baby might eat only one spoonful (or none at all) today, tomorrow's growth spurt could inspire a more voracious appetite. Consistently offering solid foods, while accepting that Baby is the best judge of just how hungry they are, is key.
Notable is that until about 12 months of age, Baby will still get a significant portion of their nutrition from breast milk and/or infant formula. In the early months of solid foods, the focus should be on enjoying different flavors and practicing chewing and swallowing rather than meeting calorie requirements. If you have concerns about food intake, check with your pediatrician to ensure Baby is meeting appropriate growth milestones.
You can offer a sippy cup of water if you like, but in the first several weeks of introducing solids, it might be more confusing and messy than beneficial. Once baby is a more confident eater, offering water with their meal is encouraged. Between nine and twelve months, providing a drink with meals becomes more expected. It’s great to stick with offering only water to drink as long as feasible, as this is the healthiest option.
Initially, we recommend feeding Baby with a spoon. However, this phase may only last a few days, depending on Baby and your feeding choices. Once Baby understands mealtime concepts, encourage them to feed themselves with their fingers and/or a spoon. They might even start feeding you soon because they want to care for you too!
Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) is when a caregiver offers Baby the same food they are eating, with minimal modifications to make it more baby-friendly. Key concepts include allowing Baby to self-feed, embracing the “play” aspect of food as a way to explore textures, and introducing a wider variety of foods early on.
At Baby's First Foods we embrace both Baby-Led Weaning and traditional feeding methods, aiming to set up caregivers for the approach that works best for them. Following the step-by-step process in the guidebook achieves a middle ground between these methods, easing both Baby and caregivers into this new world of solid foods and fully preparing them for what lies ahead.
Babies use their gums to crush food, often with impressive results. This process actually helps their teeth to grow in and is not painful beyond the normal discomfort of teething.
We believe that creating a healthy environment around eating is one of the greatest gifts for infants and their families. With this mindset, we simplify the food preparation and focus on creating a safe and successful journey to avoid the stress, overwhelm and fear that can disrupt this amazing milestone.
Whatever everyone else at the table is eating. Try to eat healthy and make enough to share, because the more comfortable Baby becomes with eating solids, the more delighted they are to get a bit of food off your plate.
We encourage families to eat together and support babies in self-feeding as much as possible. For these reason, a smaller, easy-to-clean high chair that can be placed near or at the table is the preferred style. Stores like Ikea offer a budget friendly, popular option that is featured in a lot of our pictures. Premium highchairs, like a Stokke Trippe Trappe®, can be accessorized so that the same basic chair can be used through elementary age.
In the beginning, however, it is perfectly fine to just keep Baby on your lap to eat together until you are ready for a more independent set-up.
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