Ready to talk about starting babies on solid foods the Montessori Way? I can’t tell you how excited I am to be sharing this post with you, because over my many years of working with infants everyday, and pretty much loving everything about it, this happens to be my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE TOPIC!
And let me tell you why…
Well to start: I love food! And I mean that in every way possible! I love how food can turn from just a random grab to fulfill that rumbly in your tumbly, to a beautiful art form that stuns even the most unexpected participant.
And this love for food in general has to do with my culture. I come from a large Latin family who pours love through their work in the kitchen. Growing up, I was surrounded by talented chefs, bakers, and drink mixers who constantly fueled my love flame for all things cooking and food just by being themselves.
I have been getting creative in the kitchen now since I was 8; cooking, creating, and exploring all sorts of ingredients and recipes!
SO… now knowing a bit about me and the perspective I already had on food, imagine combining this with my passion for babies and development!
Now let’s talk about your baby!
Your sweet child is now in their 4th month, 5th month, or 6th month of their beautiful little lives. Your friends, family, and parents are all asking you about when you are going to start solid foods, how you’re going to do it, and what you’re going to start with.
So… let’s talk about how you, as their advocate, observer, and first teacher, can best developmentally support them in this exciting process.
First, let’s consider that every child is different. Each child’s body is ready to walk at a different time, talk at a different time, and toilet learn at a different time than peers their age. So if that’s the case, then why should starting solid foods be any different?
So let me give you a child developmental & Montessori perspective: It’s not.
But, that just means that some children may be ready a bit sooner or a bit later. And either is okay! There is an immense beauty in the uniqueness of this process. So whether you start at 4 or 7 months, here’s to you!
What are some signs that your child may be ready for Montessori Solid Food Introduction?
Your child may be sitting unassisted (without a bumbo chair or boppy), beginning to get teeth, bringing objects to their mouth using a raking grasp, or beginning to scoot and slither on the floor. Basically, your child is moving and getting much stronger and is beginning to require some outside nutrients!
There are some not so obvious signs as well! Just around the sixth month (depending on the child), their iron levels drop and the Ptylin, a digestive enzyme found in your saliva, begins to appear in their saliva. That being said, our bodies become biologically prepared to consume and need something other than breast milk or formula. It’s so exciting!
When do we start?
If you see any or all of those signs in your child, go for it!
What to start with?
If you are noticing these signs from your infant before 6 months of age, it’s okay! All children develop differently! For those parents that start around the 4th month, I recommend starting with just a few drops of homemade vegetable broth on a spoon once a day, for the first week. (You can make vegetable broth by boiling cut up carrots and broccoli, for example, and using a few drops of the broth that you cooked them in.) This broth introduction should get their digestive enzymes flowing and ready for the solid foods we will soon be introducing.
After this, the food introduction process is generally the same for all infants. But the fun part is you get to be creative about what meals will look like and what you will introduce!
Just don’t forget the 3 Day Golden Rule:
Stick to one new food item for three days before introducing a different new food item.
The reason for this is so we can monitor whether or not the child may be having an allergic reaction or trouble digesting the food. Perhaps keep a food diary for your baby?
(That food diary also may be fun to give them as a present one day:))
Now here is my biggest piece of advice…
Foster their love for veggies! My absolute biggest piece of advice is to begin with the savory foods. This can include avocado, broccoli, peas, squash, carrots, etc. Having worked with so many babies, it has been proven to me over and over that if we start with the sweet cereal mixed with breast milk or formula, or the naturally sweet fruits, they more often then not will refuse their vegetables. So start with the greens!
Also, if you think your baby does not like what you introduced…
You may see your baby make a funny face, push the food out with their tongue, or turn their head away… but get this:
- Babies make all sorts of funny faces when introducing solid foods. When they try new food, they are not only getting to taste the new flavors but their brains are making more and more connections about their world! And sometimes they make funny faces when that happens.
- Also, some babies still have the tongue thrust reflex, where they push their tongue out when something touches their lips. A lot of times parents will mistake this for “not liking” the food. But they may just biologically still have that reflex. So I would try again in a couple weeks. More often than not, they end up liking it.
- And if they turn their head away, they may just be full, or not wanting to eat at the moment. Try, try, again!
- Or, they may just not like it. But hey… at least we tried!
I also happened to be featured on the Montessori Weaning Episode on an amazing Podcast – Montessori Moments! Click here to listen!
So now that you have this beginning info, I want to end on this simple note; HAVE SO MUCH FUN, MY BABY-LOVING FRIENDS! I am so excited for you and your babies to embark on this weaning journey together! Bon Voyage!
Xoxo,
Bianca, Your Baby Tour Guide