After weaning, a baby’s solid food should ideally include food from all major food groups. You can go through some of the best choices of 5 months baby food to introduce to your little one. According to pediatricians, healthy babies should start their solid food diet by five to six months. The meals should have diversity in them. This will help them get the required nutrition and familiarize themselves with different tastes. Since their immune system is still developing, they need the right nutrients for healthy growth (1). Keep reading as we have put together a list of ideas for the best food for your five-month-old baby.
Giving Your Baby Right Amount Of Food
Unless your baby has medical conditions that require a specific diet, offering solid foods is suitable at the start of the fifth month (2). Do not expect your darling to lick clean her bowl right away! It may take a while since it is a new experience, but soon enough, your baby will adapt to the changing meal type. With time, you can increase the portion as well. Using the right type of feeding accessories is also important. Soft baby spoons and glasses (preferably made from baby-friendly material) should be used. Some babies take time to understand the chewing and swallowing mechanism and you should not force toddlers.
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Top 5 Ideas For 5 Months Baby Food
Here are our recommendations (1) (2):
1. Cereals:
When your baby reaches five months, start giving him oatmeal and rice based cereals. Don’t forget to add breastmilk, formula or water to the cereal, to soften the texture!
For the first time, avoid using flavored cereals; stick to plain cereals. When your see that the baby likes cereal, introduce other variants gradually. You can even slightly heat the cereal (just pop it in the microwave!) to make it mushier.
2. Fruits:
Fruits are packed with vitamins and 5 months is the right age for your baby to try them.
At the beginning, fruits should be mashed and slightly cooked before you can offer that to your child. You can start giving bananas as they do not need to be cooked or avocados too. Make sure you only give ripe and tender fruits to your baby.
3. Vegetables:
Vegetables like potatoes, carrots and papaya can be offered to your baby in cooked form when he reaches the fifth month.
Ensure the veggies are thoroughly mashed and there is no seed or anything your baby finds difficult to chew or swallow. It is not advisable to offer raw vegetables before your darling turns 1 year or more. Avoid fibrous vegetables (3).
4. Lean Protein:
Growing babies also need lean protein but you should choose with care.
Soft and cooked meat like chicken and boneless fish slices can be given. Ensure the meat has no bone or sharp bits. It is advisable to start on your baby on dairy products after he has reached 8 months.
5. Eggs:
Eggs are considered a superfood, especially for growing children. But can you include eggs into your 5-month-old baby food (4)?
Until recent years, eggs were not recommended as suitable food for growing babies. However, later the American Academy of Pediatricians lifted the ban on eggs (5). Before offering your baby boiled or semi-boiled eggs ensure he or she is comfortable eating other types of solid foods. For best results, offer egg as a meal. It’s important to introduce potential allergens like eggs, peanuts, etc., on separate days to detect any protein allergies.
Allergies To Solid Foods
5 month old baby food allergies are not very common, but it can happen. They may be hereditary or item-based. It may so happen that it is too early to give some particular foods to your baby as well. If you find your baby developing allergic reactions after eating that food, stop feeding and get in touch with a pediatrician (6) (7).
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