A sign of a ready-to-eat baby that parents need to recognize

Have you thought about introducing complementary foods to your little one? The standard of giving complementary foods to babies is not only based on their current age, you know. You also need to recognize some signs that determine whether the baby is ready to be given solids. What are some typical signs that indicate a baby is ready to learn to eat?

Signs that the baby is ready to eat complementary foods (complementary foods)

Ideally, babies are only encouraged to learn to eat solid foods at the age of 6 months. Along with the process of being introduced to solid foods, babies still need breast milk intake at certain times according to their feeding schedule.

This aims to ensure that the baby's daily nutritional needs are met properly. However, in addition to considering your little one's current age, you also need to look for signs that your baby is ready to eat solid foods.

The following are signs that the baby is ready to recognize and learn to eat solid foods:

A sign that the baby is physically ready to eat solid food

Watching your baby's physical changes as a sign that he or she is ready to eat solids is usually easier to see. Because as your little one gets older, there will be many changes in your little one's physical abilities.

To make it more convincing for you, here are the physical signs when the baby is ready to eat solid foods:

1. Able to hold the head and neck upright

According to the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), one of the "directions" to start giving complementary foods to babies is when they can lift their head on their own.

In addition to raising his own head, make sure your little one can also hold his neck upright without having to lean back or be given assistance.

This is because when the head and neck can be stably upright, this is a sign that your little one is ready to maintain his balance while eating.

2. Able to sit alone

Babies are said to be ready to learn to eat solid foods when they appear to be able to sit up on their own with little or no assistance.

Better yet, when sitting alone, your little one is able to maintain his body balance, especially as long as one or both of his hands are trying to reach the objects around him.

3. The tongue sticking out reflex is reduced

During the six months the baby is exclusively breastfed, he is required to have the ability to suck and stick out his tongue.

This aims to make it easier for the baby to breastfeed by sucking on your nipple. However, at the age of 6 months, the baby's ability to stick out his tongue will usually decrease.

If you see this being experienced by your little one, this is one of the several signs that the baby is ready to eat solid foods.

4. Baby's orthomotor skills are getting better

Oomotor or oral motor skills are the abilities of a baby that involves the muscular movement system in the oral cavity area.

This muscular system of motion in the mouth area includes the teeth, jaw, tongue, lips, and roof of the mouth. If previously the baby was only able to suck and swallow fluids, now he can chew and swallow food with a thick and dense texture.

Not only that, the baby's oromotor ability is also seen when he can move food from the front to the back of the mouth.

4. Looks interested in food

Babies who are ready to eat solid foods will usually show interest when they see the food in front of them. Take for example, your little one is seen trying to move his body to reach nearby food.

5. Have good hand and mouth coordination

Coordination between hands and mouth that works well can facilitate the learning process for babies to eat.

Pay attention when your little one pays a lot of attention, takes, to direct the food he takes into his mouth, this is a sign that he is ready to eat solid food.

Psychologically a sign that a baby is ready to eat solid food

Rather than physically recognizing the signs that a baby is ready to eat solid solids, looking at the psychological characteristics when a baby is able to learn to eat may be more difficult.

However, that does not mean you cannot be sensitive to the psychological signs of a baby who is ready to eat solid foods. Here are some signs that your little one is ready to recognize and try food:

1. Start imitating the way other people eat (imitative)

A sign that a baby is ready to receive complementary foods from a psychological point of view is that there is a change in action taken based on reflex (reflective) to imitation (imitative).

What you mean is this, babies who used to only reflex breastfeed when they were hungry, are now starting to be able to learn to eat by imitating and seeing other people.

2. Looks more independent and willing to learn

Babies who are ready to get solid foods will usually look more independent and want to learn to eat on their own.

This is because your little one is no longer only breastfeeding when he is hungry, but also has to learn to recognize food and eat on his own.

Here, as parents, it is best not to make the mistake of accompanying and teaching babies to know food.

Teach and also introduce your little one to various types of food so that he doesn't like to be picky eaters when he grows up.

3. Shows the desire to eat

When your little one is ready to get to know complementary foods, he usually shows the desire to eat by opening his mouth.

In fact, your baby also shows signs of hunger by positioning his body forwards or towards the food.

Meanwhile, when he doesn't want to eat or is full he will pull his body away from food.

4. Shows signs of hunger

Breast milk intake, which previously was sufficient for the baby's nutritional needs, now appears to be lacking because he shows signs that he is still hungry and wants to eat.

Characteristics that can be seen when a baby is still hungry include continuing to cry, whining, restlessness, and being uneasy even though they have received enough breast milk.

5. Intrigued by what you eat

Launching from the Baby Center page, babies who are ready to eat solid foods generally seem to want to try or be curious when they see other people eating.

So, when you see a baby and he tries to take the food that is in your hand, it could be a sign that he is ready to eat solids.

Another sign that can fool a baby's readiness to eat solid foods

Many parents are fooled by false signs and think that the baby is ready to eat solid food, even though they are not. Yes, there is a habit of babies being mistaken for a sign that they are ready to be given solid foods.

This then makes parents mistaken and ends up giving solid food too early prematurely.

Some signs that are often mistaken for a baby's readiness to eat solid foods, namely:

Chewing his fist.
Wakes up in the middle of the night hungry even though he usually sleeps more often.
Breastfeeding in larger quantities.

In essence, when you see your little one showing some of these signs, don't jump to the conclusion that it's time for him to get to know MPASI.

Again, try to pay attention to other characteristics to further ensure the readiness of the baby in learning to recognize food.

So, it's best to wait until the baby is six months old

Even if you see signs that your baby is ready to learn to recognize and try their first solid foods, it's a good idea to wait until your baby is around six months old.

Waiting up to six months to give your baby the first solid foods will help protect his health.

This is because at the age of six months the baby's immune and digestive systems are much stronger, thus reducing their risk of experiencing allergies, indigestion, or infection from food.

If there is one thing or another that makes you plan to start solid foods in babies before six months, you should further consult with your doctor.