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Mummy blogger
I remember when my firstborn was ready to start solids. It was such a big deal, for her and for me. We had spent six months together learning how to breastfeed, and then it was time to begin introducing real food (if you can call it that). I remember feeling overwhelmed, even intimidated through the whole process of starting solids... Cath


Rafferty’s Garden have some yummy new products

120g Baby Brekkies (First Foods 4+ months)

-          Rice Cereal with Banana Pear and Milk  AND Rice Cereal with Mango Pear and Milk

Adding to the hugely popular 120g fruit and vegetable products packed in spouted pouches a favourite with parents as they are microwavable and baby can be fed straight from the pouch onto a spoon or bowl. The new Baby Brekkies combine organic rice cereal with fruit and milk making them a readymade breakfast for busy parents on the run. Like the rest of the Rafferty’s Garden range these products contain No added salt or sugar, No artificial colours or flavours, No preservatives, No egg, wheat or gluten and No GM ingredients.

170g Infant Baked Beans and Spaghetti Hoops (Second Foods 12+ Months)

-          Baked Beans (‘by all means make it Rafferty’s beans’)

-          Spaghetti Hoops (‘feed the troops spaghetti hoops’)

Finally the young children of Australia can get their fill of household favourites Baked Beans and Spaghetti in conveniently packaged 170g microwavable tear top pouches. Both these products have been made to recipes suitable for infants from 12+ months and are high in fibre ,are a good source of iron and high in protein. These products contain No artificial colours or flavours, No preservatives or additives and No GM ingredients. Raffert's products can be found in Woolworths stores nationwide.

Expanding a baby's diet beyond breastmilk
It's now over 7 years since the World Health Organization (WHO) published its recommendation that 6 months should be the earliest age for expanding a baby's diet beyond breastmilk. The degree to which this recommendation has been embraced - by professionals as well as parents - varies hugely, with some choosing to ignore it altogether. But is it OK to start earlier if you're doing baby-led solids* (BLS)? This is a constantly asked question and one which is very hard to answer with a simple yes or no... find out more

Why your baby needs solids

At six months, your baby will start to need iron and other nutrients from solid food. Until that age, babies are able to use iron stored in their bodies while they were still in the womb. They also get iron from breastmilk and formula.

By around six months, babies’ appetites are more difficult to satisfy with breastmilk or formula alone. Babies are also ready to experience new tastes and textures. Starting on solids at around this age will help your baby with developing teeth and jaws. Solids are about learning to eat, which is why they’re not introduced by bottle.

How to introduce solids

Here are some ideas to get you and baby started:

  • Start with a single food. Infant rice cereal is a good option.
  • Start with a teaspoon of the food you’ve chosen, just once a day. Increase the amount by a teaspoon each day until your baby is eating a maximum of two tablespoons.
  • Once baby is eating two tablespoons, you can offer solid food twice a day. The consistency of the solid can be thickened slightly as your baby eats more.
  • Most babies will not have any problems with new foods, but watch for signs of intolerance or allergic reactions such as vomiting, diarrhoea or rashes. Note that these don’t always show up straight away.
  • When you introduce different foods, try each one for about four days. Again watch for signs of intolerance. Going slowly with each new food will give your baby a chance to get used to different tastes and textures.
  • If your baby doesn’t like something, try it again some other time.

Information on starting solids
How can I tell when baby is ready for solids?
At the same time that baby needs more nutrients, there will be other obvious signs they are ready to try solids such as:
  • Watching others eat, and leaning forwards when food is around
  • Opening mouth when food is offered
  • Reaching out to grab food and spoons read more...

Australia's first Paid Parental Leave scheme at a glance
The following information supports the Paid Parental Leave scheme proposed by the Australian Government. For the scheme to come into force, Parliament must first pass legislation making it part of the law. Until the scheme becomes law, it is possible that some details of the scheme that are outlined in this information may change. read more...

Win an ERGObaby Carrier RRP $159


Babes in Arms is offering Parenting Australia subscribers and members a special discount coupon code to receive 10% off ERGObaby Carriers if you can’t wait to win the prize!

Coupon Code – ‘EBC-PARENTING’

Visit our website at www.babesinarms.com.au

12 Tips for Starting Solids
01 - Introduce solids slowly. All babies are different and progress at a different pace.
02 - Start with single foods, introducing a new food every 2-4 days.
03 - Continue breast milk or infant formula until at least one year of age.
04 - There are no hard and fast rules about what foods baby should have and when.
05 - Learn to recognise when baby is interested in eating and when they are full.
06 - Be patient, foods may be spat out at first when learning to eat new textures.
07 - First foods need to be finely mashed and smooth but quickly increase food textures.
08 - Encourage self-feeding from around seven to eight months.
09 - Stay with your child while eating to avoid accidents such as choking.
10 - Mealtimes should be fun, relaxed and happy.
11 - Be a positive role model – children learn to eat by watching other people.
12 - Honey should not be introduced before 12 months (due to risk of infant botulism (bacterial contamination)).



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