How to Feed a Baby With a Spoon

Once your baby has mastered drinking from a bottle or breastfeeding, it may be time (with your pediatrician's okay) to introduce solid foods to his or her diet. Unfortunately an infant is not yet capable of feeding himself, so you will need to feed him with a spoon. Always use a spoon that is plastic or coated with rubber or silicone so you do not damage your infant's gums.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Baby safe spoon
• Rice cereal or other infant cereal
• Highchair
• Bib
• Formula or expressed breast milk

1. Determine whether your infant is ready for solid foods. Generally you can introduce solid foods sometime between 4 to 6 months. But because each individual baby is different, it's best to look for specific signs. Some signs to look for are increased head control, stronger appetite and showing an interest in what you're eating.
2. Breastfeed or formula feed your baby before you begin spoon feeding. It's best to try introducing solids when she is not starving or else he may not react well to the new method of feeding.
3. Prepare a batch of rice cereal using warm formula or warmed, expressed breast milk for the liquid. Start with a teaspoon or 2 of cereal in 1 ounce of liquid first and add more as needed.
4. Sit your baby upright, preferably in a highchair or other seat. Your baby should associate spoon feeding with sitting down.
5. Secure a bib to your infant to protect her clothing from food spillage.
6. Feed your baby a very small portion of rice cereal that is thin like watery soup. It should be just thicker than formula or expressed breast milk.
7. Read the reaction of your baby to determine if she is ready for more. Did she push the cereal out of his mouth with her tongue? Did he get excited and open his mouth for more? Did he gag on the cereal?
8. Try "Stage One" commercial baby food mixed with rice cereal once you have mastered cereal alone.
9. Mix extra cereal to form a slightly thicker food for your baby. Not only is it easier for you to keep thicker food on a baby spoon, but your infant may also enjoy it more.
10. Offer some water in a bottle or sippy cup after you feed your baby. This will help keep him hydrated and prevent constipation.

Tips & Warnings

• Spoon feed once a day when you and your baby are in a good mood. A cranky baby is not ready to try something new, and a frustrated parent is not a good teacher.
• Wait several days after trying a new food to find out whether there is any food allergy to a specific food. If you try many foods at once you may not be able to determine which one caused an allergic reaction.
• Your infant may try to stick her hands in her mouth while you're spoon feeding. Try to use one of your hands to hold her hands down or ask for assistance.
• If your baby is not yet ready for spoon feeding, try again in another week. She just might not be ready for solid foods yet.
• Try to start with small portions to prevent waste. Don't be afraid to waste uneaten cereal if your baby isn't ready to eat solid foods yet.
• Ask your pediatrician which foods he recommends for your child.
• Always check with your pediatrician before starting solid foods.
• Continue regular nursing or bottle feedings while introducing solid foods.
• Never force your infant to eat. She may not be ready, and that is okay.
• Start with a very small amount of food on the tip of the spoon when first introducing solid foods to prevent choking.
• Introducing solid foods before your infant is ready may result in food allergies due to an immature immune system.