The number one question we get asked, is when and how to introduce solids to your Cayman baby. We caught up with Tiny Spoon’s feeding expert in the Cayman Islands, Rachel Lawrence, MOT, OTR/L to talk about introducing solids and baby food.
Rachel says ‘your baby is ready to start transitioning to solid foods when they can sit up on their own, is beginning to reach for toys or your food and attempt to bring to their mouth, has good head control, shows interest in food such as opening their mouths when watching you eat, these milestones are usually met at 6 months age which aligns with the changes that are occurring in their digestive system prepping their bodies for introduction to solid foods’.
But what about equipment? What are the essentials for stabilizing baby during mealtime and are there any cues caregivers should follow? ‘When preparing your little one for solid foods, it is important to start with good eating habits early such as having a footrest to ensure sitting up with stable body positioning, participating in family mealtime experiences by sitting at the table when the family is eating together, taking food from a spoon, resting between bites, and stopping when full. These early experiences will help your little one learn good eating habits throughout their life’. We love Baby Shoppe and Bump to Baby for their range of high chairs and accessories. Check out our article here for more.
At Tiny Spoons, we purposefully focus on key nutrients baby needs starting at about 6 months which includes iron and zinc. Rachel says ‘these are nutrients your baby is beginning to need more of especially if they are still breastfeeding. Sweet potato, broccoli, and squash all are high in iron while lentils, beans, and oat cereal are high in zinc’. Our lentil, squash, and bell pepper stew is a great example of a meal full of these nutrients that are so important for your little one’s development!
Rachel is an occupational therapist at Cayman Theraplay a pediatric clinic in Georgetown. Cayman Theraplay offer occupational therapy and speech therapy services to children birth to teens with and without diagnoses and assess and treat concerns related to sensory processing and sensory integration, feeding development, social learning and literacy, early intervention, and provide trauma-informed care. Rachel specializes in assessment and treatment in feeding delays and have advanced training in sensory-motor interventions in relation to feeding development.
Check out their website here for details of their services and latest programs! Meanwhile, you can rest assured that all of our meals and snacks have been tested and approved by Rachel and the team from a nutritional standpoint. So whether you are following a texture-based approach or baby led weaning, Tiny Spoons are here to help.
