GRUB'S UP
I’m a parenting expert and my eight simple tips will make meal time a breeze with your baby
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GETTING your baby to try new food can be challenging.
Even when you think you've nailed it they'll randomly decide to cause a fuss over nothing.
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is a Paediatric occupational therapist, she recently revealed some of the best tips to help parents who are struggling to get their tot to eat food.
Embrace the mess
Emma explained: If you want your baby to love food you need to let them experience it with all of their senses.
"This means you need to let them smell it, poke it, smear it, smush it all around as well as play with it."
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According to the pro, allowing your baby to make a mess and touch their food helps them learn about them and make it more likely that they'll try a wider verity of food.
"Just set up a splash mat underneath your baby's highchair and embrace the mess," she added.
Offer everything
Emma explained that giving your tot a large range of food, especially in their first year of life, is vital for them to develop an adventurous pallet.
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She said: "It might be surprising but babies actually love food which is flavour packed, so don't be afraid to give your baby curry, savoury food, sweet food, sour food, bland food, as well as creamy food."
Not only that but switch up the ways you present foods to them by altering the texture, like mashing, slicing and baking.
Keep offering the same food
It can take 15-20 times for babies to actually eat and enjoy a food that they've tried before, but continuing to expose them to it is the key.
"Given it can take this long for a baby to accept a new food it's really important that you continue to offer food they have rejected and not give up after the third or fourth attempt," Emma explained.
Be responsive
It's important to not force your baby to eat food, the pro revealed.
Of course, this can be tricky, especially if you've spent ages making a delicious meal only for them to not eat it.
She said: "When you push a baby to eat more food than they want, you might feel better in that moment but you are actually teaching the baby bad habits, which increases the risk of them becoming obese in the future."
Emma continued to explain that it's importnat to stop feeding your tot when they show signs that they're done.
Stay calm
Meal times are one of the most stressful parts of the day as a parent, but staying calm is important.
Emma said: "Your reaction during meal times has a direct correlation on whether or not your child is going to eat food.
"If you're happy and relaxed then your baby is also going to be happy and relaxed and feel safe and willing to try food."
Eat together
Having your meal at the time time as your baby is a great way to bond and show them that the food is safe to eat.
"They also see how to actually chew the food because they see you put the food in your mouth," the pro said.
Eating together can help the baby feel calm and safe enough to try new foods and learn how to eat them properly.
Reduce distractions
Get rid of iPads, mobile phones and TV's during meal time.
"When these devices are playing meal times can be long because babies tend to get distracted by them so they don't eat that quickly," Emma revealed.
Not only that, but they're less likely to process what it is they're eating and this can lead to picky eating or even overeating because they don't notice the full feeling in their tummy.
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Make sure they're comfortable
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You wouldn't want to eat a meal in an uncomfortable chair with your plate up by your chest and your baby probably doesn't either.
Emma said: "If you want your baby to comfortably eat foot then you need to adjust their highchair, that means use rolled up towels and give them a foot rest that they can actually use."
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