Solid Foods for 9 Month Old

Feeding a baby according to his age is essential to fulfill his dietary requirements and ensure proper growth and development of the infant. When a baby is very small, he must be only breastfed and till 5 months of age, apart from breast milk he can be on a liquid diet like fresh fruit juice and vegetables soups etc. After the baby is 6 months old, it is time to give him semi-solid and solid foods. Apart from the regular baby care, it is also essential to give your infant nourishing food for proper physical and mental development for the child. Introducing solid foods in your baby's diet will depend on his growth and development. Solid food should strictly be introduced only after the baby is 6 months old, since the intestines are not developed completely and the child may be unable to swallow and digest solid food before he is 6 months old. Hence it is best to start solid food only after the 6th month for better feeding. When the infant has entered his 9th month then you can feed him proper solid food. There are many solid foods for 9 month old that are easily digestible. Apart from the normal solid foods, feeding the infant with baby formula and breast milk side by side is essential.

Best Baby Foods for 9 Month Old
Before giving any solid food to the infant, it is necessary to check if he shows any allergic reactions, like vomiting, developing rashes or having diarrhea, to any food. Given below is a list of solid food for 9 month old.

Cereals:
Cereals like iron fortified rice, oats, can be introduced as the first solid food. Baby rice cereal for 9 month old is an excellent option since it is rich in iron and helps in proper growth and development. You can boil these cereals in water or milk and mash it properly before feeding it to the baby. Cereals make perfect finger foods to introduce self eating.

Fruits:
Another great option for finger foods for babies is fruits. Soft fruits like bananas and papaya can be cut into very small pieces before feeding the baby. Fruits like apples, pears and peaches can be mashed or pureed to avoid choking.

Vegetables:
Before giving any vegetables, make sure it is properly cooked and mashed. Half cooked vegetables can cause indigestion problems to the infant. You can give well cooked potatoes, carrots, zucchini, pumpkin etc. that are rich sources of vitamins and minerals. Feed small morsels or quantity to ensure proper chewing for easy digestion.

Other Foods:
Apart from the above foods, you can even feed the little one with very thin slices of cooked chicken or fish. Other finger foods that can be given to the baby include cheese cubes, crackers, cooked pasta, toasted bread and oat circle cereals.

Foods to be Avoided
It is better to avoid foods that are hard to chew. Peas and any kind of nuts are also a strict no-no, since they can easily choke the wind pipe. Other foods that should not be given to a 9 month old baby are raw carrots, popcorn, meat chunks, hard candy, hotdogs, cookies and peanut butter. Citrus fruits must be given only after the infant is year old, since the acid in the citrus fruits can be too harsh for the baby's stomach. Bite-size pieces of food must be given to the baby only under parental supervision.

Solid foods for 9 month old will aid in the proper growth and nourishment of the baby. But before giving any kind of solid food to your 9 month old baby, consult a pediatrician who may advice you on the best foods.