Mommies of twins, by now you have figured your way around bathing, nursing, burping and hopefully even putting your darlings to sleep at the same time. You reading this blog means that your babies are now nearing 6 months or are already showing signs of interest in the food you are having! It is indeed a wonderful feeling to watch the slow growth and development of your child; from cooing to crawling to discovering their bodies’ ever-developing strength. The more energy they consume the more they will need to replenish, and it seems like a pretty good time to explore ways to expand your babies’ diet.
While we encourage you to check with your paediatrician, the general rule of thumb is to introduce solids once your little one begins sitting up unassisted, which usually happens around 5-6 months of age
With this new milestone approaches, let’s talk about how you can make a smooth transition and help your twins and you adjust-
(Pro Tip: While it is quite common for the process to take time to find the pace and flow of solids, do things that make it easier for you to feed your duo, with the least amount of stress. This phase requires patience and being prepared for some mess coming your way!).
Understanding Portions and Frequency
You might already have a schedule set in place to breastfeed/bottle feed, but the journey ahead requires an understanding that your babies are exploring something completely new, and you are deep-diving into the land of the unknown. This means spacing out the food introduced and understanding that they might spit out (or toss away) the first one or two offerings. The initial stage of solids is all experiential for your little ones, which is why one or two tablespoons once a day is more than enough at first.
Preparing for the Journey Ahead
Although you are introducing ‘solids’, your little ones won’t necessarily start with exploring it in that form. We encourage you to begin Baby Led Weaning (BLW) early on as research shows it builds self-confidence and willingness to explore new flavours and textures. However, some mothers opt for starting with purees, in which case we provided some general tips:
- Some foods would need you to steam it before pureeing it. Vegetables and fruits are common first foods, some of which require steaming are: pumpkin, zucchini, apple, carrots. Alternatively, bananas and avocados are other first foods that do not require steaming. A quick mash with a fork, and you’re good to go!
- Allergies are a common worry for parents starting off this journey. It is recommended to introduce a single food type at a time and over 2-3 days; especially if there is a history of allergies in the family.
- Be ready for the messiest part of the journey! Have your plate sets, bibs, washcloths, baby wipes and an easily washable floor mat ready to make sure you’re all set for what excitement awaits.
Seating Arrangements
- Your baby duo should be sitting upright to avoid asphyxiation or choking while eating. So, make sure to pick out high chairs or booster seats that provide enough back and foot support to your little ones as you transition to solids.
- Parents often prefer seating their duo close to each other for ease of cleaning or feeding. An extra bonus to having a close setup? Capturing adorable photos of your little ones explore food for the first time!
Maximizing Mealtime
- Mess is an expected by-product of introducing solids. However, joining them for mealtime not only serves as family bonding time, but it also instils good table manners at an early age.
- Another way to maximize the experience of introducing solids is to allow your little ones to contribute to the preparation process. It does not have to be major at first, it can start out by letting them mash the banana themselves and watch how they react to the texture change!
