Once your infant hits the stage in which he or she begins trying new foods, you may be faced with a picky eater. Your child is experiencing a world of new smells, tastes and textures and, like anyone, will have preferences. However, some will become very finicky and will try to fight you at every meal. This doesn’t need to be. Some planning and patience, along with some helpful hints, will make mealtime much more enjoyable for you and your child.

Offer a variety of foods, a little at a time. Give your child time to savor each taste and texture. Let them choose for themselves what they like and what they don’t. Offer small amounts. This will feel less overwhelming. Try the One Bite rule. Get them to try just one bite. Let them experience it. You baby will let you know if they want more. If they won’t eat, remove them from the table and try again in a few hours. Don’t make an issue of it.

Do not stare at your baby or the food when trying them on new things. Give them some time, they will eat sooner or later. No healthy child ever starved themselves. Make the meal a pleasant experience. Don’t make a big deal out your child’s choices. Forcing the issue will only ensure further food battles. Try making mealtimes fun. Cut the food into fun shapes. Be creative!

Use whole milk but don’t go crazy with dairy. Babies need the fat in whole milk to aid their brain growth. Even though, they do need a wider variety of foods to cover their nutritional needs. A good rule for dairy is no more than 24 ounces per day.

Once a child hits the stage to try new foods, they do know how much they need to eat. If they don’t get enough at one meal they will make it up at another.

Don’t be surprised is vegetables are not high on your child’s list of favorites. Veggies are notorious for ranking at the bottom. Baby vitamins will help make up for nutritional needs until your child accepts a wider variety of foods.

When should you be concerned about a picky eater? If your child has trouble chewing or swallowing, vomiting, drooling or gagging with meals or if they completely refuse food or liquids you should get them to a health care professional.

This is an exciting stage of your baby’s growth. Make the most of it!

Nikola lives and write in Oklahoma. She enjoys reading, scrapbooking and interior decorating. She currently shares her home with two spoiled dogs. Nikola is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/
which is a site for Poetry.