Introducing solid foods to your twins can be a thrilling and much-awaited change. It marks one of their initial significant achievements and can lead to amusing, albeit messy, moments.
As experienced twin moms, we’ve compiled 18 tips to help make the transition to solids much easier for you and your little ones.
1. Check With Pediatrician First
The typical recommendation to start babies on solids is 4-6 months, but you’ll always want to check with your pediatrician first.
Every baby is different developmentally, and often twins can be “behind” in the first year due to premature birth. Your pediatrician will assess signs of readiness and give you the official “okay” to start solids.
Typical signs the pediatrician will analyze include motor skills like head and neck control and whether or not the babies can sit up on their own.
They’ll also want to know if the babies are exhibiting developmental behaviors such as opening their mouth when they see food and bringing objects to their mouth.
When my twins were four months adjusted, our pediatrician gave us the go-ahead for solids but recommended we try something simple and dissolvable first, such as puffs.
This would allow us to see if they were able to developmentally handle solid foods before jumping right in!
2. Be Prepared for a Mess!
Before you start your twins on solids, remove all nice rugs from the area and lower your expectations!! Things will get messy.
Remember, this is the very first time your little ones will be experiencing food. It will be very new and exciting to them, and they’re going to want to explore a bit.
Go ahead and let them! Feed them in an area that you don’t mind getting messy. You could even feed them naked to avoid ruining their clothes.
3. Place a Plastic Sheet Under Feeding Area To Catch Spills
Because things will get messy, it might be a good idea to place something like a splash mat under your feeding area to avoid ruining floors or rugs.
You could invest in one that matches your décor, or go the disposable route for super easy cleanup.
The great thing about splash mats is they can be used for years, transforming from a catch-all for spills to a safe-guard for your floors during craft time when the babies are toddlers.
This one is particularly adorable and can be used over and over without showing wear.
4. Feed Babies at the Same Time
It is typically recommended to try to keep twins on a similar sleeping and eating schedule, and this should carry over to solid foods too.
Babies will eventually transition to eating three meals a day, typically with the rest of the family. So, it’s a good idea to get them used to eating together now.
Wait to introduce solids until both babies are ready, and then try to feed them the same things at the same time. This will avoid chaos, confusion, and even jealousy if one twin gets something different than the other.
Having them eating the same solids at the same time will continue to keep them on the same schedule and make it easy for you to record any adverse reactions experienced with either baby.
5. Feed Babies Before the Family Meal
When you’re first starting solids, you should feed your twins before the family meal. It may be too much stress to try to eat yourself and feed your twins at the same time when they are just learning.
Plus, this will keep them on a good schedule that will easily transition to eating with the family once they get the hang of things!
While they’ll still have breastmilk or formula several times throughout the day, keep solids on a “breakfast, lunch, and dinner” schedule right before you or the rest of the family eats.
This way, it will be a very seamless transition off breastmilk or formula when that time comes.
6. Have All Gear Ready and Within Easy Reach
As mentioned, things are going to get messy! So, similar to when you are breastfeeding or bottle-feeding twins, make sure to have everything you need within easy reach before you start.
This includes bowls and utensils plus bibs, burp cloths, or paper towels for messes.
Things can get very interesting the first few times you feed your twins solids. You don’t want to be running around grabbing things you need while food is potentially flying across the room!
It’s also very new and different for the babies, and they’ll feel more comfortable if you are with them the whole time making it a positive experience.
7. Use Large Bibs
Speaking of messes and gear, large bibs will be worth the investment. Small bibs will only go so far in keeping your little ones clean. Using something large or with some sort of pocket will save you some time during cleanup.
Something like a Bumkins SuperBib or KiddyStar’s extra large bib will keep your twins very clean during feeding.
You could even get a bib that completely covers your babies like this Coverall Feeding Bib if you’re really worried about messes. Silicone baby bibs are great to catch food with its pocket and easily rinse off in the sink afterward.
My family was partial to waterproof bibs that were large enough to cover the babies but easy enough to rinse off and hang up to dry – minimal laundering needed. And the catch pockets were a bonus!
8. Introduce Only One Food at a Time
With solid foods, The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology recommends introducing single ingredient foods one at a time and waiting 3-5 days before introducing a new food.
This will allow you to make sure your babies aren’t allergic to anything specific before moving on to the next food.
Aside from allergies, introducing one food at a time gives your babies an opportunity to really try out the food and see if they like it.
The first time they try solids they may be surprised by what you are giving them, and they may even get fussy or upset, but by day two or three, they may completely change their mind and love it!
One of my twins definitely reacted this way, and now she’s the best eater!
Introducing one food at a time is also going to be easy on mom and dad. No need to get fancy in the beginning when you’re first starting solids. Just go with the basics.
As a guide, my pediatrician recommended I try everything they offer in the baby food aisle at the grocery store.
You can make the food yourself too, but taking a look at what they have at the grocery store will be a great starting point to give you ideas!
9. Situate Babies Where They Are Comfortable & Secure
For their first time trying solids, make sure your babies are in a secure and comfortable position to make the process easier for them. There are plenty of options when it comes to containing twins for mealtime!
For my twins, we used bouncy seats the first few times they tried solids (these specific seats by Fisher Price). The twins loved their bouncy seats, and it was a very relaxed and comfortable position for them.
It was easy to sit in front of both of them and feed them at the same time in the bouncy seats.
After they got the hang of solids, we eventually transitioned them to a “twin activity table” for mealtime.
If you have a Table for Two or something similar, this is a great place to start solids. You can also use highchairs if the babies are big enough for them and used to sitting in them.
10. Find a Comfortable Position for Yourself
Feeding your twins solids should be a fun and exciting experience, so make sure you are comfortable yourself!
Pull up a chair or sit on the floor right in front of the twins and be prepared to spend some time there. You shouldn’t rush a new thing.
Babies feed off our energy. Approach solids with a calm, cool, and collected attitude. If you’re nervous, your babies will sense this and get nervous too.
11. Ignore Distractions
In addition to being comfortable, you’ll want to be present. Don’t plan to watch your favorite TV show while feeding your twins solids. They’ll need your undivided attention.
With this being a brand-new experience for everyone, you’ll find it beneficial to be all-in. The babies will respond to you better if you are engaged, and you’ll end up having a better experience too.
Without having any distractions, you may be able to stave off potential messes too.
12. Keep Mealtimes Positive
This brand-new experience may be a little scary for your twins at first, but if you approach it with a positive attitude, they will eventually feed off that.
To keep things light, you can play music that you know your babies like or music that you know is relaxing. Sing silly songs as you feed them, or make helicopter noises to make them laugh.
No matter what happens, make sure to keep smiling to show your babies there’s nothing to be afraid of and that this should be fun!
13. Let Them Each Hold a Baby Spoon To Occupy Their Hands
When you start solids, your babies probably won’t be developmentally ready to use a spoon themselves. However, you should let them each hold a spoon to occupy their hands and make them feel like they are part of the process.
It can be a little scary to hand over this messy tool, but the sooner you let them explore with a spoon, the sooner they’ll actually be able to feed themselves.
It takes a lot of practice to get a spoonful of food into their mouths themselves, so they might as well start now! Silicone spoons such as these from PrimaStella or these from Munchkin are a great, safe option to start with.
14. Try To Keep Spoons & Bowls Separate
With twins, sharing becomes a natural way of life, but you should try to keep feeding utensils separate if possible to avoid spreading germs.
This can be easier said than done, but if you can do it, you could potentially avoid two sick babies.
But, let’s be real here. Mix-ups are going to happen! You’re a twin mama, and a lot is going on.
In fact, many twin parents abstain from this rule and just use the same bowl and spoon for both babies.
At the end of the day, whatever works best for you and your family is what is going to be the right choice.
15. Expect Tongue Thrusts & Spitting Food Out
The first few times you feed your twins solids, it’s probably not going to go exactly how you expect it to. In fact, it may feel like your twins are spitting out more than they are swallowing.
This is totally normal! Embrace it, and go with the flow because they’ll be pros in no time!
Tongue thrusting is a natural reaction for babies when they are trying something new. They are going to explore their first bites of food, and this may result in the food coming out rather than going down.
This doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t like the food. Be repetitive with solids, and let them explore new foods at their own pace.
16. Don’t Fret About Progress Rates – Every Child Is Different
All babies develop at different paces, and your twins will be no different. One twin may pick up eating solids quickly while the other takes his or her time. Try not to compare them to each other or other babies.
Because of premature birth, some twins may pick up eating solids at a slower pace than what is deemed “the norm.”
This was true for my twins. We started very slowly with purees and then went all in with finger food when that time came. By one year they were fully “caught up.”
17. Encourage Learning & Exploration
The transition to solids should be fun and exciting! It will be a foreign experience to your twins, so you should let them play and explore. Don’t pressure the babies to be perfect eaters right at first.
Your pediatrician will tell you that most of their nutrition should be coming from breastmilk or formula until age 1, so this is just practice really!
Let the twins explore by finger painting with spills and tasting food that is on their hands. Let them see for themselves that it isn’t a great feeling to have food in their hair or ears. Embrace the mess!
18. Treasure Each Moment
You’ll only get to feed your twins solids for the first time once! You won’t get this time back! Treasure it, have fun, and enjoy the experience. If you do, your twins will too!
Mom of three (including identical twin boys), wife, and owner of Parents Wonder. This is my place to share my journey as a mother and the helpful insights I learn along the way.