The first order of business is to relax, says nutritionist Bridget Swinney. Introducing new food can be an exciting milestone for you and your baby. But you may get frustrated when your baby doesn't love the food you've introduced.

While your baby may eagerly devour the first bites of a new food, he or she is just as likely to turn around the next minute and reject it, says Swinney.  None of the food you introduce has ever crossed your baby's lips before, so it takes time to get used to its new texture and flavor.

Here are some tips for helping your baby try (and eventually eat) new foods:

• If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Your baby may hate his or her first, third, and ninth exposure to carrots, but the tenth time may be the charm.

• Experiment with different ways of presenting food. Your baby may not like bananas by themselves, but may love them mixed with oatmeal cereal. (Just be sure not to introduce more than one new food at a time, so you can see if your baby is allergic.) Likewise, your older baby may prefer shredded steamed carrots to sliced.

• Try new food when you and your baby are at your best – when you're both well rested, in good spirits, and healthy.

• Your baby will be more open to a new food if he or she is hungry (but not overly hungry), so offer the new food first.

• Don't stop feeding your baby if he or she makes a funny face – it doesn't necessarily mean that the food didn't pass muster. Your baby may just be reacting to the distinctly different taste or texture.

• Babies are easily distracted, so keep TV, music, and toys to a minimum during mealtime.

• If your baby seems interested in holding the spoon, offer one. That way he or she can feel more like an active participant.

• Give your baby your undivided attention during feedings.  And try to keep your facial expressions positive, even if you're serving a food you think your baby may not like.

• Let your baby see you eating the same food he or she is eating. Babies love to imitate.

• Your baby may like a new food but still only eat a few teaspoons of it. That's perfectly normal.

• If your baby gives you the thumbs-down on a particular food (closing the mouth, turning the head, throwing the spoon), don't force it. Try again in a few days and it may get gobbled up. Forcing food or showing your frustration may turn mealtime into a negative experience full of power struggles.

• Switch things up. Your baby may tire of eating bananas at every meal and give up on them entirely. Plus, a varied diet is more nutritious for your growing baby.

Note: Wait until your baby is a year old to offer certain foods such as honey and cow's milk. You'll also want to steer clear of choking hazards like peanut butter, popcorn, gummy candies, large chunks of food, and small, hard foods like nuts. For more details, see our article Foods that can be unsafe for your baby.

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