If you are like me, the thought of feeding my baby anything but milk scared the heck out of me in the early months! I was absolutely terrified that my little one would choke, and so I was hesitant to give him absolutely anything other then very watery oatmeal for the first 6 weeks that we started weaning.
Surprisingly, my partner, John, was less frightened and so he started feeding our son, Jack off of his dinner plate using his fingers. John would put a little bit of food on the tip of his finger and give Jack a taste. It made our little one feel like a “big boy” and he was thrilled to be having “meal time” with us. He loved eating the same foods that we were eating at the same time as us.
After a few weeks, our son was taking a wide variety of foods including fish, chicken, beef, potatoes, carrots, and peas. I think the biggest key is to not be afraid to give your baby new things, and if they don’t like, don’t give up and discount that particular food…keep trying. Our little ones might not like the way brocolli feels today, but after a few times they will get used to the texture and may learn to enjoy it.
Jack absolutely hated porridge when I started giving it to him (or oatmeal for my USA friends), but I kept trying him with it, and now he loves it.
The World Health Organization suggests that you not feed babies anything other then Breast Milk or Formula until they are at least 6 months of age as their tummies are not mature enough to break down anything other than milk up to this age. In my personal opinion, mommies know best, so if you think your little one is ready at 4 months, then by all means, give it a go. You’ll know they are interested when they are looking at you longingly when you’re munching on food yourself.
There are conflicting reports about the success of Baby Led Weaning (BLW) and if it is the right way to introduce foods to children. I think that a mixture of Weaning and BLW is key. You need to give your baby foods such as purees so that they get used to new tastes and allow their tummies to get used to taking something other then milk, but you also need to give them an opportunity to chose what they like themselves.
Here are some tips that you might find useful:
Only Try One New Food per Day - this will allow you to see if your baby is allergic to it or if it upsets their tummy and it won’t confuse them with a lot of new tastes all at once.
Make Meal Times a Social Experience - Make sure to interact with your little one by laughing and talking to them so they know that this is your time together.
Feed Baby what You are Having - There is no need to be making a whole different meal for your child, before seasoning your own food, set aside a little bit for your little one. Use your fingers to feed them, and after a while try feeding them these foods from their spoon.
Don’t be Afraid of a Mess - Feeding solids to a baby is a messy job, so don’t be afraid of the mess, it can be cleaned up.
Give Mealtimes Plenty of Time - Don’t rush your baby’s mealtime, let them take their time and have fun.
Be Confident & Don’t be Afraid that your Baby will Choke - surprisingly enough, babies have an unbelievable ability not to choke. Their gag reflex allows them to spit up food if it gets caught. You do need to always stay with your child while they are eating and never leave them unattended. Also, it’s a good idea to take a first aid course to learn the different signs for gagging and choking.
Be Persistent - If your baby doesn’t like a particular texture or taste, shelve it for a week or two and try again. Babies must get used to different tastes and textures before they learn to like something, so try try again!
Food Suggestions (from 6 months +):
Rice Cakes with Yoghurt - they dissolve and are a sweet and healthy treat
Toast - White bread works the best. Cover with butter and cut into little soldiers or triangles.
Fish Fingers - Cook under the grill and take off all of the breading, white fish is an excellent source of protein and vitamins for your little one.
Baked Beans - Heat and mash with a fork
Potato Waffles - Cook under the grill until soft and cut into pieces for baby to munch on.
Bananas - Put bananas into the refrigerator so that they are nice and cold, break a piece off and let baby feed themselves. This is a special sweet treat for baby, and feels wonderful on their gums.
Scrambled Eggs - easy to prepare, especially in the microwave, and a great source of protein
The most important thing to remember when you are introducing solids to your baby is to be confident and believe in your instincts. Happy feeding!
No comments:
Post a Comment