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Why Not Baby Cereal??
I've been reading articles lately on the case against against infant cereal, and I thought I'd share the information! Enjoy the great reads!
http://www.foodrenegade.com/why-ditch-infant-cereals/
http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/feeding-babies
http://www.foodrenegade.com/why-ditch-infant-cereals/
http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/feeding-babies
Choking and Readiness
Hi there.
I am hoping for some advice. My guy is 20 pounds at 6.5 months (exclusively breastfed). I have tried giving him some food slices a couple times. I tried at around 6 months and he gagged once or twice which turned into choking, and then he vomited a ton. I waited another week and tried some cooked carrots, which he did okay with. Then I tried pear again and he choked. I had to turn him upside down and whack him on the back. He is okay, but I am traumatized and feeling like a failure at BLS. He is big and strong, but not quite solid on sitting by himself. That is the only thing that leads me to believe I've started too soon. What advice would you give me? Is he okay to keep waiting for solids? I can't handle the choking and question whether I should just go the pureed route.
I would love input, as I am getting pressure from a doctor to feed him cereal for iron. I really love the BLS concept.
Needing reassurance in NY
Needing reassurance in NY
Dear Needing reassurance,
I'd say that your little guy is just not ready yet. It's important to wait until ALL the readiness signs are present, including sitting up. Also, if your little one is 20 pounds already at 6 months, then clearly he's not lacking nutrition. Buttercup is 20 pounds at 20 months!
Maybe this information will make you feel better: my chiropractor went to an infant nutrition seminar last year. It turns out that babies don't actually need anything besides breastmilk (exclusively) for the first year. I'm planning on waiting longer to start solids with this next baby (due in a few weeks). Also, the iron thing is a myth (see the FAQs for more about the iron myth and readiness signs. Doctors don't receive nutrition or breastfeeding training during medical school, and many of them don't stay current on the latest research. The iron in breastmilk is much more bioavailable than anything artificial you could give your baby. La Leche League also confirms that cereal is absolutely unnecessary (and potentially harmful to babies' long-term health).
Also, remember that babies who are going to choke are going to choke on purees, too. In fact, purees could pose MORE of a choking hazard, since babies aren't sure if they're supposed to chew it or suck it back like milk.
Also, if you're worried about mess at other people's houses, you could try putting a towel down on the floor and letting him eat down there. Then you can wrap up the mess and tuck it away in your bag. Voila! Sometimes we had living room "picnics" just because I was too lazy to do the highchair thing. Doesn't work so well once they become mobile, though...
Hope that helps!
charisma
10 Reasons to Delay Solids Until at Least 6 Months
10 Reasons to Delay Solids Until at Least 6 Months
Despite some clear messages from many health organizations, old recommendations -- or old wives' tales -- have many babies starting on solids before they reach 6 months old. Reasons range from "Baby is big enough!" to "Baby is too small!" (huh?) and even "I can just tell she's ready."
Even when it seems like baby is interested in food before then, often they're just interested in mimicking you, and would copy you putting something in your mouth the same way they'd copy putting your hairbrush on your head -- just copying, not intestinal lining cellular changes, the thing we're really waiting for.
There are very good reasons to delay solids until at least 6 months ...
1. It's recommended by the World Health Organization, UNICEF, The American Academy of Family Physicians, National Health & Medical Research Council, and many prominent pediatricians. The lower range numbers, and many of the reasons along with it, have been outdated for quite awhile.
2. Waiting until the cells lining the baby's gut have closed helps prevent many allergies, gas, rashes, and medical issues.
3. Waiting also shows less incidences of gastroenteritis, diabetes, and obesity (as much as six-fold!) and even ear infections.
4. Breastfeeding for at least seven months actually shows decreased rates of anemia.
5. Baby is much less likely to choke -- even on purees -- when baby is older, and can also sit upright of their own accord (babies should never be fed foods leaning back).
6. Baby's gut doesn't produce enzymes to aid in digestion until 3-4 months, and the ones that break down more complicated fats, starches, and carbohydrates won't be produced until 6-9 months, meaning lots of gas, constipation, vomiting, and wasted nutrients before then. Even generally fussiness months later is noted in babies who were started too early.
7. While some babies may be ready between 4-6 months (no evidence has ever shown anything but risks earlier), it's impossible to tell without looking with a microscope in the gut, so waiting until 6 months minimum is a safer move for all babies.
8. Waiting until your baby can pick up and put food into their own mouth while sitting up straight is a clear sign of readiness, especially if they can gum and swallow the foods. The Department of Health's Infant Feeding recommendation actually suggests allowing babies who show readiness before 6 months to play with finger foods (that's right, no purees), as it's also unlikely they will swallow before they're biologically ready.
9. The tongue thrust reflex is to help prevent choking, but spoons of liquid purees can often get past it, since the reflex point is farther forward than an adult's gagging reflex. Putting food in the front of the mouth and allowing baby to move it back, which they can't do until often after 6 months, helps prevent choking and is also, of course, a sign of readiness.
10. Most parent assumptions about when babies are ready are related to other biological norms -- waking up at night, reaching for food, mimicking your eating, wanting to eat more -- and are confused for signs of readiness. Having a set date AND a list of readiness signs helps prevent early introduction based on confusion about normal behaviors.
My friend at the Analytical Armadillo has a much longer and science-heavy post that I adore, but after all is said and done, it pretty much comes down to this: There are no benefits, only risks, to starting a baby before they're biologically ready, and since we can't see the gut, we have to go by outside cues, and waiting until a bare minimum of 6 months is the safest way to play it. If a couple weeks is the difference between a gut infection and not, the choice is pretty clear.
Your Questions: Meal Frequency
Dear charisma,
My quick questions for today are: how many times a day was Buttercup eating at 7 months, and which meals of the day was she eating (breakfast, lunch and/or dinner)?
Since we're trying to set some sort of routine to get LO's naps and bedtime in order, I'm wondering if skipping dinner on one day, or having lunch and no dinner on other days is messing up his schedule?
Also, I'm still not comfortable setting him up at friends' tables because of the mess. Any suggestions?
Also, I'm still not comfortable setting him up at friends' tables because of the mess. Any suggestions?
how many meals?
Dear how many meals,
Here is a quick answer for your quick question: we started off Buttercup with one meal a day (dinner). By 7 months I think we were usually doing two meals (lunch and dinner), but they were very casual. If it was too inconvenient we would skip a meal. Baby should still be getting 99% of calories from breastmilk at that point, so I really didn't worry about it.
Also, if you're worried about mess at other people's houses, you could try putting a towel down on the floor and letting him eat down there. Then you can wrap up the mess and tuck it away in your bag. Voila! Sometimes we had living room "picnics" just because I was too lazy to do the highchair thing. Doesn't work so well once they become mobile, though...
Hope that helps!
charisma
charisma
Our first gag/puke
Well, I guess it was inevitable: Buttercup had her first dinnertime gag/puke (at 16 months). She was happily munching on a plum, and a piece of the skin got hung up in her throat. It didn't help that she also had a cold, so it was really congested and slimy in there. But, she vomited a little bit. She didn't seem scared or freaked out at all, so I just let her deal with it. Then, I calmly pushed the "rejected" foods off her tray into a paper towel and gave her fresh food, which she proceeded to eat as if nothing happened.
The thing to remember is that gagging is a normal part of the learning-to-eat process (for all babies, not just baby-led solids babies). I was never worried that Buttercup was choking, because she was still making noises, and didn't look scared. The best thing to do in those situations is to stay calm and let them move the objectionable object out of their mouths by themselves.
What are some of your gagging experiences?
The thing to remember is that gagging is a normal part of the learning-to-eat process (for all babies, not just baby-led solids babies). I was never worried that Buttercup was choking, because she was still making noises, and didn't look scared. The best thing to do in those situations is to stay calm and let them move the objectionable object out of their mouths by themselves.
What are some of your gagging experiences?
Dips
Another great way to introduce your baby-led solids baby to the concept of utensils is by using dips. Dips can be any number of healthy items: peanut butter, yogurt for fruit, a milk/cheese sauce, hummus, homemade salad dressing...you can even plop some soup on your baby's highchair tray and provide strips of bread for dipping. The word on the street is that dipping is a precursor to using a spoon. It makes sense to me!
For this meal, we were having homemade falafel (chickpea patties) with a greek yogurt/lemon juice sauce. We put a spoonful on Buttercup's tray, and demonstrated dipping the falafel in the sauce. She immediately copied us, loving every minute of it!
For this meal, we were having homemade falafel (chickpea patties) with a greek yogurt/lemon juice sauce. We put a spoonful on Buttercup's tray, and demonstrated dipping the falafel in the sauce. She immediately copied us, loving every minute of it!
Using Utensils
I know a lot of parents agonize over their babies learning to use utensils. I've heard people use that as an argument against baby-led solids. I, however, have no such qualms. Having said that, we have started letting Buttercup experiment with a little metal fork and spoon in the past month (she's 15 months now, by the way). I think metal is better than plastic, since the fork tines tend to be more effective at picking up food. Plus, I am not crazy about plastics.
At first, it's best to offer your baby a pre-loaded spoon or fork. Forks seem to work better, for several reasons. Firstly, stabbing is an easier motion for babies than scooping. Also, babies tend to turn utensils upside-down when they get to their mouths, so if you offer a loaded spoon, it's going to get messy without your guidance.
From there, Buttercup has transitioned into trying to load her own utensils. Because babies are little sponges, they observe how mom and dad do things, and want to copy. Buttercup will pick food up with her left hand and put it on the utensil in her right (dominant) hand. I've found that stickier foods (like starchy or cheesy foods) are easier to manage than other foods (fruits and veggies). Sometimes, especially with runny foods (think soups), Buttercup still needs us to guide the spoon to her mouth.
At this point, utensils are mainly for exploration and fun. Most of the time Buttercup still eats with her hands. Sometimes she'll play with her empty fork/spoon. But, if she isn't interested in a food on her tray, she might suddenly want to eat lots of it if we put it on her fork. That is a helpful trick!
At first, it's best to offer your baby a pre-loaded spoon or fork. Forks seem to work better, for several reasons. Firstly, stabbing is an easier motion for babies than scooping. Also, babies tend to turn utensils upside-down when they get to their mouths, so if you offer a loaded spoon, it's going to get messy without your guidance.
From there, Buttercup has transitioned into trying to load her own utensils. Because babies are little sponges, they observe how mom and dad do things, and want to copy. Buttercup will pick food up with her left hand and put it on the utensil in her right (dominant) hand. I've found that stickier foods (like starchy or cheesy foods) are easier to manage than other foods (fruits and veggies). Sometimes, especially with runny foods (think soups), Buttercup still needs us to guide the spoon to her mouth.
At this point, utensils are mainly for exploration and fun. Most of the time Buttercup still eats with her hands. Sometimes she'll play with her empty fork/spoon. But, if she isn't interested in a food on her tray, she might suddenly want to eat lots of it if we put it on her fork. That is a helpful trick!
And the winner is...
...Susansmoaks!
You've won your very own copy of ""The Baby-led Weaning Cookbook: Over 130 Delicious Recipes for the Whole Family to Enjoy.” It was great to see everyone's comments and hear how wonderful all your babies are doing with their baby-led eating. Keep it up!
Susan said that her daughter's favorite food is carrots. Carrots make for a great first food for babies, since they are really nutritious and naturally the right shape (french-fry shaped). Just boil them to get them soft enough for your little one. When Buttercup was first starting out she would gnaw on the end of the carrot. Now that she is older, though, we can cut the carrots into slices for her and she will pick them up with her thumb and forefinger. An added fun factor is that carrots make for a very colorful diaper the next day!
What's the great thing about doing carrots the baby-led solids way? By waiting until at least 6 months to introduce solids, you don't have to worry about your baby turning an orange color from eating too many carrots (did you ever hear horror stories about that happening to babies with carrot purees?). By waiting til your baby is older, you ensure her tiny system is actually ready to break down the foods she's putting in her mouth.
Click here for a flashback of Buttercup's first taste of carrot.
You've won your very own copy of ""The Baby-led Weaning Cookbook: Over 130 Delicious Recipes for the Whole Family to Enjoy.” It was great to see everyone's comments and hear how wonderful all your babies are doing with their baby-led eating. Keep it up!
Susan said that her daughter's favorite food is carrots. Carrots make for a great first food for babies, since they are really nutritious and naturally the right shape (french-fry shaped). Just boil them to get them soft enough for your little one. When Buttercup was first starting out she would gnaw on the end of the carrot. Now that she is older, though, we can cut the carrots into slices for her and she will pick them up with her thumb and forefinger. An added fun factor is that carrots make for a very colorful diaper the next day!
What's the great thing about doing carrots the baby-led solids way? By waiting until at least 6 months to introduce solids, you don't have to worry about your baby turning an orange color from eating too many carrots (did you ever hear horror stories about that happening to babies with carrot purees?). By waiting til your baby is older, you ensure her tiny system is actually ready to break down the foods she's putting in her mouth.
Click here for a flashback of Buttercup's first taste of carrot.
Giveaway Drumroll...
We will be announcing the winner of the "The Baby-led Weaning Cookbook” giveaway tomorrow. Today's the last chance to leave your comment for a chance to win!
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