Baby in a highchair, mom in front with a small spoon and a jar of
baby food. It looks like something right out of a parenting magazine,
and it's a scene that is played out several times a day in the majority
of homes with small babies. Unfortunately, it's also a powerful
marketing image that can cost a family a great deal of money in the long
run.
The Convenience Factor
Most parents would say the main
reason for using commercial jarred baby food is the convenience aspect.
After all, with the busy lifestyle many of us have today, no one has
time to specially prepare a meal for each member of the family. It
doesn't have to be a special event to create your own baby food,
however. Baby can usually eat what the rest of the family is eating with
very little special preparation.
Good Nutrition
Everyone
worries about proper nutrition for growing babies. Iron, calcium, and
vitamin D - all of these things are legitimate concerns in children's
nutrition. However, fortified and processed foods aren't necessarily
better than whole foods. Homemade baby food, created from fresh
ingredients, offers your child superior nutrition as well as encourages a
taste for simple, unprocessed foods - a taste that will possibly
prevent obesity-related problems later in life. It's not necessary to
offer commercial baby foods in order to have a healthy child.
Economics
Why
pay more for an inferior product? Beginning baby food often runs
between forty and seventy cents for two ounces. It's entirely possible
to purchase half a pound of produce for the same amount, and baby will
reap the benefits of eating fresh, nutritious food. Buying produce in
bulk can result in even more savings, and even frozen produce is
preferable to what you find in the jars.
Getting Started
It's
important to know when baby is actually ready for solids. Introducing
solids too early can lead to an increased likelihood of food
intolerances and food allergies. Most medical associations agree that
starting solids around six months of age is ideal, and many people find
delaying solids for allergy-prone babies is even better. Signs of
readiness for solids include:
- Increased nursing for more than a few days, which is unrelated to
illness or teething, or, if baby is fed artificial baby milk, consuming
more than 32 ounces daily.
- Ability to sit up unsupported.
- Absence of the tongue-thrust reflex. This life-saving reflex causes
babies to push foreign objects (in this case, solid foods) out of their
mouths to avoid choking.
- Ability to pick foods up and place in mouth independently (or development of the pincer grasp).
What About Allergies?
Experts recommend introducing
new foods between three days and a week apart. This helps parents and
caregivers identify signs of a food allergy or intolerance. Common signs
of food allergy/intolerance are:
- Increased bloating and gassiness, painful discomfort.
- Sandpaper-like raised rash on face, often where the offending food made contact with skin.
- Runny nose and watery eyes.
- Diarrhea or mucous in the stools. Blood in the stool can also be an indicator of a food allergy, usually dairy or soy.
- Red rash around anus, or an unusual diaper rash.
- Vomiting or increased spit up with discomfort.
Ideally, it is best to introduce foods that are less
likely to produce an allergic reaction in baby. Avoiding foods such as
egg whites, certain nuts such as peanuts, cow's milk, corn, wheat, and
some berries such as strawberries is recommended, as they are more
likely to cause reactions. Instead, start with foods that are easier on
baby's system. Some good ideas include:
- Apples
- Bananas
- Peaches
- Pears
- Carrots
- Squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Asparagus
- Oats
- Barley
- Brown rice
Tools of the Trade
Fancy equipment isn't necessary
to make healthy food for your baby. Things that might be helpful include
a blender, a food mill, a steamer basket and ice cube trays if you want
to freeze small portions. Most people have blenders already in their
kitchens, and a food mill (or baby grinder) isn't necessary if you have a
good blender or food processor. Steamer baskets can be found in most
grocery stores for only a few dollars, and fit easily into saucepans.
Many beginner foods require nothing more than a small pan and a fork.
Sequencing
Many
doctors recommend starting your baby on rice cereal first. Many parents
find, however, that fruits go over better for beginning eaters. It is a
myth that babies will prefer sweet things if they are given fruits
first - nature's first food, breast milk, is naturally sweet, and that
is what baby is accustomed to. Banana is a wonderful first food, as its
creamy consistency is similar to mother's milk. After introducing
banana, try another fruit or vegetable. Continue adding fruits and
vegetables until baby has a wide variety of tastes. Then consider adding
whole grains in the form of cereal. Many whole grains have naturally
occurring iron, so there is no need to supplement baby's iron unless
there is a medical indication for doing so. Brown rice, oats, and barley
are all good choices. Next, introduce a meat or poultry such as beef or
chicken.
If you are a vegetarian, introduce another protein
source such as tofu or lentils. As time goes on, introduce a combination
of tastes, such as cereal mixed with applesauce or peas and carrots.
This is also a great time to introduce finger foods, especially if baby
has teeth. As baby learns to self-feed, you can move away from making
purees and offer small baby-sized portions of the family meal.
Getting Started
Bananas
make an ideal food for a baby starting solids. To serve, let bananas
ripen well (the more ripe, the better - brown spots are desirable), cut
into small chunks and mash with a fork. Pears are an excellent source of
fiber and can be cooked like apples: peel and cut into chunks. Place in
small saucepan and just cover with water. Cook until tender. These can
then be mashed with a fork, run through a food mill, processed in a
blender or food processor. They can also be offered as finger food if
they are cut into small enough chunks. Carrots, another popular first
food, should be scraped with a vegetable peeler, sliced and steamed or
boiled until soft. Process in blender or food mill. Carrots can be a
choking hazard for children, so do use caution if offering as a finger
food.
Sweet potatoes are extremely easy to make, and one potato
can last a long time if frozen after cooking. Place sweet potato in a
microwave for about eight minutes, remove and let cool. Open up and
serve right out of the peel - the potato is very soft and needs no
further processing. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of B6.
Winter
squash such as acorn or butternut makes an excellent first food. Cut
squash in half and clean. Place in one half inch of water in a baking
pan and bake at three hundred and fifty degrees for half an hour. Use a
spoon to scoop out squash and feed directly to baby.
Avocadoes are
an extremely nutrient dense food and offers important vitamins and
minerals such as iron and potassium. Cut avocado in half around the pit,
grab each half and give it a twist. Scoop out meat and mash or dice.
Making
cereal for baby is very easy. Take a cup of the whole grain if your
choice such as brown rice, oats, or barley and process in the blender
until the desired consistency is reached, usually about two minutes for
very young babies. Store in an airtight container. To cook, mix with
liquid of your choice and heat over medium heat on stove until thick.
Enjoyment
Enjoy
this fun stage in baby's development, and rest assured that baby is
getting superior nutrition and developing good eating habits which will
last a lifetime!
Meredith Edwards-Cornwall owns and operates Attached Mamas at
http://www.attachedmamas.com,
which caters to families looking to achieve health naturally. Remedies
for colic, morning sickness, infertility and more. She is also a
designer for the web and print and owns Beach Designs Studio at
[http://www.beachdesigns.net]
