STORE BOUGHT VS MAKING YOUR OWN BABY FOOD AND OTHER QUESTIONS

Emily - posted on 02/24/2009

Also, we never did rice cereal with our second and third. It tends to clog up the gut a bit more than other foods, and the extra iron in it is generally not needed for a breastfed baby. We all just had our iron checked a few weeks ago, and my 14 month old has the highest iron levels of any of my kids... and she's NEVER had any vitamins, supplements or any specific store-bought or homemade baby foods... just straight table foods and tons of breastmilk. :)

Emily - posted on 02/24/2009

I haven't had a chance to read the other responses, but I just wanted to say... you're doing great! We didn't start our 2nd or 3rd on solids until past 6 months, and they never had any pureed baby foods. We just started with simple table foods, straight from our plates. Bananas, sweet potatoes, applesauce, etc are some of the ones we like. Cooked carrots (like from a stew) are also a great first food. We generally like to start with veggies & fruits, then some dairy (cheese & yogurt), then meats (ground beef or shredded chicken), and finally grains and cows milk and other high allergens (nuts, peanut butter, honey, etc are the last things we allow).

Our children generally start actually eating food around 8 months, and just after a year they switch to a mainly solid foods diet (on their own). We still continue to breastfeed until after their second birthday (my second weaned at 2 years 8 months), but the majority of their nutrition comes from solids. I don't really push solids at all, we just let them eat when they want. We start putting our kids in a booster seat (reclining) during meal times pretty much from birth... just so they can be near us. Once they can sit with the seat fully upright, and are past 6 months, we start putting small mushy things on their tray and see what they do. Sometime between 9-12 months we'll also offer small plastic utensils. A good chunk of the time there's more food on the floor after the meal than in their stomach... but they do get better. My 14 month old sat down the other day and ate two small bowl fulls of lasagna with a small fork... she didn't spill any of it on the floor, and she barely got any on the bib she was wearing. I almost didn't have to wash off her face either, she's just getting much better using the fork.

Overall, I think we chose our method of baby feeding because it was the easiest and the least expensive. It also helps when we go to restaurants and such... we don't have to worry about bringing baby's meal, or ordering something special... they just eat portions of our meals. :)

Paula - posted on 02/24/2009

TBH store brought jars is a quick fix for when time is short or you are out and about, My DD would eat Hipp Organic jars but most of the time she just had what I was cooking for myself and DH pureed up with gravy to a consistancy that she liked. it is also a lot cheeper! I hated the smell of fruit simmering into fruit puree so I would cheat and buy jar fruit.

 

When I intorduced solids we did the baby rice and milk for about 2 days but once she got the idea we very quickly moved onto puree, if it was too runny I would add baby rice to thicken but my DD would eat anything put infront of her and still does.

 

I started one meal a day always even as it was easier for me to add it into the routine we had, the last meal we added was breakfast as it was harder to find a viratey for the mornings till I realised I don't have viratey for breakfast so why did DD need it?

 

I would wake in the morning and feed DD and again at 11 ish then lunch would be 12pm to 1pm but never on the dot I always made lunch flexible as she would then never demand it, offer boob after lunch and again round 2.30 ish dinner was at 4.30 as DD would booby feed 7pm to 8pm so I would have time between dinner and night hour to do the bathing ect....... also she always eats while we eat, it is not difficuilt to eat your own at the same time as feeding LO also it teaches sociability round food.

 

You will know when to add more food, I gradually introduced a drink at food times and DD onec on 3 meals a day had 4 booby feeds gradually cutting down to being fully weaned from me, you and your sone will come to a happy mediem once you get going so don't worry.

Angela - posted on 02/24/2009

i loved the book "Super Babyfood" by Ruth Yaron, it really helped me! it has everything from instructions to make your own babyfood, to making your own household products, to food safety and even info on practically any food you can feed them and when. i ended up buying most of the food for my kids, my daughter loves tablefood barely mashed, but will eat pureed babyfood. my twins were strange, they wanted pureed all the way, i think they realized it was quicker to eat, they were too busy to eat. good luck!

Shannon - posted on 02/24/2009

We do both at our house... there are certain things that I just felt didn't get smooth enough when I made it myself... peas and green beans for instance, and a couple others that I just can't bring myself to do... meats is one. I have a food mill that I just take whatever we have for veggies, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, squash etc... and run it through the mill... I put it in ice cube trays and freeze it and then put two cubes into individual bags for serving at a later time. Fruits, same thing. I didn't add anything to them when we first started, now that he has gotten older and wants to eat everything we eat, I sometimes will add whatever spices we use on ours and then mash it up. My son has never had baby food applesauce, he started on regular appleasauce wneh he was 3.5 months... basically becasue we were low on money and regular applesauce was cheaper and more cost effective. My son could care less if it is home made or store bought... as long as it is food, he will eat it... then again I have a 21lb 6 month old.

As far as how much to give, start with the cereals, mix it kind of this so that you almost have to pour it in his mouth. Gradually make it a bit thicker each day, and after a week or so if he is good with cereal, add in a bit of fruit or veggies. People are different with what they choose to start with, I started with the applesauce, then onto a veggie.. we went back and forth between fruits and veggies each time we tried a new one... ohh, and stick to the new one for atleast a week to make sure of no allergy.

Start with one time a day... usually in the evenings, it can sometimes help with sleeping patterns, but that it truely up to you. We are up to 3 times a day now... that started this week, once in the morning around 930, then around 1330 (130pm) and again at about 1830(630pm)... he still nurses 8 times a day including atleat once during the night...

Really it is ultimately what works best for you and your baby... ask your doctor about what their suggestions are... and have fun with it. Meal time at our house is so much fun now that my son sits with us and eats!!

Charmaine - posted on 02/24/2009

Don't worry, 6mths is the recommended age for infants to start on solids not only because their little stomachs are mature enough to digest new foods but also from an allergy perspective. I personally make my own baby foods not only from a cost perspective but also because I know what my baby is eating and know they are not eating unnecessary sugar or preservatives. I was surprised at how easy it was to do and there are so many recipes you can do. A really good website is http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/ and it has not only recipes but information. It also has information about introducing solids - http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/solids....

I found that the clinic nurses were helpful also when bubs was at her check up.

Hope this gives you some help.

Theresa - posted on 02/23/2009

All of these postings are wonderful! I make my own baby foods and breast feed. I bought the Super Baby Food book and jumped right into making all of the beginner foods. My little one is now 9 months and eats what ever I make for everyone else...for the most part. I just toss veggies, fruits, pastas, etc into a blender and serve them to her. She loves the different textures and flavors. Good luck!

Nitsa - posted on 02/23/2009

i joy making my home -made baby because i did not like the  store baby- food now there is nothing wrong with store  baby food.  you vcan breatfeeding up to six moth for starting on solid that not crazy because is normal to kept breatfeeding.  you satart baby cercrl rice wheat three time a day then you go to fruit apple banana, pears and so when you  done with fruit and you do to veg carrot , green beans, corn and so, then lats meat but time you start meat the child as be almost year and half

Ashleigh - posted on 02/23/2009

My son would not touch the store bought food ever!! I started him on homemade but I bought some store bought for emergencies, but he hated it.  I found I liked making my own because I know exactly what goes into it, and also i make it slightly a bit chunkier so that it's a faster transition to table foods.  I introduced rice cereal first to my son, and then after a couple of weeks of that I tried carrots, sweet potatoes etc.  I can't even remember how I started to introduce, but i slowly just started to give him more meals, and more food throughout the day.  Don't be alarmed if your son doesn't eat alot of food, some babies eat tons (like my son) or they don't eat alot at all ( like my niece).

Marika - posted on 02/23/2009

I understand how you're feeling I was the same way with my first. You can start with rice cereal about 1 tsp of it mixed with about 2 tsp of breast milk. Give the cereal about 1 hour after he breast fed. I started with breakfast but I know people who did it for diner. Increase the amount of cereal if your baby takes it well, about 1 tsp at a time. For making your own baby food it is very easy to do at home and taste a lot better than jar food. I did my own vegetables and meats but not the fruits (it is just longer to do fruits and probably as expensive than the jars.) Cook your vegetables either in the water on the stove or in the microwave, just make sure they are well cook. You can use the water that you have cooked your vegetable in to water down the puree except for the carrots= don't use the cooked water=too much nitrates. All you need is a blender and once your puree is done freeze it in ice cube container. The next day you can transfer the cubes in a freezer bag and it is good for 6 months in the freezer. When you do the meat, cook it in the oven, add water and lots of vegetables; carrots, celery, onion. It will make a softer puree. It is important to introduce solid food at around 6 months because at that age their bodies needs more iron, formula and breast milk not being enough at that point. And remember that once you have introduce a new food give it for at least 3 days before introducing anything else to see if there is any food allergies. So you do cereal for about 1weeks, then vegetables, try at least 2, then fruits, then meat. So by the time you get to the meat your baby will probably be 7 months. Good luck, and good for you and your baby to have waited until 6 months old before starting solid food.

Nancy - posted on 02/23/2009

My oldest refused all store bought foods, so I gave up with her and never bothered with them with my other two daughters.

LLL recommends that bananas be a first food.  My oldest was not really interested in food at all until she was big enough to eat pieces of toast and cheerios.  My second demanded to be fed at dinner time when she was only 4 months old so we scrapped small amounts off of a banana and fed it to her.  She would usually only eat about a 1/4 inch section of banana per meal, but as she grew she ate more (1 inch at 6 mo., 2-3 inches by 12 mo.).  When she was old enough for other table foods she was given them cut into small pieces. 

My third was not interested in foods until she was about 9 mos. so we did not offer until then

LLL also suggests waiting until the child tries to get foods off of your plate...

Trust your instincts and follow your child's lead and you will know what is best for your situation.

Lauren - posted on 02/22/2009

There are a few different approaches...baby-led weaning where you let the baby choose when, what and how much to eat rather than feeding them puree. This is a good resource...http://www.rapleyweaning.com/assets/blw_... Gill Rapley also has a book on this. But if you want to go more traditional and make your own pureed food check out Annabel Karmel's site...it has great info and recipes http://www.annabelkarmel.com/

Melissa - posted on 02/22/2009

It is not reccommended for breastfed babies to have solids before 6 months so you have waited the right amount of time. I used this website to make baby food, www.wholesomebabyfood.com. It is a great site, it tells you recipes for making foods, which foods to start with and so on. It is very easy to make food and I think it tastes much better. I have only used store bought foods when traveling. I think when you make your own it is an easier transition to table foods since they taste the same. I don't know what they do to the jar foods but if you ever taste any of them you know what I mean. I wouldn't worry about giving him too much at first since breast milk needs to be the biggest source of nutrition. Start by just one ounce and if he eats all of it offer another ounce. Babies will tell you when they are full by turning their face away from the food. If you make your own and freeze it in an ice tray each cube is about an ounce so its easy to measure. Start by giving him one feeding a day and slowly increase. Evey baby is different on how hungry they can be. By 8 months my daughter was eating three times a day. As for breast feeding I would nurse her an hour before offering her any solids other wise she would be too full to eat. Your baby should still be nursing often. My daughter is 10 months and will sometimes nurse right after eating solids. You can also offer him cheerios, it helps him learn to feed himself and with the pincer grasp. Good luck, just follow your babies needs.

Shanyn - posted on 02/22/2009

I would say that the choice on most of these questions is entirely up to you and your baby. I chose to make all of my son's baby food because I had the time and inclination, I made about half of my daughter's baby food because I just didn't have as much time. I will say though that I loved making their baby food..it was a fun process with experimentation for both of us.



There are tons of babyfood cookbooks out there to get ideas from and there are equally as many theories as to what foods to start first and why. Everything from starting on rice cereal, to starting on veggies and fruits, to starting with high protein meats thinned with breast milk. When I started making their baby food, I got a food mill especially for making baby food and I can honestly say that I never used it. I used my food processor or just the blender. I used only organic veggies and fruits and I thinned out with either the cooking water, breast milk, rice or almond milk.



My son didn't have wheat or dairy until he was over a year old (and the poor baby's 1st birthday cake was wheat, dairy and sugar free - I would not recommend that!!) - but that was purely because I was trying to avoid the inherited digestive issues from his dad's side. My daughter started on yogurt when she was about 9 months and her first birthday cake was full of sugar and goodness! ;)



So I guess what I'm trying to say,in an overtly long-winded sort of way, is that I would recommend doing some research and figuring out what is most important to you for this next stage. Fully organic? Knowing exactly what is in your baby's food? Health/allergy issues? Family tradition? etc...that will help you decide how to proceed.



Like so much of mamahood, there is no all-encompassing road map, but it's so much more fun to build your own road as you go along! Good luck and keep us posted!

Sarah - posted on 02/22/2009

Wow, lots of questions! Let me start by saying -every child is unique -my first son had no solid food at all for the first year -he breastfed excusively for that time, and went straight to table food at that point.  My second son was on the other end of the spectrum, gaining a pound each week until he was 6 mos. old! He started food at 3 mos. home-made and table food - There's no wrong answer if you are both healthy and happy.

Store vs. home-made foods- You may end up doing both, there are many healthy, organic foods out there, but home-made baby food is pretty easy to do - by a food mill at any baby store, and put a little of whatever you are eating in it, and thin the paste to the right consistancy with a little milk. You may not need to thin the food for long, 6 mos is an age where he's going to get the idea pretty quickly. Bananas and milk are an early favorite in this house, try adding cereal to fruit and milk as well.  Buy small containers for storage in the fridge and freezer for convenience. Just remember to keep in mind there are some foods that may may trigger allergies, (like strawberries, for example) so when introducing new foods:

Introducing new foods - it is advisable to give one type of food, every 2-3 days starting out, especially if food allergies run in your family. This way, you have  a chance to see any reactions become visible and there's no question what's causing it.  After a couple weeks, and you can intro something new each day. Food allergies usually show a reaction immediately, eg. hives, redness on skin, but some may show up on the 'other end'! Adding breastmilk to any food will cut down on this, and make new food more acceptable to your baby.

Starting food shouldn't interrupt nursing -my sons nurse well into toddlerhood! Good luck and have fun!