Feeding Solids

Sandra - posted on 11/29/2008

The AAP did the study.



The study you keep referring to about not giving them eggs is an AAP study.



The new AAP study reversed the old one.



So you just want to follow the old study by choice, which is fine. Call the AAP and tell THEM it's irresponsible to say a six month old can have eggs. They are the ones that said it. They are the ones that said their old study was no good. Don't tell ME what I'm saying is wrong. You can't pick and choose what studies you want to believe. The one you are quoting NO LONGER EXISTS AND HAS BEEN DEBUNKED.

Lauren - posted on 11/26/2008

To the original poster, I SO hear you. Can our little one's survive on Cheerios, Gerber puffs and teething biscuits alone? :) The "gateway" food for us were egg yolks. Scramble two egg yolks. Instead of adding milk, add a small spoonfull of whole milk PLAIN yogurt (Brown Cow) and continue scrambling. Add some coarsely chopped rosemary (I know, gourmet, right?). Put it in a skillet and cook through, adding a mild, easily meltable cheese like jack or mozzerella before the eggs are cooked completely. The eggs will be very SOFT - almost mushy - but they are the perfect mix of mushy and solid. My son HATES banana and avocado because they're too slimey. He's picky about consistency. I've never seen him gobble anything the way he gobbles this. Give it a try.

Lauren - posted on 11/26/2008

I think advising people that babies can eat whatever you want to give them is irresponsible. There may be studies that are coming up with evidence that counters conventional wisdom, but they are STUDIES. They are works in progress. Anecdotal evidence is my pet peeve, but when it comes to this subject, I have to rely on experiences to influence my decisions. I know mothers who have personally had very scary allergic incidents with their children after introducing certain foods to them...without a history of food allergies. Better to err on the side of caution, in my opinion. Now, with that said, I feed my son most everything, but I avoid egg whites (yolks are fine and in fact great for them), peanut butter and honey. Why risk it?



As for being lazy because I used jarred food - that's silly and pretty judgemental. What works for you is great, but refrain from calling people lazy. I make my own baby food, too, but sometimes I used jarred if I'm in a bind. We're all doing the best for our kids, and I don't know ANY lazy mothers...parenting is hard enough work without people sitting in judgement over something as silly and innocuous as using jarred baby foods. Please.

Noreen - posted on 11/25/2008

ok, so the eating binge lasted a few days ....we are back to cheerios, puffs, cookies!!

Victoria - posted on 11/24/2008

Babies at this age can have the egg yolk but not the whites. Try a scrambled egg yolk. Oh yea go to wholesomebabyfood.com. It is a great resource

Victoria - posted on 11/24/2008

I give Evangelina canned organic green beans. She loves them. And she does well with pieces of cooked chicken cut into bite size pieces. HTH

Sara - posted on 11/24/2008

I have the same problem as Kristen! My daughter will just not put any food into her mouth, and will gag on anything that has different texture. I'm worried that I should be introducing more of our food to her, but she doesn't seem to be getting the idea. Any thoughts?



And, not to get involved, but everything I've read (as well as my pediatrician's advice) is that children should not be eating certain foods that could cause allergies. This includes all the foods that Christina listed in her post. Everyone should do what is right for them... but it is important to be educated about the potential effects. We do not have any allergies in my family, but I'm certainly not going to take the chance with my daughter's health so she can eat peanut butter...

Felicia - posted on 11/23/2008

I had the same problem when my son was 8 months old he wouldn't eat any baby food! He's 10 months old and i'm still trying to figure out the foods he likes and will eat. If you're very concerned about the fruits and veggies then try using a juicer to make fresh juice and freeze it in popsicle molds. He should enjoy it and get the nutrition too this will work for any age. Keep trying different table foods as well and eventually he will figure out what foods he likes.

Kristen - posted on 11/23/2008

I have the opposite problem. My 10 month old has issues with different textures. He will only eat very smooth baby food. We have been trying finger foods like teething crackers, puffs etc., but will not put anything in his mouth. He even spits out babyfood if their are the hint of chunks in it.

Christina - posted on 11/23/2008

WOW! I'm really not going to get into this with Sandra. I have respect for what all the moms say in here and everyone has their own opinion but I recommend that you TALK TO YOUR PEDIATRICIAN!!! (like i have recommended before!) . I grew up in a family of doctors and pediatricians. My father ( doctor), my sister ( a doctor) , my aunt (a doctor) and my baby's pediatrician who is my son's godmother all have said the same thing. Babies just can't eat whatever you give them!!! That's just the lazy way of doing things....

Sandra - posted on 11/23/2008

The information that Christina is quoting has been reversed, changed, debunked, eliminated, etc. It is no longer valid. If you want to quote old information, please don't pass it off as new. I gave the link to the new data, nearly a year old, where the AAP said the information in the thread above mine is no longer valid.



OP, do what you want, but don't do it based on WRONG information. Your baby absolutely 100% no-questions-asked can eat anything if your family doesn't have allergies. This is not an opinion, it is fact. FACT.

Christina - posted on 11/21/2008

I have to disagree with Sandra. Unless you are implying my doctor is crazy or that I don't know what I am doing! Every mom is different and I am sure that we all want the best for our children. I make my baby's food from scratch and choose no sodium or foods that my doctor tells me to avoid at this stage. I don't feed my baby Gerber's jar food because I think it's just the lazy way of doing things. I enjoy making my baby's food and it takes 30 minutes to make enough for a month! The best part of making it is that you know exactly what's in it! NO PRESERVATIVES! Also, you save so much more money!!!!

Foods to Avoid for Now

Some foods are generally withheld until later. Do not give eggs, cow's milk, citrus fruits and juices, and honey until after a baby's first birthday.

Eggs (especially the whites) may cause an allergic reaction, especially if given too early. Citrus is highly acidic and can cause painful diaper rashes for a baby. Honey may contain certain spores that, while harmless to adults, can cause botulism in babies. Regular cow's milk does not have the nutrition that infants need.

Fish and seafood, peanuts and peanut butter, and tree nuts are also considered allergenic for infants, and shouldn't be given until after the child is 2 or 3 years old, depending on whether the child is at higher risk for developing food allergies. A child is at higher risk for food allergies if one or more close family members have allergies or allergy-related conditions, like food allergies, eczema, or asthma.

Some possible signs of food allergy or allergic reactions include:

* rash
* bloating or an increase in intestinal gas
* diarrhea
* fussiness after eating

For more severe allergic reactions, like hives or breathing difficulty, get medical attention right away. If your child has any type of reaction to a food, don't offer that food until you talk with your doctor.

Ashley - posted on 11/21/2008

mashed potatoes are the best....alivia would eat them everyday if i would let her and there is some baby food out there its chicken and apple or ham and apple so its a little meat mixed with some fruit it taste sweet so they never know the difference...

Sandra - posted on 11/21/2008

Eggs don't cause allergies. Unless your family has a history of food allergies, there's zero medical reason that your baby, from about 6 months on, can't have eggs, foods with peanut proteins, shellfish, or anything. If you're quoting the very short-lived AAP study that at one time incorrectly thought babies couldn't have those foods, that study has been reversed for quite a while now and is no longer valid. Babies can eat anything, it's wonderful.



http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi...



Although solid foods should not be introduced before 4 to 6 months of age, there is no current convincing evidence that delaying their introduction beyond this period has a significant protective effect on the development of atopic disease regardless of whether infants are fed cow milk protein formula or human milk. This includes delaying the introduction of foods that are considered to be highly allergic, such as fish, eggs, and foods containing peanut protein.



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9646449/

http://www.borstvoeding.com/voedselintro...

Christina - posted on 11/20/2008

Try doing sweet potato or carrot or any vegetable that sweet. You can steam it and chop it up in small pieces. Make sure is soft enough for your baby to chew it or mush it up in his mouth. I also mix chicken and vegetables and my baby loves it. I know it sounds silly but when he gets fussy and doesn't want to eat I try to do funny noises and play "airplane" with the spoon and he seems to get distracted by that and ends up eating it all!!! I would try table food also but try to do stuff without too much sodium in it. I would definitely not do eggs yet. Babies should have eggs until they are past 12 months. Talk to your doctor about what table food is safe to give your baby because there are many things that cause allergies like eggs. They love yogurt also!

Ashlie - posted on 11/20/2008

I'm going through the same with my 10 month old daughter. She won't even let me get anything on a spoon to her mouth to even spit out! If she can't hold it or self-feed, she's not interested. After reading your post and the replies, I'm beginning to think it's a phase at this age. Good luck, hopefully short lived!

Sandra - posted on 11/20/2008

Try your food. Babies don't need baby food, they don't need purees - they can eat virtually anything your family eats. Try giving him scrambled eggs, pastas, breads, and things with flavor and spice. Bland pureed food just doesn't appeal to little ones! :D

Caryn - posted on 11/19/2008

I am going through the same phase with my son! I hope it is a short-lived phase!

Noreen - posted on 11/19/2008

we must have turned a corner--he has since eaten pastina, eggplant, some fruit, and some jarred food!! hope it lasts...thanks for all the help!!

Nancy - posted on 11/14/2008

My oldest two never liked baby food. Table food would be my suggestion as well - as long as it's not a choking hazard. And don't worry too much - for the first 12 months, breastmilk and/or formula is the main source of nutrition, anyway

Delayne - posted on 11/14/2008

I have the same problem with my 10 month old. She loves cheerios and puffs and that stuff but won't eat anything else. With her, it isn't even wanting to feed herself because we have tried small pieces of fruit, veggies, pasta, and stuff like that. She will pick it up, make a face like she doesn't like the texture, and put it back down. She won't eat anything that isn't dry and hard. It is very frustrating!! We just keep putting things in front of her in hopes she will eventually start eating something!!

Angie - posted on 11/14/2008

or just add cinnamon to baby food applesauce (or pears of whatever)-- they make it so bland, he might be craving more flavor.

Angie - posted on 11/14/2008

Try pureed table food with lots of fun flavors- I just "made" diced apples (from a package) and frozen blueberries--nuked it for about a minute, added a little cinnamon, and blended until pureed. Still chunky enough to be interesting for his mouth, but definitely better than puffs!! Good luck!

Ally - posted on 11/13/2008

I have a 10 month old that is experiencing the same thing!! He loves to feed himself, so he prefers finger foods over being spoon-fed. I share a banana with him for breakfast - to accommodate his Cheerios. I break off little bites so he can feed himself. Also - you can steam baby carrots until soft & he can feed those to himself. Hopefully this helps! Good luck! =)

Noreen - posted on 11/13/2008

I do try table food, spits everything out!!

Amelia - posted on 11/13/2008

Trying giving him some table food! My 10 month LOVES to eat everything off our plate and not his. So we just started giving him our food. Its better than nothing!