food for baby?

[marestail murderer]

hi all..........
a request for help from all who are knowlegable with food prep and babies.
we dont wanna buy tinned slops for our new baby.........wanna make the most of what we eventualy grow in our allotment.......(have to buy fresh this year due to flooding)
apart from the obvious foods that we can cook ,puree and freeze.we were wondering about fruit?
cory is 4 months old...and we have become confused with the info on the web
anyone got any good ideas for variety,...or know of a decent website for baby weaning foods?
any help greatly appreciated

[marestail murderer]

[Deb P]

First thing is, is Cory ready for weaning yet? Most babies have a growth spurt around six months of age, and stop being as satisfied and settled after a breast/bottle feed. Others carry on quite happily until much older! Early weaning has associations with childhood obesity and the development of diabetes, so don't feel pressurised to start before your baby actually needs solids. Even when you start weaning, he will still need the majority of his energy and vitamins from milk, it can be a very gradual, and MESSY changeover!

Secondly, babies are a bit like cats, they don't actually need to have a huge variety of foods when you first start out weaning! Baby rice, then pureed banana, in tiny amounts, really sloppy at first mixed with expressed breast/bottle milk, a teaspoonful at a time to start off, offered after a milk feed if he is still hungry. He will probably drool and spit most of it out at first, but be guided by him, he will soon show if he is ready for it or not. If not, wait a week and try him again.

Pureeing your own foods is real easy, just cook veg in unsalted water until soft and puree! There is a school of thought that says babies don't actually need food pureed, they are capable of chewing, but babies will soon show you if they are capable of that or not! Try just two veg, eg carrot and potato at first, then different combinations. Fruits are OK later on in the weaning process, 'ordinary' milk not recommended until at least a year old.

What books have you been reading? I had a brilliant book which I unfortunately gave to a friend of mine when she had her baby, so I can't remember the author, ? Sarah Lewis that gave lots of easy hints and tips for weaning and feeding toddlers.

There is a HUGE range of advice out there, like with all baby advice, only some will work for your baby. You know him better than anyone and will be the best judge of what works for him, so pick and choose what you like the sound of and ignore the rest! ;D

[Obelixx]

I agree about waiting to wean.  Too many food allergies and later illnesses such as diabetes are encouaged by exposing the digestive system to too many foods too early.  I started my daughter on baby rice at 6 months old but she spat it out repeatedly.  I then switched to mashed bananas and mashed avocado which she hoovered up but that was summer and they were cheap and good.   We later moved to mashing or pureeing whatever veggies we were eating - potatoes, carrots, broccoli, pumkin and gradually adding salmon or chicken.  I avoided cow's milk and dairy products until she was 18monyhs and then it was the little Gervais fromage frais with fruits and not yoghurt.

12 years later and she's grown into a fine, tall, healthy lass with no health or behaviour problems and no food intolerances - except she refuses to eat bananas or avocadoes unless they're disguised in cakes and muffins......

[marestail murderer]

thanks for the advice...........and whilst its true that we know our son as no one else does..its just preperation for later.
he is trying pots.carrots...........sprouts.........ect.all in small amounts of course....and loving it all!
no adverse reactions as yet
the health visitor seems happy that hes ready to try .and by his reactions hes loving it.
he seems very forward........more like 4 months going on 12......if you know what i mean.............
slowly and cautiously........thats the way.........
whats fruit like to freeze once pureed......any to avoid?

[Garjan]

Most fruits can be pureed and frozen.
But don't offer strawberries. Most babies like them, but will develop an allergy for them as well.

And in my experience: be careful with fruits that are very acidic. My daughter had a sore and red bum every time she was fed something with orange (juice) in it. And being in diapers doesn't make things better! :(