Scared to feed baby solids
How To Feed Your Baby Solid Food When You're A Paranoid Parent
Before I get started, I want you guys to know a little something about me — I’m a worrier. I worried before getting pregnant, I worried after getting pregnant, and I worried pretty much every single night once I gave birth. I basically clutched the baby monitor in sheer panic until my daughter, Charlotte, turned one. As a mom, there’s a lot I’m going to worry about in the future. But I’m here to tell you that introducing your baby to solids should be something you feel confident about. Because, real talk: You can’t feed kids straight grocery store purees until they’re ten.
Most children are ready to try solids around the six-month mark, according to Parents.com — but every child develops differently. Make sure you talk about it with your pediatrician, since they’ll be able to assess your baby and give some tips. Charlotte was getting much better with purees by that point, but I had to build up more confidence before handing her anything she could pick up and eat herself. Because again — I worry.
And, I worry for a good reason. The fear of choking is a real one, and every parent should be well-versed in figuring out what to do if this scary situation happens. But with a bit of logic, it shouldn’t happen as quickly or as often as you might assume. Babies have certain instincts, and when you follow the proper precautions, the transition can be pretty easy. That said, every meal should be supervised, and yes — taking a CPR class or reading up on it is kind of an important thing for everyone, even those who don’t have tiny people crawling around.
While every child is different, here are a few transitional, “adult” foods that worked for me (that I Googled heavily before trying.)
Bananas
A finely mashed-up banana is likely to be your baby’s first solid. Since it’s soft, it’s easy for them to gum if they don’t have teeth. Just make sure it’s not too chunky if you don’t know how your baby will react to it. In time, you can graduate up to more chunks when you feel confident.
(And trust me, that moment will come.) Dr. Sears states mashed bananas are the perfect first food for babies who nurse, based on the level of sweetness they’re accustomed to.
Teething Wafers
Charlotte is so satisfied with these, and I’m not going to lie — they’re not bad for adults, either. And yes, I’ve tried them. They’re pretty much a thin cracker that dissolves pretty quickly. You might see them at your local store as Baby Mum-Mums, but she’s a bigger fan of the HappyBaby brand of teethers. One of their flavors is purple carrot, and I literally just learned that purple carrots were a thing maybe five months ago. I’m glad she’s getting the vegetable education I’ve sorely lacked.
Spaghetti
The stereotypical “baby eating” image is likely a child in a high chair covered with spaghetti and spaghetti sauce. It’s not the cleanest food you can try, but it’s enjoyable to watch them try to pick up noodles. Try to stick with thin spaghetti, and cut it to a level where they can pick up the noodle, but not gag on it.
Charlotte is especially fond of cut-up ramen noodles, and I can’t wait until she can actually enjoy one in its natural form.
Chicken Nuggets
It’s the quintessential kid food for a reason. If you cut up your nuggets teeny tiny (seriously — if you think they’re good enough, cut them once more to be extra safe) your baby will be able to enjoy. Sure, it’s not the healthiest and shouldn’t be an everyday meal — but it’s meat, which — unless you’re going the vegetarian route — is often hard to introduce into a baby’s diet.
Eggs
Every day for breakfast, Charlotte has a scrambled egg with some finely cut pieces of spinach in it. And she looks forward to it, too. Scrambled eggs are something she can pick up herself, or be spoon fed. Adding the vegetable was something that made me feel very “mom,” as I wanted to ensure she was eating some type of green. Note, babies won’t like these hot off the stove. Portion some aside and let it sit for a little, or even pop it in the freezer for a short time to lower the temperature a little.
Avocado
Babies! They’re just like us! (Obsessed with avocados, that is.) A mashed-up avocado is a really good first food to try. Aside from being delicious, it has all the healthy nutrients your baby needs. Not only are avocados filled with fiber and vitamin B, Australian Avocados pinpoints that avocados offer up folate, which is a total bonus.
Cheerios
If you’re not the type of person to have cereal in the house, it might be good to stock up on Cheerios. Cheerios will help your baby learn how to pick up food, and since they’ve got a hole in the center, they’ll help reduce your panic. (But still, if you’re a little terrified, you can break them in half until you and your baby feel more confident. Don’t let people tell you “you’re being too paranoid.” As a mom, you know best.)
Oatmeal
Oatmeal can be the perfect breakfast food — it’s filling, fairly healthy, and if you nuked it in the microwave, it’s easy. Plus, adults can jazz up their bowls with fresh fruit.
Babies typically have an easy time with regular, spoon-fed oatmeal, but you’ll want to allow it to cool for a bit before giving it a shot.
Yogurt
There’s yogurt out there that’s marketed for babies, but any type of yogurt that doesn’t include big chunks of fruit will work just fine. The one plus about baby yogurt is that most types don’t need to be refrigerated, making it a wonderful snack to bring during a weekend trip. There’s just one con. If your baby has a known milk allergy, you’ll definitely want to talk to your doctor about any sort of dairy-based solids.
Cottage Cheese
Another great way to get calcium! Babies often don’t mind a little cottage cheese, especially when they’re teething — a spoonful of it is often soothing for babies who don’t mind the texture. Again, you’ll probably want to avoid if your baby has a milk allergy. While some babies grow out of it with time, your pediatrician will be the best judge.
Applesauce
Applesauce is a great way to get more fruit in your baby’s diet.
Even better, it’s super easy to make at home if you want to avoid any added sugar. After making applesauce, you’re just one step away from being a contestant on MasterChef.
In general, once your baby reaches a year, they’re at the stage where they’re ready to try almost everything — if it’s cut into super tiny pieces (and isn’t too spicy). Just remember, you know your baby best. He or she will have no problem telling you when they’re ready to move up a level to solids. And they will let you know what kind of foods they enjoy most.
Once you take that first step in introducing solids and standard, everyday food to your baby, it’ll get so much easier. Thus leaving you plenty of time to worry about the next milestone in your child’s life.
Tips to Transition Your Baby Into Eating Solids
Feeding
- Copy By: Amanda Shapin Michelson
- Feature Image By: @scottystyle
It seems like every stage of parenting presents a new reason to feel anxious.
First, it was all about making sure I was producing enough milk and that my newborn was getting the nourishment she needed. And just as soon as we found a great rhythm and I was feeling confident with breastfeeding, it was time for a new stage that caused me anxiety—introducing solids.
Our pediatrician recommended starting solids between 4 and 6 months of age, so I started about one week shy of my daughter’s six-month appointment, feeling like I couldn’t put it off any longer. While some parents describe introducing solids as a fun and exciting part of babyhood, I didn’t feel the same way at all. I was terrified of choking and only wanted to give my baby purées (which she promptly rejected and appeared to hate).
I had been curious about baby-led weaning, but the fear of choking made me hesitate. Couldn’t my child just learn to love purées and eat those until, I don’t know, she’s 10? Obviously I’m exaggerating, but the thought of my tiny little baby with barely any teeth eating real food was terrifying.
Eventually I did get past the anxiety. I introduced solids and we worked our way through what I felt was a somewhat frightening stage. I found some tactics that worked for me to overcome the anxiety and also spoke with Alisha Grogan, a licensed pediatric occupational therapist and the owner of Your Kid’s Table to get some expert advice.
If you’re feeling the same fear I went through when starting solids with your little one, here are some things to consider to make it a smooth transition.
Use the system that works for you
There are a number of theories and arguments about what is best when it comes to purées versus a baby-led weaning approach. I felt very bombarded with all of the research and benefits around baby-led weaning, which made me want to go in that direction, but my anxiety around choking was holding me back. “I think baby-led weaning works well for some babies, others it does not. Because of that I don’t like to recommend baby-led weaning for all babies, some will gag often and eating becomes a negative experience,” said Grogan.
If you’re feeling similarly nervous about a specific style of introducing solids, understand that maybe that’s not the right fit for your family. Always make decisions for yourself and your children that you feel comfortable with.
Grogan recommends parents talk to their pediatrician about the best age for introducing solids. “There’s actually a window of time that babies instinctively learn to chew that closes around 11 months. Of course, they can be taught to chew after that point, but it’s more of a challenge,” said Grogan. Every baby is different; it can be helpful to talk to your pediatrician for the best approach for your child.
Source: @dami.ssion via #sharetheeverymom
Arm yourself with safety knowledge
Before my daughter was even born, my husband and I took an infant CPR course. The course covered both CPR and how to respond to an infant choking. While I felt educated after the course, I still assumed I’d freak out and forget everything I learned in the case of a real emergency.
Even so, knowing I took the course made me feel more empowered. If I was ever feeling extra nervous or like I couldn’t remember what to do, I’d watch a video on YouTube as a refresher. Plus it doesn’t hurt to post the information on your refrigerator, a place you will have handy should your mind go blank in an emergency.
Take a baby feeding course
Another way to make sure you feel confident in your path is to take an online baby feeding course. Many sites offer free workshops, while others offer courses you can do at your own pace at a reasonable cost. Having a blueprint to follow may help you to feel more educated on how to safely introduce solids in a way that will be fun for you and your child. These courses can also help you to recognize the difference between gagging and choking. It is common for babies to gag occasionally, so knowing what this looks like can alleviate some of your concerns.
Start with the easy stuff
Introducing solids can certainly be a little stressful, but if you start with the right foods, it can be more fun than scary.
Purées are one option of a low-stress way to start with solids, but there are other options too. “To help parents feel more secure I recommend starting with solids that are crunchy, but melt quickly. These are widely available and include foods like puffs and yogurt melts,” said Grogan. While these puffs might look big for your tiny baby, they will melt in their mouth if they aren’t chewed right away.
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I would still advise introducing lump food.
First, to untie your hands. How much trouble with these puree blenders in each feeding. And the second is for the gums and teeth of the child. Need to give them a load, need to chew
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Children can not worry qualitatively - in a year and one and a half some, and the ventricle suffers, it is very tender for them, so it is better to press with a fork. And gradually learn to chew pieces, where have you seen adults who can't chew :)
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What's the comparison? The child's teeth and intestines should work.
And you are doing a disservice with your blenders. They wanted the best, but it turned out as always ... Here I am - my wife and "mother-in-law" brought the child. One puree and porridge through a blender. Here we are 2.5 years old. Then there will be 30 ... And with such advice and your blenders, the child will have problems with teeth, with intestines ... And it's all very uncomfortable. Not to visit, not to go anywhere. Only with a blender in a suitcase. Yes, and on walks it is a shame when the conversation turns to nutrition. Children at 8 months already eat normal food, and we have all blenders ... Do not repeat such mistakes.
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irish
It's good when a child eats at least something.
We are a year and a month old, and we generally refuse to eat from a spoon, either ready-made mashed potatoes, or which we ourselves make. She categorically refuses to put anything other than a nipple in her mouth. He only plays with food, but not in his mouth. They didn’t try anything, no food interests her, neither bread, nor cookies - she just plays with it, but doesn’t eat. Everyone advised not to force that interest would come later, but now I regret that I didn’t force this process. I just had to force myself to eat. Recently she fell ill and had to be given medicine. After two days of wild screams while taking the medicine, she, miraculously, began to open her mouth herself at the sight of a spoonful of medicine. Now I’m also trying with food, and the process has begun, I give the first two spoons as a medicine, and then she opens her mouth herself. It was necessary not to wait for interest, but to try before. So every child is different and needs a different approach.
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Puree? Blender? Mine is 10 months old and I try not to give him pure puree.
I feed Hippie jars, there after 8 months. food puree plus chunks. He snatches pieces from his parents and chews them. I have never taken a blender in my hands ... Now, if I feed my food, I will crush it with a fork, but puree? Moms, you drank something with purees ...
Beetle
Puree? Blender? Mine is 10 months old and I try not to give him pure puree. I feed Hippie jars, there after 8 months. food puree plus chunks. He snatches pieces from his parents and chews them. I have never taken a blender in my hands ... Now, if I feed my food, I will crush it with a fork, but puree? Moms, you took something with purees...
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When a child can be given eat in pieces?
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pasta, bread, apple gnaws, otherwise I crush. A month ago I did not want to eat pieces
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What kind of word duuur - lure? Do you feed s.
---vv--yin from the trough?
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66 Good day to all. The child is only 8 months old. There are 8 teeth available. Complementary foods started at 4 months. Eating a lot of food already. But everything is just puree of different consistency. Or a purchased baby or I myself make mashed potatoes with a blender.
It's just written on the cookie from 7 months you can give it entirely. And I saw meatballs sold from 8 months old. Is it possible to have pieces? I'm scared that I'll choke. Downright scary. At 6.5 months, he did not eat oral crushed with a spoon. Now he seems to be eating normally. But I'm scared all of a sudden where a piece and choke. The child is not allergic and thought to transfer to the common table already a year. Or in a year, too, all the food with a blender should be crushed?
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