When I think back and try to remember that pivotal moment when I decided to parent the way I do, why and what influenced me to end up here…I can’t pinpoint it. One thing I know for sure is that when I got pregnant with my first baby 11 years ago, this is not what I envisioned. I always saw my baby’s first foods being purees.
I had read all the articles and listened to all of what pop-culture told me having a baby was like. What I needed to buy and do to be a successful mother. But there was just something that didn’t feel right to me. All these things just rubbed me the wrong way.
The only thing I knew, the one thing that was important to me, was to have a natural birth. So it wasn’t till one day I ended up at Chapter’s at my lunch brake, browsing the pregnancy section, that I fell upon the Lamaze Giving Birth with Confidence book. I dove into the book, and was completely enlightened! It spoke to that little voice in the back of my head that told me I wanted something different than what mainstream was telling me.
When I finished the book, I was so ready to have that natural birth I wanted! I tried so hard to get a midwife, but at the time, I lived too far to be considered. I was lucky enough though for all my subsequent pregnancies to have one. To each their own. Obviously everyone has different opinions and beliefs, but I find it fun to hear other’s stories and experiences, even if they differ from mine.
From there, I guess it kind of snowballed. I somehow decided to cloth diaper. I fell upon Elimination Communication ( becoming in tune with your baby’s elimination cues and bringing them to the potty) Along with babywearing, breastfeeding on demand, and after giving birth struggling to get any sleep with my baby in a bassinet, we started co-sleeping. Allllll of this eventually brought me to Baby Led Weaning. It’d put a Baby Bullet on my registry, and all these gadgets to help feed my baby purees. What was I gonna do with all that stuff now?
Baby Led Weaning.
What in the world is BLW? Essentially, it’s allowing your baby to learn to feed themselves as they transition from breastmilk/formula to solids. I feel like it’s become much more mainstream now. But when I started 10 years ago, everyone around me thought I was nuts! Giving my 6 months old chunks of food to gnaw on! She would choke or better yet, starve to death!
Up until a year old. Milk should be your baby’s main source of nutrients. That gives he or she a good 6 months to experiment and explore with food before having it become a larger part of their diet.
Here are some benefits of BLW. Letting a baby learn their hunger and full cues will lead to healthy eating habits in the future, in turn, a lower the risk of obesity. They get to develop their chewing and swallowing skills which will make eating solids safer (purees are often pushed into their mouths past their natural gag reflex). It generally makes for less fussy eaters, as they get to try many different textures and flavors as opposed to one mushy texture. It is less stressful for parents than to plan out making purees, I’ve always given my babies what we were eating.
When to Introduce Baby’s First Foods.
Experts used to say to start baby cereal at 4 months….4 months!!!! Even as a first-time mom I thought that was crazy! Now they’ve come around and acknowledge that their digestive tracks and oral motor skills aren’t developed enough till 6 months of age. Not all my kids started at the same time. They were all definitely into food. By 5 months, all sitting there salivating as we ate our meals. Once they started grabbing food out of our plates and putting it in their mouths, I knew it was time. Some signs of readiness to look for: they can sit up unsupported, can move food from hand to mouth, have lost the tongue thrust.
What’s for Dinner?
If you or your spouse have allergies, or your baby has had eczema ( more than 50% of babies with eczema will have a food allergy or intolerance). I would start off slow and give one food at a time. I’ve always had an intolerance to dairy. Little did I think my babies would ever have allergies. But my first born developed insane eczema at 2 months, followed by projectile vomiting and blood in her stools, suggesting she was allergic to something in my breastmilk that I was eating .
I went on an elimination diet and pretty much ate nothing but peaches, rice and chicken for 2 months. I became very creative with these foods! Eventually adding foods back into my diet, finding the culprit…COW DAIRY! Contrary to popular belief, it is actually one of the most common food allergies! It was such a difficult time for baby and I, that with every following pregnancy, I cut dairy from my diet 2 weeks before my due date and waited till they were 6 months old to re introduce it into my diet. I had coconut, almond, rice or oat milk to substitute. Turned out baby #3 was allergic to coconut!!!
If you don’t suspect any possible allergies, then just go for it! Offering soft fruit and steamed vegetables cut into sticks is a perfect first food. Even if it’s foods you don’t enjoy…offer them! Give them a chance to try as many different textures and flavors as you can. After that I quickly introduced chicken or steak cut into strips. Lentils, beans, pasta, and rice. Yogurt, pre loaded onto spoons. Scrambled eggs and toast. Some healthy pancakes. And don’t be afraid to add spices. Our babies always ate what we were eating, the only additional step I would take, would be to plate their food before adding salt.
Now, remember, this is a time for exploring, not packing on the pounds! The amount of food your baby actually consumes, in the beginning, is minimal. Always offer milk before a meal so the baby isn’t fussy and is willing to try new foods. Continue to nurse or bottle-feed on demand as you were. At this point food is only complimentary. If you skip a food meal, they’re gonna be ok!
Eventually, your baby will start to eat more food and ask for less milk. At around 9 months, I love adding smoothies for breakfast, full of fruit and veges. Hands down my kid’s favorites! I always offer a variety of fruits, veges, protein and grains at every meal.
When you give an uncoordinated baby free rein to feed themselves, you’re asking for a gigantic mess…every time LOL. You just learn to deal with it. Through the years I’ve found tips and tricks and things to minimize mealtime messes. I discovered EZPZ dishes this pregnancy and LOVE THEM!
My last baby is by far the cleanest eater we’ve had! My first daughter needed to have her hair washed after every meal! I barely need to wipe Sofia down. Personally, there’s something magical about watching your babies learn how to feed themselves, and how they progress in mastering this new skill. I guess it’s why I homeschool as well LOL!
Of course, Baby Led Weaning isn’t for everyone. As long as your baby is happy, safe, and fed, nothing else matters. It’s worked for our family 4 times now and we just love it! I hope I shed some light perhaps on something you weren’t familiar with. Thanks for being here and reading about my baby’s first foods!
Elisa
