I had this preconceived scenario of how things will be when feeding my daughter. That everything would go smoothly, she would eat everything, she would be clean, have proper manners during breakfast/lunch/dinner...That she would beat the odds by not spitting her food at me.
Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the reality of feeding a baby solid food. Everything you just read is a hoax. Babies don't know the difference between good and bad table manners. It may be awhile before you see any REAL ones too! I constantly have to dodge a spoon grabbing - Adriana seems to be a lefty and I'm a righty, which makes things difficult! I make sure to have plenty of napkins and wipes on hand before I get started...Especially if its a new food!
Wait...there was one thing [almost] true about feeding a baby solid food. Adriana will actually eat whatever I give her. It's just a question of how long will it take for her to change her mind lol She will eat it but you can tell she's unsure if she actually likes it. We made sure to keep the sweeter foods out and gradually introduce them a little at a time. We want her to enjoy a wide range of foods and although she may not care of some now - we reintroduce them a few weeks down the road!
The key is patience. At first, I admit this was hard for me. I wanted to get feeding done and over with! Adriana was fussy and made things difficult. I realized quickly that she needs time to eat and actually enjoy this "new" food, just like the rest of us. I was so used to her finishing a bottle in 15mins TOPS and now it takes me 45mins to feed her a complete meal. We don't shy away from most foods that we have for dinner - not just the jarred stuff. Little Missy has had everything from Chinese food to Curry! Always remember to follow certain restrictions such as nuts and shellfish until over 1year of age. The doctor can direct you a little more clearer based on your baby's needs.
Babies do need a good high in fat (protein and iron) diet in order to grow properly. This consists of starchy vegetables like potatoes! Boil a single potato and mash with a little butter and milk - NO SALT. Remember to peel the potatoe until way pass when your little one has teeth. You can even use the mashed potatoes and mix in pieces of chicken or beef for protein and iron. Ensure the meat is fully cooked!
Recently, I started giving Adriana soft cheese (Laughin Cow an Cottage cheese) plus Nutrigrain bars, blueberry Eggo with just a small amount of Maple Syrup to soften, yogurt - which she loves! Tonight she will enjoy our dinner of Chicken Breast Roast with Bacon and some Noodles on the side (Chris is having his Crab legs too but NO shellfish for baby!!) She loves table food more than the jar stuff so we give her pretty much everything we eat. These steps will teach your baby a few things: 1. we eat together as a family 2.we eat what is made for dinner (no substitute meals) 3.trying new food to expand baby's palette
For a smoother dinner time, have you baby ready in the high chair while you set the table. She gets used to the same routine. I don't let Adriana watch tv, but it is on during dinner time. I prefer if she focused on eating dinner rather than the television so her chair is facing away from the tv - always! She watches enough tv during the day and I don't want her to be glued to the darn thing! She needs to learn there are more fun and entertaining things to do besides watch TV. This is why I take her for walks every day - rain or shine - or to the Early Years centers to interact with other babies around her age. She loves it and so do I. So don't worry if feeding is a mess or takes over an hour to finish one meal, baby is still eating and its more about learning than nutrition at first. Once they get the hang of chewing, swallowing, even holding the spoon or finger foods, then they will be able to eat more food and less formula/breast milk.
I was actually told by my doctor to have Adriana on 4 bottles a day still. I told her she's crazy!! At nine months old, she has 2 bottles a day (one in the morning and one at night) and the rest is filled with food of all kinds! I do make sure to give her a multivitamin to make up for less bottles. Shes is a healthy baby and eats whatever we give her. As a mom, you know whats best for your baby. Not to say go against your doctor, just pay attention to signs that your baby is ready to grow! When I started to introduce a Sippy cup - I started to lessen the number of bottles she had throughout the day. She now stands at 95th percentile for weight and height...obviously I'm not doing anything wrong! Know when its time...doesn't hurt to try and if it doesn't work out then go back to the old way and wait a few more weeks to try again.
When did your baby start being weened off bottles?
What foods do they like? don't like?
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