Interesting Article!

[Josiegirl]

https://wellnessmama.com/739/healthy-baby-food/

I just received this from one of my dcms. I'd like opinions of what you think. I found it extremely interesting and enlightening.
Traditional ways are not always the right ways and this article has made me think about all the baby foods out there are are nothing but sugar, water, and junk. And why has it always been 'feed babies this first, this next, then this'.

[Jamie]

I think food is a very interesting subject, and I am very curious about how other countries/cultures teach their babies to eat - like in some countries, they start babies of on jalapenos because they're mild enough for a baby. I love that!

In Denmark, babies don't go to daycare earlier than six months old. Most are older, 8-12 months, before they start.
I don't know of any Danish daycares who provide actual baby food. Every place I know serve the same thing for everyone, and the babies eat as much as they will/can and are then fed formula, which the daycare also doesn't provide. They bring it from home, and it is understood that now that baby is in daycare, s/he will soon learn to eat what is served.

Typical food (aside from fruit) are mackerel in tomato sauce and liver paté on rye bread.

[daycarediva]

Interesting!

I practiced what I guess is called baby lead weaning. The first foods for my youngest kids was diced, really ripe, avocado. I moved to different veggies, until they were eating what we were, just cut up smaller. We eat pretty well, and it was sure less sugar and salt than baby food!

DD I didn't know better, she started on rice cereal. She is still the pickiest eater out of all three. Thankfully no allergies.

[Cat Herder]

The food program is pushing a lot of grains for infants first foods. I start with green veggies.

Obviously, I encourage breast milk for first year. Most move to formula by 7 months, though, out of necessity. Work stress and difficulty tending to their own diets are the most common complaint I hear.

I do not serve commercial jarred infant foods, I simply dice, chop or serve foods in mesh feeders when infants are ready.

I serve veggies first, with all kids, at all meals since IME once kids are offered fruits and breads they rarely go back to the veggies (per meal). I set the table and serve each component, one at a time, veggies first. I stall a couple minutes between servings and they eat well. It has proven to be what works best for me and my program.

[Play Care]

Interesting!

I practiced what I guess is called baby lead weaning. The first foods for my youngest kids was diced, really ripe, avocado. I moved to different veggies, until they were eating what we were, just cut up smaller. We eat pretty well, and it was sure less sugar and salt than baby food!

DD I didn't know better, she started on rice cereal. She is still the pickiest eater out of all three. Thankfully no allergies.

I lovethis baby led weaning. The one day care kid who did that is my best eater. The other toddler who is a couple of months older will only eat bread and some fruit. I'm trying to talk my newest mom into it. It's so much more relaxing when they are feeding themselves and I don't feel as though I'm shoveling food into their mouths

[Blackcat31]

The food program is pushing a lot of grains for infants first foods. I start with green veggies.

Obviously, I encourage breast milk for first year. Most move to formula by 7 months, though, out of necessity. Work stress and difficulty tending to their own diets are the most common complaint I hear.

I do not serve commercial jarred infant foods, I simply dice, chop or serve foods in mesh feeders when infants are ready.

I serve veggies first, with all kids, at all meals since IME once kids are offered fruits and breads they rarely go back to the veggies (per meal). I set the table and serve each component, one at a time, veggies first. I stall a couple minutes between servings and they eat well. It has proven to be what works best for me and my program.

Because for them it means the most green.

I'd like to move away from grains (CACFP credible) all together and find more organic ways to meet that requirement. I don't mind the food program but I am finding it increasing difficult to "agree" with them in regards to well balanced.

I don't usually feed any jarred baby foods or cereals.
The last few babies I've had were breast fed until 1 yr (a few longer) and then they went straight to regular table foods (adjusted to their abilities) and that was that.

[hwichlaz]

Because for them it means the most green.

I'd like to move away from grains (CACFP credible) all together and find more organic ways to meet that requirement. I don't mind the food program but I am finding it increasing difficult to "agree" with them in regards to well balanced.

I don't usually feed any jarred baby foods or cereals.
The last few babies I've had were breast fed until 1 yr (a few longer) and then they went straight to regular table foods (adjusted to their abilities) and that was that.

I'm so glad that baby food isn't required anymore. I just cook some of the veggies softer than the rest, chop and put on the high chair tray. They eat it or they don't.

[Ariana]

I also did baby led weaning. My babies never had jar food. I made some pineapple puree once and ended up using it in pineapple martinis ::

One word about amylase though. I did know that info and this is why I always used banana in any cereals I fed my kids. Bananas naturally contain amylase so helps to digest the starch. I wanted my kids to be exposed to everything and never followed any guidelines, except for honey. They were both sensitive to dairy and soy but that showed up right away while I was still breastfeeding.

[MarinaVanessa]

Because for them it means the most green.

I'd like to move away from grains (CACFP credible) all together and find more organic ways to meet that requirement. I don't mind the food program but I am finding it increasing difficult to "agree" with them in regards to well balanced.

I don't usually feed any jarred baby foods or cereals.
The last few babies I've had were breast fed until 1 yr (a few longer) and then they went straight to regular table foods (adjusted to their abilities) and that was that.

Yes and yes. I don't offer cereal or commercially made baby food at all here at daycare. I suggest to my clients making their own at home and show them how easy it is to make and give them info on baby-led weaning. I still make my own purees for my older kids and use one of those DIY baby food contraptions that squeezes the puree into a squeeze pouch. All of my own kids love them, even my 12 yo and they're a great addition to put into their lunch bags and way healthier/cheaper than buying them pre-made at the store.

I'm Hispanic and in our culture babies are given a lot of table foods at a very young age. I waited until my own last three babies were older than 6 months before giving them table foods and that was SO HARD to do around my family. They were always trying to spoon them food as early as 4 months. Once my babies hit 6 months the women in my family would get all excited to finally be able to feed them food and flock to them ::. There is something about hispanic women and food I guess. Beans, chicken, broths and stews, mole, you name it. I did draw the line at grains though. No tortilla, breads, rice etc. With my 1st I did the "normal" things that pediatricians recommend and gave her rice cereal at an early age. My pediatrician also recommended baby food at 4 months. I also didn't breast feed for more than 3 or 4 months. I was young. She has stomach issues and I wonder if any of that had anything to do with it.

As far as the food program and grains go I have to agree with BC. I actually am not a part of the food program because of all the silliness that comes with the rules of the program but I do follow it. I see grain more like the "treat" of the meal. So I have a plate and serve whole grain crackers just to say that I met the requirements and the kiddos have to eat their whole plate to get more crackers (aka fun stuff, they don't know the difference between the whole grain or regular crackers). Milk is another component I have an issue with but whatevs, I serve the minimum and give them water.

[TheMisplacedMidwestMom]

Its time for one of my kiddos to drop bottles. Mom asked if she needed to provide "toddler formula", because "she won't be getting all the nutrition she needs from food". :confused: Marketing, its all just marketing.

Personally and here at the daycare I tend to lean toward baby led weaning out of convenience. I keep a few jars of food around for those days we're having omelettes (and I don't want to separate out yolks and cook separate) and such.

[LysesKids]

Its time for one of my kiddos to drop bottles. Mom asked if she needed to provide "toddler formula", because "she won't be getting all the nutrition she needs from food". :confused: Marketing, its all just marketing.

Personally and here at the daycare I tend to lean toward baby led weaning out of convenience. I keep a few jars of food around for those days we're having omelettes (and I don't want to separate out yolks and cook separate) and such.

Baby led weaning here also. I do all my food from scratch too... I keep a few organic food pouches on hand for power outages & in the go bag in case of evacuation; all mine are under 21 months

[daycarediva]

I lovethis baby led weaning. The one day care kid who did that is my best eater. The other toddler who is a couple of months older will only eat bread and some fruit. I'm trying to talk my newest mom into it. It's so much more relaxing when they are feeding themselves and I don't feel as though I'm shoveling food into their mouths

YES! It makes for independent eaters and gives them a wider variety of foods, too!


I agree with BC about the grains.

I agree with MV about the dairy.

I give the exact serving sizes for grains. Seconds when ALL the other components are gone (and there are none available). For milk, I give the kids options- milk or water. I only give ONE serving of milk, no seconds. Water is always available.

I go through less than a gallon of milk a week for all my dcks. I buy 1/2 gallon of skim and 1/2 gallon of whole. They chose water. I used to go through TONS of milk. I was way over feeding them milk. Easily 8-12 oz, back when I used sippy cups. Then refill them 2+ times if they wanted. Now it's an open top cup and they can pick water only if they choose. Sometimes I do fruit water (a few slices of grapefruit in the pitcher, etc) and they love that.

[Josiegirl]

I have 2 SA dcgs, 8 and 10, who have never ever drank milk and they've been coming for 7 yrs. I won't give them milk because they adamantly refuse it. Food lady caught me once and just said you know, you have to give them milk. Yep, ok.

BC, when you say you've had children who were bf until they were 12 mo, then went right onto table food, do you mean they didn't get anything else except breast milk for 12 months? If so, were they satisfied? A lot of times, they seem to need more to fill their bellies? Hmm, I'll have to talk about that with my dcm, because she's in a quandary about how best to feed her 4 1/2 mo solids when it comes time, thinking it might be right around the corner. But maybe she can wait longer than she thinks?

[Blackcat31]

I have 2 SA dcgs, 8 and 10, who have never ever drank milk and they've been coming for 7 yrs. I won't give them milk because they adamantly refuse it. Food lady caught me once and just said you know, you have to give them milk. Yep, ok.

BC, when you say you've had children who were bf until they were 12 mo, then went right onto table food, do you mean they didn't get anything else except breast milk for 12 months? If so, were they satisfied? A lot of times, they seem to need more to fill their bellies? Hmm, I'll have to talk about that with my dcm, because she's in a quandary about how best to feed her 4 1/2 mo solids when it comes time, thinking it might be right around the corner. But maybe she can wait longer than she thinks?

Yes, most of my breast fed baby's parents have the idea that "food before one is just for fun".

So yep...most got snack type foods but very little and breast milk until 1 when they started on soft veggies and fruits at home and then slowly added here.

[Josiegirl]

Yes, most of my breast fed baby's parents have the idea that "food before one is just for fun".

So yep...most got snack type foods but very little and breast milk until 1 when they started on soft veggies and fruits at home and then slowly added here.

See, to me that sounds so good! But so against the 'traditional' way of doing things and the way kids years ago, were raised. Even now, when babies aren't started at 4 mo on solids, usually it's encouraged that they start by 6 mo or so. One of my current dcms was mildly concerned when her friend's baby was eating pizza at 9 mo and hers was still on pureed foods. Now her baby eats just about anything at 13 mo.
Does anyone have a good article about holding off solids until closer to a year?
My 4 mo's dcm, is a very careful smart eater, lots of veggies, etc. so I'm sure baby is getting quality breast milk, as opposed to a dcm who eats junk(which would've been me), etc. KWIM?