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oh baby!
Introducing
Solid Foods -- the Second Stage
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Fresh Baby So Easy
Baby Food Kit
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The next stage - 6 to 9 months
Between 6 and 9 months of age, you can introduce your baby
to a wider variety of foods. You can also progress from pureeing his food to
mashing or chopping it. Most babies can handle a little more texture to
their food at around 7-8 months, but again, this depends on the child.
Teeth are not necessary for chewing - most babies manage
quite well with their gums alone, as long as their food is soft and easily
broken down. Some babies, however, really dislike lumps in their food and
will spit them out! If this happens, it's a good idea to try to give the
"lumps" within a sauce - chopped pasta within a tomato sauce, for example.
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Some new foods to try include:
Tofu - a very nutritious addition to baby's diet,
tofu can be given from 8 months. It's great mixed with fruit, or served
as a finger food.
Fish: - you can give your baby fish from 7
months, but be EXTREMELY careful to check for bones, even if the fish is
labelled "boneless".
Yogurt and cheese - cow's milk should not be
given to your baby as a main drink until he is at least 1 year old,
partly because it can trigger an allergic reaction. However, the
allergenic milk proteins are broken down in cheese and yogurt, meaning
they are better tolerated by babies and can be given from 6 months.
Egg yolk -
egg white is highly allergenic and should
not be introduced until after babys first birthday. But the yolk is very
nutritious and can be used as a thickener for purees from 6 months.
Legumes - lentils, peas and beans can be given IN
SMALL AMOUNTS from 6 months. Remember that, although they are very
nutritious, legumes can cause gas!
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Lil' Chillers!!!!
Try Lil' Chillers for your young one!
They are great drinking cups for little ones.
Did You Know?
Drinking from a sippy cup can cause problems?
Sippy cups can cause tooth decay and can hinder speech. For more
information,
click here.
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Your growing baby - 10 to 12 months
By this stage, your baby will be enjoying a wide variety of
tastes and textures and may be consuming less milk. It is important to
include foods from all the different food groups in his diet, to ensure that
he is consuming enough calcium, iron and protein.
You can offer him plenty of "finger foods" if he's the
independent type who likes to have a little control at the dinner table!
Finger foods also encourage biting and chewing - but you need to make sure
that the foods you offer are soft and easily broken down in baby's mouth,
particularly if he has few teeth and is still "gumming" his food.
Ideal foods to try include - -
pieces of soft fruit (like banana, melon or very ripe
pear) -
cubes of baked apple -
chunks of cooked, sweet potato, asparagus, broccoli or
carrot -
lightly toasted bagels or bread -
scrambled egg yolks (no whites until at least 1 year) -
fingers of cheese on toast -
cooked pasta -
tofu cubes -
overcooked rice (which is sticky and will "clump"
together)
Here's
a recipe for tasty "Cheese and Vegetable
Nuggets" that your baby won't be able to resist...
1/2 cup frozen broccoli florets
1/4 cup fresh
breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 tbsp water
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 tbsp baking powder Preheat the
oven to 190 deg C, 375 deg F. Cook the broccoli, drain, then chop
well. Mix the broccoli with the remaining ingredients, then
shape the mixture into "nuggets". Place the nuggets on a greased
baking pan, leaving a few inches between each. Bake for about 20-25
mins, turning halfway through. Serve warm. |
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Baby food allergies
Concerns over baby food allergies are the most common
worries that parents have when solid foods are introduced.
Of course, the risks should be taken seriously and the right
precautions should be taken, but it's also important to try to keep these
fears in perspective. True food allergies only affect around 8% of children.
SYMPTOMS The symptoms of food allergy in babies include -
excess gas -
vomiting -
nausea -
blood in stools -
stuffy/runny nose -
constipation -
wheezing -
watery or red eyes -
ear infections
Allergic shock is a very serious reaction which can
cause skin welts, lung spasms, itching, a drop in blood pressure, or
swelling of the throat and tongue. This is considered a medical emergency
and medical help should be sought IMMEDIATELY in this situation.
Remember, if your baby displays
ANY symptoms of allergy, it is very important to seek professional medical
advice. Food allergies can only be diagnosed by your child's doctor or
allergist.
RISK FACTORS
Babies most at risk of food allergy include
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those born to a parent with a food allergy - the risk is
higher when both parents have food allergies
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premature infants
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those born by Caesarean section
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those under 6 months of age (a major reason why
recommendations are to wait until baby is at least 6 months before
introducing solids)
Always minimize the risks by
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avoiding highly allergenic foods (particularly where
there is a family history of food allergy)
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introducing new foods separately, at least 4 days
apart
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following the recommended guidelines for the
appropriate age to introduce new foods
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discussing the introduction of new foods with a
pediatrician
For more information on feeding your baby solid food,
click here
for page one of our information.
Christine Albury is a mother of
four and the author of
www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com
, a guide to solid feeding during baby's first year.
This information was provided by
http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com
. Please
visit their site for more information.
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