Read What to Expect the First Year Online
Authors: Heidi Murkoff
Will the spoon you'll be piloting into your eager baby's tiny mouth be filled with store-bought baby food or heaped with the homemade kind? Or perhaps a combination of both? The choice of what to serve your new eater is yours (and hint: all of these choices are good ones).
Ready-made baby foodâavailable in classic jars, boxes, convenient pouches, and single-serving frozen cubesâcomes with a price, but also with a lot of perks. First, it's usually just as nutritious for your little one as homemade, especially when it comes to the simple fruit and veggie purees you're likely to premiere with. Sometimes, they're more nutritiousâat least when it comes to out-of-season fruits and veggies. All first-stage food labels list wholesome, totally recognizable ingredients (buy a pouch of peaches, for instance, and you'll probably get nothing but peaches). The pureed varieties are the perfect consistency for beginners, and single-ingredient starter foods make it easy to screen for allergies. While homemade foods may vary in taste and texture from batch to batch, store-bought is consistently consistent in bothâplus, they're manufactured under uber-sanitary conditions that would be hard to reproduce in your home, meaning its safety is hard to beat. And best of all, store-bought baby food is easier for youâjust open and serve. What about additives and pesticides? There are plenty of organic baby food brands, and even those brands that aren't certified are usually free of additives and test low on pesticide residues.
It's when your baby gets older that you'll need to pay closer attention to what's inside that jar or pouch or box. Commercially prepared foods for older babies and toddlers can contain added sugar and refined grains. Screen labels for ingredients that your baby doesn't need (like sugar) and those that your little one should have (like whole grains) and you'll be able to fill your shopping cart and your baby's belly with only the healthiest options.
Once your little chomper is able to handle softly cooked, mashed, coarsely chopped, or flaked foods from the family menu, it's smart to open up your baby's culinary horizons instead of always opening up a jar or a pouch. That's because offering table foods earlier onârather than sticking with commercially prepared baby foodsâis more likely to produce a more amenable eater (in other words, one who eats what the rest of the family is eating). Still, you probably won't want to retire baby foods entirelyâthey're convenient to have on hand even for older babies and toddlers when you're on the road or out and about, or when a restaurant menu (or the family menu) isn't exactly baby friendly.
They're the ultimate in convenience, plus they're often filled with good-for-your-baby foodâfrom just plain peaches to wholesome blends of grains, veggies, fruits, spices, and even meat. But to make sure you're squeezing all the benefits out of food pouches without serving up any risks, keep these two tips in mind.
First, squeeze the food directly onto the spoon only if you know your baby is going to finish the contents of the entire pouch in one sitting. If one pouch will cover two (or more) meals, you're best off squeezing the right size portion into a bowl and spooning the contents from the bowl into your baby's mouth the old-fashioned way. More dishes to wash this way, yes, but it protects your baby from bacterial contamination, which can occur when you touch the top of the pouch onto the spoon that baby's already mouthed, and then store the pouch for later use.
Second, though it's certainly easy for baby to suck the yummy contents directly from the pouch as you (or later, he or she) squeeze, it's not a great habit to get into. Your newbie eater is already a proficient sucker (think of all that breast milk or formula he or she has been downing since birth) and needs to learn how to eat solids the big boy or girl wayâfrom a spoon (and eventually, a fork). Then, of course, there's the potential for contamination if your baby sucks on a pouch, drops it, then picks it up hours or days later. Plus, there's a limit to what can be eaten from a pouch (really chunky foodsâthe next step to a varied dietâcan't be, and neither can table foods). Occasionally letting your little pouch potato suck up a meal directly from the container is fineâsay, when you're out and about and don't have a spoon at the ready. Just try not to make it baby food business as usualâinstead, spoon up the practice your eager eater needs to master conventional feeding.
Could the food that fills your baby's tummy also build his or her brain? That's the idea behind commercial baby foods that are enriched with DHA and ARA, brain-boosting fatty acids that are found naturally in breast milk and added to some formulas.
How effective these foods are in increasing a child's brainpower is still being researched, but since such fatty acids are also heart-healthy, there's certainly no harmâand potentially plenty of benefitsâin choosing them for your baby. The only downside: These foods, like the specially fortified formulas, can be pricey. Also remember, a food that's less than wholesome without added DHA is still a food that's less than wholesome once it's been added. So don't assume a food with added DHA (or any fortification) makes the nutritional cut without first checking out the rest of the ingredients. And whenever you can, add healthy fatty acids to your baby's diet by adding foods that contain them naturally (
click here
).
Not pressed for time? Feeling motivated? Like the idea of doing it yourself? While commercial baby foods are better than ever, preparing your baby's meals from scratchâsome or all of the timeâis a wonderful option, and sometimes a less pricey one. Here's what you need to know:
Wondering which jar or pouch to buy at which age? Luckily, it's as easy as 1-2-3âliterally. Every baby food label is clearly marked with a 1, 2, or 3, instantly telling you what stage and age that food is for (some labels go into even more detail, including what level of motor development matches up with each stage). This easy navigation tool means there's no guessing whether the food inside that pretty packaging is perfect for your baby:
⢠Stage 1 (4 to 6 months +): Single-ingredient pureed fruits and vegetables (though spice, usually cinnamon, may also be included)
⢠Stage 2 (6 months +): Pureed blends of fruit, veggies, grains, and proteins in various combinations
⢠Stage 3 (9 months +): Combinations of chunky fruit, veggies, grains, and proteins
The gear.
You'll need something to grind or puree baby's food. You can use a blender, food processor, or immersion blenderâequipment you likely have at home alreadyâor you can opt for gadgets designed specifically for baby food prep: a hand-turned food mill (which usually has different blades for different textured foods), a baby food grinder (which usually doesn't), or an all-in-one baby food maker (which both steam cooks and then purees the food). Of course, you can also go low tech with just a forkâespecially when you're preparing easily mashable foods like avocados, bananas, or butternut squash. Even lower tech (though hard to clean): a mesh feeder that baby can suck on (fill with any soft, age-appropriate fruit or veggie). These also come in easier-to-clean plastic.
Worried about exposure to pesticides from the foods your little one eats (or will eat)? You can opt for organic fruits and veggies (they're grown pesticide-free;
click here
) or you can use a produce wash or simple soap and water to wash off any pesticide residue on the outside of the produce (though that'll get rid of only surface pesticides, not pesticide that might have seeped below the skin) before making any baby food.
Food prep.
Wash and then bake, boil (use as little liquid as possible), or steam produce (vegetables and hard fruits like apples and plums, for instance) before pureeing or grinding. Peel and pit (or strain) as needed, and then puree in a blender, grinder, or food mill, adding liquid (water, breast milk, formula) as needed to get the desired consistency for your baby (the older baby gets, the less liquid you will need to add). Going with the grain? Cook grains and then puree or grind them, thinning with liquid as needed. Bringing on the poultry and meat? Puree trimmed and skinned meats and poultry either alone or with other already-introduced foods (veggies, for instance) for an all-in-one meal. Want to make your own baby cereal? Simply grind organic short-grain brown rice in a blender or a clean spice or coffee grinder until it is finely ground. At mealtime, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the brown-rice powder over a cup of boiling water and whisk until thick and creamy. Serve warm, not hot. If you like, cook this tummy-filling favorite with breast milk or formula instead of water for added nutrition. (Do remember, though, that this homemade cereal isn't fortified with all-important iron, like store-bought baby cereal is.) As baby gets older and has been introduced to more foods, simply give him or her what's on the menu for the rest of the familyâmash it up, blend it, or puree it to the right consistency.
Add flavor the healthy way.
Be sure to keep the lids on the sugar bowl and salt shakerâit's always best to give food to babies straight. After all, baby taste buds are just developing, their sweet tooth hasn't yet been activated, and they still don't care a lick about saltâso why flip the switch early? But that's not to say you can't season with healthy herbs and spices (
click here
). Cinnamon, for instance, is a high chair favorite, and adds extra pizazz to sweet potatoes, carrots, fruit, and more.
Store it.
DIY purees will last in the fridge up to 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months max. Store homemade baby food in single-serving containers or ice-cube trays for easy-to-serve portions that you can thaw overnight in the fridge or in a microwave (at the “defrost,” not “cook,” settingâand be sure to mix and test the temperature before serving to your baby).
Safety.
Be sure to follow the safe food prep tips
here
.
Wondering when it's time to retire your breasts as baby's food source? While it's best to wait until your baby is at least 1 year old before quitting breastfeeding, some moms find they need to (or want to) wean earlier. For the scoop on when and how to wean,
click here
).
Not into the whole baby food thing? Think there must be a better way to start your little one on solids without messing around with mush? Popular in the U.K. and gaining traction in the U.S. is “baby-led weaning”âwhere babies (6 months old or older) jump straight to finger foods as soon as solids are introduced, bypassing purees and mush. It's called baby-led because that's what the premise isâletting your little one self-feed the healthy foods he or she wants to eat, right from the start (which is why this works only for a baby who's at least 6 months old and capable of self-feeding). And it allows babies to learn how to chew (really, gum) first, then swallow. No mush, no purees, no food processor, no spoon feeding into your little one's mouth, no bowls to be flung. You do the cooking and prep work, baby does the rest. It also prevents parents from pushing food, since babies are in control of how much food gets transported to their mouths.
Baby wants your toast? Hand it over. Junior wants to snack on the banana you're munching on? Give him a chunk and let him gum away. That chicken you're chewing on (and she's reaching for)? Offer her a portion. Dinner for mom and dad is steamed cauliflower and salmon? No reason baby can't dig in. Cut up a cucumber, steam a carrot until it's soft, chunk up some mango, proffer some pasta, parcel out pieces of peaches ⦠you name it. As long as it's soft and/or crumbly, cut into small, manageable pieces (baby fistâsize), and not on the list of foods that pose choking risks (
click here
), it's on the baby-led weaning menu.
Do keep in mind that while there won't be any mush with baby-led feeding, there will be plenty of messâand that's all good. For baby it's mainly about the experience of eating, of exploring tastes and textures, or discovering what happens when he flings a chunk of pear or she smushes a hunk of sweet potatoes between her fingers.
Worried your new eater will turn into a new gagger? It'll happenâespecially in the first few weeks of baby-led weaningâas baby tries to maneuver unfamiliar lumps in his or her mouth. But it's important to remember that gagging is actually a safety response to food traveling too far back into the mouthâand it's not choking, which is silent. When babies gag, they're actually handling the problem themselves, and it's best just to stay calm (or at least look calm) and wait until it passes. The gagging will ease up as baby learns to cope with the solids and the lumps. Just be sure to keep a careful watch on your little one as he munches away (constant supervision is a must when you're feeding this way), make sure baby is always sitting in his or her high chair before you hand over the food, and know what to do in case of choking (
click here
). Also offer up small amounts of food so baby doesn't try to wolf down too much too quickly.
Wondering if baby-led weaning is right for your baby? Run the idea by your little one's pediatrician for an opinion. Look to your baby, tooâsome babies like taking the feed lead, others don't. Keep in mind, too, that baby-led weaning, like so many parenting philosophies, isn't an all-or-nothing proposition. You can choose baby-led feeding some of the time, alternating with spoon feeding or adding to it (baby eats a chunk of banana, you spoon in some yogurt).
Feeding baby safely doesn't just mean introducing new foods gradually. In fact, feeding safety begins even before the first spoon is filledâwhen baby first takes a seat in the high chair. To help make sure every mealtime passes safely, follow these rules:
⢠Never leave a baby unattended in a feeding chair. Have the food, a sippy cup of water, bib, paper towels, spoon, and anything else necessary for the meal ready so that you won't have to leave your little one alone while you retrieve them.
⢠Always fasten all the safety or restraining straps, even if your baby seems too young to climb out. And though many seats have crotch guards to prevent sliding out the bottom, don't forget to fasten the strap between the legs to prevent baby from climbing out.
⢠Keep all chair and eating surfaces clean (wash with soapy water and rinse thoroughly). Babies won't think twice about picking up a decaying morsel from a previous meal and munching on it.
⢠Always be certain slide-off trays are safely snapped into placeâan unsecured one could allow a lunging and unbelted baby to go flying out head first ⦠or at least have a bad scare.
⢠Check to be sure that a folding-type chair is safely locked into the open position and won't suddenly fold up with baby in it.
⢠Place the chair away from any tables, counters, walls, or other surfaces that baby could possibly kick off fromâcausing the chair to tumble backward.
⢠To protect baby's fingers, know where they are before attaching or detaching the tray.
⢠Use a hook-on seat only on a stable wooden or metal table. Do not use it on glass-topped or loose-topped tables, tables with the support in the center (baby's weight could topple it), card tables, aluminum folding tables, or on a table leaf. If your little one can rock the table, the table isn't stable enough. Be certain any locks, clamps, or snap-together parts are securely fastened before putting your baby in the seat, and always take your baby out of the seat before releasing or unfastening it.