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| Loving the carrots |
I thought the hardest thing was going to be deciding what foods to give him. My pediatrician said a new food every 7 days, starting with rice cereal, then fruit and then add veggies. My friend's pediatrician said wait a day or two between new foods, start with rice cereal and then veggies and later add fruit. And then some of the references I read online suggested meat as baby's first food. It took me awhile, but I've finally realized that parenting is not an exact science. There are so many different recommendations from the experts because no one really knows what the right thing to do is. So my job is to do all the research, and then go with what feels right for Finn and hopefully not drive myself crazy in the process.
I expected the first few days of rice cereal to be a little weird for him, but I was sure that once we went to sweet potatoes, he'd be thrilled. Instead, he turned up his nose to everything. Oh, he'd eat a little at first, but within a few days he was turning his head away whenever Nanny M would put the spoon up to his face, and it only took him a day or two to figure out her tricks, so that he was sure to keep his mouth closed, no matter what she was doing to entice him into a big grin. Sweet potatoes didn't do it, and neither did prunes or bananas.
Mealtime isn't supposed to be a battle when they're young, and one thing the experts can agree on is you should never force a baby to eat when he clearly says he's done. Nanny M wondered if we should just hold off on the solid food for a while, and I was starting to agree with her. And then he got some very watery stools. Unfortunately, that immediately made me worry about the neuroblastoma. In some instances, neuroblastomas can make a substance called VIP that can cause watery diarrhea. He hadn't been tested for that because he didn't have diarrhea, but of course I had to worry that maybe I just hadn't noticed the diarrhea because he was getting breast milk, and had watery type stools anyway. But since we've stopped the rice cereal, the watery stools have stopped, so I think maybe it was just a food reaction. But that plus the difficulty in getting him to eat made me think we should wait awhile longer.
This weekend my sister suggested we give him a Mum Mum cracker. And he shocked me by eating the entire thing. So I tried giving him cut up pieces of banana - and let him feed himself (though the banana was too slippery for much to make it to his mouth) and he seemed to like what he was able to eat. I'd tried the same thing with sweet potatoes last week, but maybe it was just a little too soon into the whole solid food thing for him to be happy with anything.
Monday we broke out the mesh feeders and tried more banana. And he loved it! Yesterday he tried steamed carrots in the mesh feeder - and these were by far his favorite food yet. Today Nanny M gave him baby oatmeal, and as long as she let him feed himself (VERY messy!) he was happy and ate it all up! It turns out my boy wants to feed himself. It seems like he's too young to be this opinionated, but I guess he's not!
I've just downloaded a book about baby led weaning - the feeding philosophy that centers around not giving babies purees at all, instead giving them bite sized pieces of solid food from the very beginning. I'm hoping Finn will do some purees, just because there are so many fun things we can make, but it looks like I'm going to have to learn how to safely let him feed himself without always relying on the mesh feeder.
I'm really glad I decided not to spend $150 on one of those fancy baby food makers. And I guess it's time I invest in a splat mat for my dining room floor.
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Very interesting. Clearly you have a son who knows what he likes - and that is an important thing to know in life!
ReplyDeleteBrock is doing terribly with eating as well! I seriously handed him the spoon today. He puts everything else in his mouth, doesn't he? I'm glad you wrote about mesh feeders because I'd never heard of such a thing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the advice. I may try the mumm mumm and see how that goes!
P.S. Brock has had watery stools (gastroenteritis) for a week now, but today he's finally clearing up. It's going around out here. Not sure about where you're at...
Amazing that he'd prefer to do it by himself. Think of all the healthy stuff you'll be able to get into him as long as you don't try to feed him.
ReplyDeleteI did baby led weaning with my son and it was the best decision ever. He's just about 2 now and eats such a variety of things it's crazy, he loves chili and curries, fish (especially salmon) and will try just about anything. It is so messy lol, but also a lot easier, I have been able to eat my meals hot, we sit at the table together, and going out is a breeze, I didn't have to bring along little pots of mushy, just give him something off my plate. It's also made me eat healthier since he's sharing my meals. Ok :) Good luck with whatever you decide to do, he is so adorable and you are right, feeding him should not be stressful!
ReplyDeleteWhat an independent little man you've got!! Good for him for feeding himself! I wish I had some wisdom or advice but ad you know feeding had not been my finest parenting moment, lol :)
ReplyDeleteWe went through the exact same thing w/ Son #1. I used to be so stressed out b/c he wouldn't eat the baby food and he was low on the growth scales (he wasn't 20 lbs until he was a year old). Anyway, one of the baby food companies came out w/ jars of diced food and he could feed himself. And it worked! And, you're right...parenting is not exact and it can be stressful figuring out what works for your baby. Then throw out everything for child #2. I thought I knew what I was doing and was ready for the next baby. Turns out #2 is totally opposite from #1. LOL
ReplyDelete~SL
I have been reading your blog for awhile but never posted, so HI, my name is Megan and I have a 2 year old that had tons of food sensitivities as a baby. As far as the banana, I read somewhere that you can take ceral, cherios, crackers etc., stick them in a blender and power them then put in a baggy and add cut chunks of slippery fruit (mine loved bananas)and shake, the ceral coats the fruit and makes it so the kids can pick it up and eat it. He will love it.
ReplyDeleteNovember 18, 2011 10:34 AM
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I have never heard of mesh feeders either. They sound like a good solution. J never wanted to eat any pureed baby food. My dad once tried some of the baby food and declared "this stuff is disgusting! no wonder he doesn't want it!" Now, J is fairly picky like most preschooolers, but he eats a lot!
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing that all of the experts claim to be experts...but how can they know what each individual baby will be like and what they will like to eat. Always go with your gut and let Finn lead you. Scarlett loves her purees, but she now enjoys finger foods as well...until she sees that there are purees for her and she will stop eating her finger food.
ReplyDeleteI'd say you have a clever little boy!
ReplyDeleteI also heard about baby led weaning not so long ago and I think I'd like to do it with my second child (if and when :-) ). Is it possible you share the source of the book you downloaded?
I did baby led weaning with my son and loved it! We started with bananas (so slippery!), sweet potato fries, avocado and then carrots. His favorite food at 9 months was steak. It was great fun to see people's reactions to a baby eating real table food. He's 21 months and will a good variety of foods. Like someone said above it also really changed my own eating habits for the better.
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