I loved this cookbook:
This book was recommended to me by the Mom's at the Baby and Me group I attended once a week. It can be found in any bookstore. It includes when to start each food, recipes and other food tips. It even has an awesome recipe for Play-doh in it. The only downfall is the photo's. It really doesn't have too many. I'm an artist, so I like to see things.
I wanted to bring up a few things that I didn't really think of with starting new foods:
- I got in a hurry to start baby cereal because I thought it would make my first born sleep better. I also wanted to see him eat. He was born with a funky tongue because of a cyst that formed in utero. It wasn't really necessary to start him on the early end of 4 months. Wait until your baby is truly ready. If they watch you while you are eating and smack their lips then they are ready. Starting too early is A) A mess. B) They are more apt to have food allergies later on. C) They really don't have the ability to control their month when they aren't ready yet.
- If your baby/tot is on antibiotics don't start anything new! My oldest was on penicillin for a serious staph infection. It was time to start him on meats. I waited. It was a good thing I waited because he had an allergic reaction to his medicine. If I would have started him on meat, I wouldn't have known if his reaction was from the meat or the meds.
- Try and make your own if you can. It really doesn't take that long to make baby food! It's better for them. Many store bought baby foods actually add sugar and salt into the food. I made more food with my youngest. My oldest had a major problem with the texture. Again it was from his funky tongue.
- With the last tip in mind, don't make foods that are high in nitrates, such as carrots. Foods are tested before they are made. You have to watch out for these food until your child is a year old.
- Other foods to wait and put off as long as you can: Peanut Butter, anything with nuts really. Nuts cause a lot of food allergies. Cow's milk shouldn't be given until over a year. Start slow and build up.
- Why do babies have to wait until 7 month to start on meats? Because breast is best! Formula is good too. In both breast and formula is protein, so don't over due meats. If they don't like their meat, mix it with a veggie. I don't like my meat plain either!
- YoBaby Yogurt can be served way earlier then cow's milk. They have one variety that can be given as early as 6 months! It's super good for them. I fed my kiddo's only 1/2 of one a day. Before feeding it to them, take some out to put in a separate container to feed them from it. Babies have major saliva that comes out of their mouth while eating, so it's not a good idea to keep feeding them out of the same container as earlier. My babies loved yogurt. It has probiotics, which is great for babies that have baby eczema {skin issues}. It also is great for babies that have been on antibiotics. Antibiotics takes out the good and bad bacteria out of your system, while yogurt puts it back in. When your baby gets older, serve them plain yogurt with mixed in fruit. Much less sugar!
- Wait on whole grapes. I knew a mom that gave her early 2 year old whole grapes. She had to call 911 because her tot was choking! Cut them in 1/2, or 1/4 for the big holiday grapes. You can use a food mesh that can be found at any baby food store. The original creator of these handy things developed it because their son almost choked. You can pack these meshes with any soft food and not worry about your baby/tot choking!
- Get stainless steel or glass snack containers. May plastic ones are not BPA free yet! This is totally something I regret! I didn't start hearing about BPA free this and that until my second child was born. Bottom line: there are chemicals in many plastics that are bad for you! There are many brands out there.
- Plain Cheerios are actually healthier and cheaper then many snack first foods.
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