The Food (for babies) Thread

flockofmoosen3

I'm going to go ahead and start this. We got started talking about feeding LOs in the 4 month check up thread but questions and discussion about feeding deserve their own place. 

 I have so far given baby girl large chunks of food to gum and lick but not ingest and I tried giving her some avacado. She hated the avacado. Her face was priceless. Last night she gummed some green pepper and seemed okay with it. I think most of the time she likes the idea of eating more than actually eating/tasting.

skyrockets

We offered a little Gerber rice cereal last night.  Our doctor gave us the go ahead at our four month checkup.  LO was curious but mostly played.  We called it successful and will offer a few spoonfuls again tonight.  

kendy20

We gave DD a slice of zucchini to chew and suck on last night. She seemed to like it. Only gave it to her since she kept grabbing my plate and everything around it. She loves watching DH eat too. Still won't be letting her actually eat anything until 6 months.

Katzalia

I haven't given DD any food yet, but I think we may let her start exploring soon. The other day she stuck her hands into my chili, and later grabbed my piece of pizza with both hands and tried to put it in her mouth. I don't think she's interested in food as food yet, just as a new toy.

deanna1313

My LO is 4 mths and just started oatmeal (he already had rice cereal in bottles for a while due to reflux), but I'm not sure how well he is handling it because he has been spitting up extra since starting it. I stopped it for a few days now to see if he stops throwing up and it has lessened. I'm going to reintroduce it and see what happens.

I would also love to start veggies soon. My dr is very easy going and said to start cereal and move up to veggies or fruit as soon as he gets used to it. I'm excited to see which foods he likes and dislikes.
Remember that a baby has to try something quite a few times before you can actually believe they dislike it. I knew a lot if parents who thought their children only liked one veggie because they made a sour face.

Does anyone use that little net thing that you put a piece of food in? I'm a FTM and have used it on other kids with ice for teething, but I was curious if you like it.

tbiscuit18

We've been eating purees (mostly the Plum Organics brand) of the following: 

-carrots

-sweet potato

-apples

-squash

So far my kid loves everything I've given him. I'm hoping this means we're going to have a good eater! 

ETA: We skipped the cereal for no specific reason. But it occurred to me that maybe if he doesn't have carbs as his first food he won't crave it like the rest of the US population. He'll maybe crave good food!! 

bridetobe9132013

So far lo has had oatmeal cereal and green beans, sweet potatoe, butternut squash, bananas, and today she will try pears. I usually have her on one food for 3 days before switching but yesterday after her bananas she screamed and tensed up her body all day. I think she might not be able to eat them. DH cant eat bananas because they hurt his stomach. She likes everything. She would only eat the green beans mixed with cereal.

kat8805

becole42 said:

I sure as hell hope this doesn't turn into World Food War 3.

Don't start something, won't be nothing.

kat8805

But on topic, I think we'll start with some avocado.

dp1320

We haven't started yet because 1) lazy 2) he's been sick and the doctor said not to start until he's feeling better 3) I'm not convinced he's ready. BUT when we do start, I plan on doing cereals just to get him used to the idea of eating and then try veggies and then fruits (purees). The only non puree I plan on trying is avocado to see how he likes it because I hear those are big hits.

bridetobe9132013

I dont understand how talking about what we are feeding our lo's could turn into a food war. Dont judge anyone's decisions and there will be no war!

kat8805

becole42 said:

kat8805 said:

But on topic, I think we'll start with some avocado.

We were thinking avocado too if I can find any around here in winter.

I see banana and sweet potato recommended often for first foods as well.

THD7580

I started DS on sweet potato and he looooved it. We did that for the recommended 4 days or so then tried peas... Yep no so much. He hates them of which so do I so I don't blame him. Then I stopped mid 3rd bite on our 3rd day of those and gave him sweet potatoes and he downed half a jar. So guess we will stick with the sweet potato and try avocado next week! As far as food wars nope let's just keep it as everyone learning and leave it at that. I think helping eachother along as "suggestions" will keep the peace!

ns1

I'm waiting to start DS on purees because I'm lazy and he seems happy with just milk now. He's also a late May boy. But I am excited to do sweet potato just because I love it myself and don't ever cook it so this will force me to!

tbiscuit18

@kimbus22 I'm sure once my kid is old enough he'll be after potato chips too. But like I said, wishful thinking!

kat8805

kittyriot said:

We started a few weeks ago around the five month mark with every other day....

We started with oatmeal cereal...then did squash (I roasted an organic one, pureed, froze the rest)...then did avocado.

Only this week did we plan to start moving to every day but at the beginning of the week tried banana, and that gave her rash. I have a slight sensitivity to bananas, my sister is flat out allergic. So we just went back to plain cereal...she seems totally fine again. We'll try banana again in a few weeks to reevaluate (but my guess is they are a no go for this little peanut).

Of everything, she seemed to enjoy squash best. I think we're going to do apple next. In Canada, Shoppers Drug Mart has an organic baby food line. They had some on sale last week so I grabbed an apple.

We had a rash, grey poop, low grade fever reaction to bananas with DD1. She did eventually outgrow it, and has no issues with banana now.

Emmagk

Cook251 said:

We haven't done anything but milk at this point yet either but at DDs 6 month appointment I plan to talk to the pedi about BLW a little more. DH isn't totally on board with it but I've also asked him to look through the book on it about 600 times by now & he hasn't yet. I'm open to having a discussion with him & to hear his reasons but I have spent a lot of time reading different info on feeding and if he's just going to pull his opinion out if his ass he may just get overridden. I have 2 main reasons for wanting to try BLW. 1) I'm lazy and don't feel like committing to spoon feeding every meal for a while. 2) I have had my own eating issues, bordering on an eating disorder, in the past & part of me thinks that if I let DD control her own food & get used to deciding if she's full she won't have these issues. I'm pretty sure this makes me crazy but I don't care.

I could have written exactly the same part about DH. It drives me crazy that he won't read the book, hasn't done any reading at all on solids and then just wants to do it his way. Oh and his reason for doing purees is that he wants to do the airplane spoon thing even though Monday - Friday I'll be the one feeding DS every meal

hbird0723

Haha that just made me laugh and wake little one up. The airplane spoon! We have been doing rice cereal and tried a steamed organic carrot. She sucked it and then sucked her hands and didn't seem interested. My husband is also unsure about giving her whole pieces so we will probably just do a purée next. I think I might just make some and freeze it until we are ready to try again.

Mimaloo

I'm making all of DD's baby food. DH's aunt scared me with a story that years ago they were finding tiny shards of glass inside glass baby food jars (which, supposedly is why Gerber no longer uses glass jars) and I tried the Plum organics and they were all gross. 

Gerber has SO.MANY.INGREDIENTS! 

I'd rather know exactly what DD is eating. She loves fruits and tolerates certain vegetables. Still BFing and I actually mix BM with certain veggies as I puree them. 

Sam0905

I plan on starting with oat cereal once DS is 6 months, then we'll try sweet potatoes and probably avocado as his first "real" foods. My mom made some homemade applesauce for him so we'll probably try that once he does okay with the veggies.

My dad gave DS a fingertip taste of chocolate frosting the other day. I wasn't in the room when it happened, but when I found out- I was so mad! It may sound stupid, but I feel like he stole DS's "first food" moment from DH and I. And DS was totally fine, but what if he would've had some sort of reaction? I love my dad to pieces, and he didn't mean to do anything wrong, but I'm still ragey about it.

momo214

Haven't fed DD anything beside milk yet. She will be 5 months on the 11th so I may try some rice cereal at that point. The pedi said she could start between 5 and 6 months. I also plan to make my own purees. Probably will start with sweet potato and carrots.

haylo33

My LO hates everything he has tried. Rice cereal mixed with BM (it was prob 90% BM), peaches, oatmeal. Hates it all. He makes a terrible face and gags. Anyone else? Normal? I haven't given him any more in a few weeks because I hate to open the baby food or waste BM and throw it away

ns1

@haylo33‌ DD hated food period for art last a good month or so after we started feeding her solids. I think she just may not have been ready even though she was at least five months. Food is typically just for practice at this point do it's no big deal now. LO will come around to it.

flockofmoosen3

Just want to apologize for the double post. I used my tablet and must have hit post twice? Then I never came back to check it...

Update tonight: baby girl really wanted my chocolate chip cookie so instead I gave her a cucumber and she loved it. I sliced it into quarters lengthwise and she held on to it and went to town.

deanna1313

@draculaspointer‌ so I guess my LO isn't the only one spitting up more from the oatmeal cereal. I'm going to try it with him again and if it happens again then no more oatmeal for him.

gutsysneakers

So DD stuck her hands in pasta tonight while DH was eating. She enjoyed the tomato sauce. Does this count as BLW?

leahdipert

My pedi gave me a list of foods to not feed a baby if making my own food, FYI, carrots was on there. Something with the nitrates. Can't remember the rest off the top of my head.

gutsysneakers

If I end up doing any purees, I will definitely be mixing it with BM.

hbird0723

@leahdipert‌ great I just had her try a carrot yesterday. She seemed real interested but hated it and didn't eat much. She cried when she tasted it. Poor girl! Hopefully that's ok. Will remember not to give her carrots now. Was there anything else on the list?
@becole42‌ mine didn't care much for rice cereal so I waited a week and now she likes it but she loves oatmeal. I'm not too sure it loves her though so I might have to take it away. But I can't tell if it's that or teething.

I made some to freeze for when we are ready and I used BM in some and water in other because I'm having trouble keeping up! I did notice though that when I thawed one out it was real runny so I'm thinking about adding it after thawing and not before.

bookishnerd

@becole42 I would give the rice cereal another try. It could just be the consistency, temperature, baby's mood, etc etc. Sometimes mine will eat it just fine, sometimes she's more interested in playing around with it, sticking her fingers in her mouth, and sometimes she just does better when my husband feeds her. 

hbird0723

Oh and I used boiling water not just tap or filtered water also you're not supposed to used thawed BM in them. Just read that. You can't thaw and then freeze again basically.
I'm no pro this is my first time and just read that.

THD7580

We started DS on oatmeal at 4 months. Just an every now and then kind if thing. Then at about 4.5 I tried it every other day and he loved it he's awesome at chewing and swallowing. So at 5 we tried sweet potatoes and he loved them. Did the whole 4 days allergy thing. So far we've done sweet potatoes, green beans, peas (he hated) carrots, bananas, and now we are on winter squash. I've been trying to do veggie, fruit, veggie, fruit to keep him interested. We tried avocado once and it was a little thick even watered down with formula so we will try it again in a couple weeks. He loves those sweet potatoes though so I usually do the new food we are trying in the early afternoon and then sweet potatoes at dinner. He's getting a full jar a day of the medium ones and is doing awesome! I'm going to start making and freezing next week after he's tried most in the jars so I can judge what he likes most!

ns1

About carrots...

https://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/nitratearticle.htm#.VEAy3PldUvY

on nitrates in baby food, specifically carrots

https://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/carrotsbabyfoodrecipes.html

how to prepare homemade carrot puree for baby

I gave DD homemade carrot puree, and she's a carrot lover!  (And alive to tell about it.)  I just don't use the cooking water to thin out the puree, as the recipe states.  

hbird0723

That makes me feel better about giving her carrots. I also read about the water thing and just used other boiled water and only whole organic carrots. She pretty much hates veggies I think. She's tried sweet potato and carrot and hates them. We will try again some other time.

kendy20

Anyone actually buying puréed food? I saw a commercial for Beech Nut and looked them up, seems to be really good for baby. No extra ingredients, just the main fruit or veggie. I'm just having a hard time deciding if I want to make my own or buy them????

bookishnerd

kendy20 said:

Anyone actually buying puréed food? I saw a commercial for Beech Nut and looked them up, seems to be really good for baby. No extra ingredients, just the main fruit or veggie. I'm just having a hard time deciding if I want to make my own or buy them????

I got some of the Beech Nut foods because they went on sale and I wanted to have some on hand. I'd like to try and make at least some baby foods, but it's still hard enough to get a meal together for ourselves at this point. Anyway, we decided to try the sweet potato last night and she wasn't wild about it, but she didn't spit it out. I tasted it and it was really good! I like that it is just the veggie or fruit, no added stuff, and they are non-gmo.

ns1

@kendy20 I'll make a lot of DS' s purers just because I enjoy doing it really. But I'll buy some too for when we're out and about so I don't have to worry about cooling and heating and such. I like the shape of the beechnut jars:) good deciding factor, eh?

kendy20

@ns1‌, I also like the jar shape :-) But we don't have a blender so that why I was debating if it's worth it to go buy one and make her food or just buy the jars. I'm thinking I'll just buy the jars, less mess I have to clean up every morning after making DH breakfast, lunch and dinner ;-)

flockofmoosen3

Ok, so I made some lentil puree the other day and that is way over in the do-not-like column. She gagged, shuddered, and made disgusted faces, haha. But she loved the peach/mango puree I made. Sigh...I dont really want her to just like the sweet stuff.

She still isn't really ingesting the food yet, still just tasting and licking. I don't mind making the purees even if they're not saved...it's kind of fun. Then again, I enjoy cooking.

deanna1313

@kendy20‌ I was curious about beechnut, too. I am making my own baby food because it is so much cheaper, no added ingredients(except beechnut, I guess) and more variety of fruits and veggies when homemade. You can't kind find some of the types I'm making in jars.

deanna1313

Also..... I make the food in one big batch and freeze them in a silicone cube tray from BB&B. love them! I'm not pureeing at each meal who has time for that crap! Lol
Definitely buying some beechnut for when we go out and when we're in vacation.
I love the little cubes of food.