Sunday, July 11, 2010

A Stormy Sunday Afternoon -- COMMENTS REQUIRED!

I just made Josh go get Langley from her bed (she's napping) and hold her because it thundered so loud! I just like to hold or be held during loud storms, so I figured she would want the same. It is currently pouring down rain with thunder and lightening, but most of the afternoon it has just rained. And I got to take a nap. I haven't done much else except make a list 1/2 a mile long to prepare for my week, start a load of laundry, and think about this baby food situation.

I am waiting until August 1 to start rice cereal. I think I can handle the cereal situation, but I start to get a little panicky when I think about what comes next. So, I will now ramble on with my questions and a few things I've read or been told by the doctor. PLEASE COMMENT with answers or advice if you have any experience with this stuff!

1. Thin rice cereal with formula. Start with it very thin. Do just the cereal for a week then introduce a new food each week.

2. What foods should I start with? I'm thinking I'll do a veggie first. Is there a specific order to introduce foods? The doctor said to hold off on meat until 9 months.

3. What are some good resources (websites, books) that you have used to guide you in feeding your baby solids?

4. Do you make your own baby food? I am interested in this. Do you recommend it?
5. What was the process (boiling or steaming, food processer or grinder?)
6. How do you store it? Reheat it?

7. How will solids affect her feeding schedule?

8. I have a high chair thing. I need bibs, spoons, bowls....anthing other essential gear I'm not thinking about?


I'm looking forward to your comments. (My goal is to get 5 on this post.) I will hold out cute pictures of Langley if neccessary :-)

6 comments:

TF said...

Congratulations on another milestone!

Veggies first yes! She will probably make faces so have your camera ready. I'd start with something green, and yes she will learn to eat it if you keep at it. Fruits are usually easier to get them to eat so I'd wait on those for a while. One new food every fourth day to a week to help rule out or identify allergies.

My kids always slept better after starting solids!!! Wishing you the same.

Good luck!

Tracy said...

I boiled, pureed, and then froze them in ice cube trays. I would just pop one out and warm it a bit. I did that with green beans, grean peas, sweet potatoes, carrots, and I think I even tried beets. It was an adventure! I also did that with fresh fruits too.

Have fun

Cari said...

You asked for a comment so here goes :)

I am making my own baby food and I bought a book called Super Baby Food. It is awesome. I got it for 12 dollars on Walmart.com. Its about a 400 page book that gives tons of info and tips. She outlines what foods to start with per age (goes month by month) and goes all the way up to three years of age. The foods good to start with (according to her) is sweet potatoes, bananas and avacados. You can give more foods when they trun 6 months.

I also cook, puree and freeze in ice cub trays! It is so easy once you get in a groove and from what I have figured out thus far it cost half the price to make it versus buying it. I use a blender -- it has a baby food setting.

I cooked the sweet potatoes in the microwave, put in blender to puree, put in ice trays to freeze for 8-12 hours, take out of trays and put in freezer bags, lable and put expiration date. She tells you how long each food will freeze for. Depending on the food they range from 2 months to 10 months of how long you can freeze them (the book tells you that). You just put a cube or two in a bowl and defrost them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

But as for bananas and avacadoes you just put them raw in the blender and puree then freeze.

Lincoln likes homemade best which is probably b/c I started him on this type. I tried to feed him jarred food after a week or so of homemade and he cried and wouldn't eat it.

Best of luck! Let me know if you have any other questions. It was overwhelming for me to learn about it but now I have the hang of it and love it. :)

Heather said...

Langley is so adorable....the next post MUST have pictures!!! After you introduce the cereal and then the solids, you can eventually mix them. Right now I feed AK cereal mixed with baby food fruits for breakfast each morning and she loves it! I never made my own baby food....but I know people who did and I think that is wonderful! Very cool! And I think it's easy, too. I bet there are a lot of good resources out there! I would definitely start with veggies, first.
OH- and I don't think adding the solids necessarily changes their feeding schedules, at least not right away. At least not for my babies.
Good Luck! It is so exciting but also bittersweet at the same time because they are growing up!!! It happens too fast!!! Good to see you this morning! :)

The Bells said...

I was still in "crazy, no sleep, lucky if i get a bath everyday, new mom" stage when zane started on solids. So everything's a bit blurry, but here's what i recall....

Zane HATED rice cereal. Would not eat it mixed with formula, mixed with baby food....probably wouldn't have eaten it mixed with chocolate syrup! (which i did not try, for the record)

Yes, start with veggies. If you start with fruits, which are sweeter, she may never convert to veggies.

I made all of Zane's baby food, and I'm not kidding when i say it was SO EASY! I'm not a SAHM, far from it. Working 42 hrs/wk with a 2hr round trip commute plus taking care of a baby AND housework, I was afraid i would not have time.

I bought the Beaba Babycook from Williams-Sonoma and the baby cookbook that went with it. the cookbook was kinda pointless, but i loved the Beaba. I think we started with butternut squash. I just scooped it out. The Beaba steams it, purees it, and reheats it after it's frozen. I bought the $1 ice cube trays from wal-mart, filled them up, froze them, then put them in ziplock bags. I would make 10-15 servings at a time. In 15 minutes i could have 2 weeks worth of food. I can't go to wal-mart that fast to buy food! Avocado i just mashed up and served raw. see here for his thoughts: http://mattandsarahbell.blogspot.com/2009/07/zanes-thoughts-on-avacadoyou-decide.html
His face said he hated it, but really he was digging it.

Zane is still a terrific eater, I think in part to the fact that he was used to the foods' true tastes. Carrots taste like carrots when you make them yourself! Of course, it's not for everyone.

I kept his feeding schedule the same, just added solids in the evening. Eventually he had them lunch and dinner, then three times a day. You'll be able to tell when she's hungry and ready for more solids. It does take them many tries to learn how to use their tongue and mouth muscles to move food around, get it to the back of their throat, and swallow. So don't be surprised if she spits it all over you the first couple of tries!

I know it's bittersweet that they grow so fast, but honestly, each stage that Zane goes through is my new favorite! Ok, maybe not the tantrum stage....

eth said...

I just sent you an email with some ideas/tips from one of my friends.