 |
| His first taste of solids |
I'd been deliberating over when to start him on solids for some time. 4 months, 5 months, 6 months (my grandmother even suggested 3 months). How do you know when is right? Is it the same for every baby? Or does it depend on size, appetite, milk supply (if breastfed)?
I like to think that I'm observant and intuitive when it comes to 'mothering', so, like everything else I do as a mummy, I looked for the signs (lip smacking, tracking food with eyes and hands, irritability after milk feeds, changes in routine).
Four months came and went and it was at about the 4 1/2 month point that I started to see some signs. They'd come and go though. Some days I'd see small signs of him being ready, and then for days later we wouldn't see them again. So I waited. I didn't want to rush this process... besides, he has his whole life ahead of him to be rushed and pushed, so I want to take everything in our own stride, at our own pace, while we can.
Eventually at 5 months (shy of a day or two) I felt he was ready. All of the signs were pointing to it.
At this stage, I'd read every article about every possible approach to introducing solids. And up until this point he had been exclusively breastfed. And by exclusively, I mean EXCLUSIVELY. Not even expressed breast milk or water. This was all he knew. So I proceeded with trepidation, hoping that it would be a smooth process.
Now, I'd like to point out at this point that this boy has ALWAYS embraced this whole 'life' thing and 'development' thing with ease and simplicity. He takes everything in his stride (so to speak). Nothing is a big deal... immunisations - easy, hearing tests - easy, breastfeeding - easy, sleeping in his bassinet - easy, sleeping in a portacot - easy, sleeping in his full size cot - easy, meeting new people - easy, traveling in the car - easy, flights - easy. You get the point. He has such a relaxed and 'happy-go-lucky' soul that I don't know why I thought starting solids was going to be any different.
We started him on a small amount of rice cereal mixed with breast milk. 1-2 teaspoons. He LOVED it. In fact, he was so ready and loved it so much that he was immediately trying to take control, pulling the spoon to his mouth himself and opening his mouth wide in preparation for his feed. And straight down. No problems. No gagging that I'd read about, no turning his head away, no closing his mouth tight or blowing raspberries. He was ready. And he was eager.
So next came apple, pear, carrot, potato, pumpkin... he loved it all. Broccoli - loves it!
There is a lot of information out there on whether rice cereal is necessary. It does lack nutritional value and so I do try and limit it. I have a hungry baby though so I find it helps to fill him up. It just fills out his fresh food I prepare for him. And I always mixed it with breast milk, so I figure it can't hurt as the breast milk is always good for him. I have recently gone to whole wheat baby cereal though and I believe it provides him with more nutrition than the rice cereal. Whole wheat baby cereal is usually not recommended as a first cereal, as it can trigger an allergy, so when we did introduce it, it was in small amounts initially (as all foods should be).
Starting solids doesn't have to be hard. It does change things for you, especially if you are exclusively breastfeeding. Now all of a sudden you have to pack food if you're going out, and be planning and preparing foods (you have to be organised if you're making your own baby food, as I am). I make all my own baby food and I made a promise that I wouldn't feed him packaged food off the shelf. I wouldn't eat that myself, so why would I feed it to him?
Solids are fun. I love watching him enjoying his fresh food I've prepared for him. It's rewarding and it's just another step along the way.
No comments:
Post a Comment