 |
Is my baby ready for finger-foods?
Babies are usually ready for fingerfoods once they demonstrate use of the pincer grasp; that is, using their thumb and forefinger to pick up an object. This is usually seen around eight to ten months of age. Begin with soft foods cut into small cubes. Only place two to three cubes at a time in front of baby .
Is it okay to feed my baby fruit juice?
Fruit juice is something you may want to offer to the older baby, eight to twelve months old; however, I must begin with a word of caution. Babies are born with a natural preference for sweet and salty. Most fruit juices contain a great deal of sugar. If you start an eight to twelve month old drinking fruit juice you will have a challenge trying to get him to drink milk which is full of necessary nutrients or water which is a much better source of hydration. It is much more nutritious to offer your baby soft, diced |
| |
|
Beets and Carrots
Wash and peel 3-4 small sized beets.
Cut into 1-inch chunks.
Wash, peel and slice 6-8 carrots. Add to a pot with 1/2 - 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and simmer for approximately 10- 15 minutes.
The smaller you cut the pieces the less your cooking time.
Test doneness with a fork. When pieces are pierced easily the veggies are done. DO NOT DRAIN THE LIQUID.
Add 1 cupful at a time to the blender and puree. Add the liquid from the boiled vegetables as needed to thin the mixture.
Pour into ice cube trays and freeze.
When frozen, pop the cubes into a zippered freezer bag for storage.
Remove 1-2 cubes at a time and thaw at room temperature for feedings.
NOTES: When feeding to a four or five month old it is best to puree.
When feeding to an older baby with teeth you can mash the beet / carrot mixture to provide some texture. This allows baby to experiment with the use of his teeth and the chewing motion.
A special note: beets naturally contain a substance called nitrates which may be difficult for a baby’s body to process. You will want to prepare this food sparingly.
|
| |
|
|
MENU GUIDELINES |
|
FOUR TO SIX MONTHS OLD |
|
BREAKFAST |
|
8 ounces breast milk or formula |
|
1-2 tablespoons infant cereal** |
|
1/4 banana, mashed OR 1 cube pureed fruit* |
|
MID-MORNING SNACK |
|
2-3 tablespoons yogurt mixed with 1 tablespoon infant cereal** |
|
Breast milk or formula |
|
LUNCH |
|
8 ounces breast milk or formula |
|
1 cube vegetable mixed with 1—2 tablespoons infant cereal** |
|
1 cube fruit |
|
MID-AFTERNOON SNACK |
|
1 fruit and 1 vegetable cube mixed with 1—2 tablespoons infant cereal** |
|
Breast milk or formula |
|
DINNER |
|
8 ounces breast milk or formula |
|
1 tablespoon pureed or minced meat, 1 vegetable cube, |
|
1 cube fruit, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon infant cereal, mix |
|
BEDTIME SNACK |
|
8 ounces breast milk or formula |
|
1 fruit cube mixed with 1—2 tablespoons infant cereal** |
|
*One cube pureed fruit equals approximately 2 tablespoons |
|
**Whenever using infant cereal be sure to add breast milk or formula to thin the mixture before feeding to baby. |
|
MENU GUIDELINES |
|
FOUR TO SIX MONTHS OLD |
|
BREAKFAST |
|
8 ounces breast milk or formula |
|
1-2 tablespoons infant cereal** |
|
1/4 banana, mashed OR 1 cube pureed fruit* |
|
MID-MORNING SNACK |
|
2-3 tablespoons yogurt mixed with 1 tablespoon infant cereal** |
|
Breast milk or formula |
|
LUNCH |
|
8 ounces breast milk or formula |
|
1 cube vegetable mixed with 1—2 tablespoons infant cereal** |
|
1 cube fruit |
|
MID-AFTERNOON SNACK |
|
1 fruit and 1 vegetable cube mixed with 1—2 tablespoons infant cereal** |
|
Breast milk or formula |
|
DINNER |
|
8 ounces breast milk or formula |
|
1 tablespoon pureed or minced meat, 1 vegetable cube, |
|
1 cube fruit, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon infant cereal, mix |
|
BEDTIME SNACK |
|
8 ounces breast milk or formula |
|
1 fruit cube mixed with 1—2 tablespoons infant cereal** |
|
*One cube pureed fruit equals approximately 2 tablespoons |
|
**Whenever using infant cereal be sure to add breast milk or formula to thin the mixture before feeding to baby. |
Sample Menu Plans
During the first few months of getting to know your little bundle of joy, you will learn about your baby’s sleep and wake patterns. What time your baby awakens in the morning and goes to sleep at night will determine whether you follow a five-meal or six-meal plan throughout the day. If you have an early riser, meaning your baby wakes up around six in the morning, you may opt for the six-meal plan.
Babies’ tummies are quite small and are not capable of holding enough food to sustain them on only three meals a day. They require small amounts of nourishment frequently throughout the day. This is why a five- or six-meal plan is recommended. The following two pages have suggested menu plans for feeding baby. As you learn about your baby, how much he / she is able to eat, and the signs when she is full, you will be able to adjust the amount of food you feed, accordingly. The menus that follow are only guidelines, each baby develops at a different pace. Any questions regarding your baby’s development should be discussed with your Pediatrician. |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
BUILDING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE FOR BABY
Starting a baby on solid foods is a time of experience and adventure for baby. When approached sensibly it will begin the foundation of healthy eating habits.
Current research demonstrates that a child’s eating patterns are established by twenty four months of age. This information combined with studies that show childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions places parents in a prime position for instilling healthy eating habits from the earliest possible age. The earliest possible age happens to be when we introduce solid foods, between four to six months. With this being said, the first year of life is not a time to restrict your baby’s diet. It is a time to introduce a wide variety of nutritious foods prepared in a healthy manner.
A healthy lifestyle consists of making the right food choices, eating an appropriate amount of food for your body type and activity level and engaging in plenty of exercise. When it comes to exercise, babies are born with a natural desire to be active.
|
| |
|
Pears
Wash and peel 6-8 ripe pears of any variety. Cut into 1-inch cubes or if you have a hand-held slicer you can slice the pears down to the core, this works wonders too.
Place in a pot with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until tender; about 10 minutes. While fruit is simmering, set up a blender or food processor.
Allow the fruit to cool slightly before adding to blender. DO NOT DRAIN THE LIQUID.
Add 1 cupful to the blender at a time.
Puree the pears. Lift the cover occasionally to check consistency. If necessary, add some of the liquid to thin the puree.
Pour into ice cube trays, cool to room temperature and freeze. When frozen, pop the cubes into a zippered freezer bag for storage.
Remove 1-2 cubes at a time and thaw at room temperature for feedings.
|
| |
|
Many of the recipes in this section fall into the USDA food group of Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs and Nuts. The recommended servings for a two to six year old are two for a total of five ounces.
For a baby I like to use the tablespoon measure as a guide. Meats are introduced to baby at approximately seven to nine months. At this age one to two tablespoons per serving is sufficient for baby. As baby continues to grow so will the serving sizes.
Many of the recipes are a blend of meat and vegetable. When looking at serving size for baby, 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup is appropriate per serving.
Some of the recipes call for a canned soup to be added. You can use any of the Campbell's Creamed soups however our favorites are cream of celery, asparagus, mushroom and cream of broccoli. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
