Making baby food

I love making baby food. It is calming and it brings me peace. I can't eff up the recipe because there's usually only one or two ingredients. I can't overcook it because it has to turn to mush anyways. I like knowing what I am feeding my baby, where it came from and how it was processed. I like that we are trying new combinations, introducing meats, and even cheese! I love that the food is starting to smell like food and less like barf.

The only thing I don't like is the fear. The fear the Babe will hate it. Even worse, the fear she will be allergic to it. We've had one reaction, and now I'm always on the lookout for the slightest pink tinge on her skin or upset stomach. But so far, so good, and she only hates one food - butternut squash. Which isn't my favourite either ;)

~ H

Solids - an update

So we tackled solids a few weeks ago and it's been an interesting run so far. I keep forgetting to buy fruits and veggies to steam, so we often go an extra day on the same item before trying a new one. I've found that making the food is easy, unless you boil all the water out of the pot. That's okay, I didn't like that pot anyway (yes, I did, it was my favourite pot). Remembering to bring food with us when we go out is not really happening so I end up just breastfeeding still. The Babe hates squash and is allergic to cinnamon. The allergy was discovered during dinner when I wiped her face and a red mark appeared where the food had been. Another 811 call ensued, this one less frantic, and we agreed to not try cinnamon again for a few months. She likes carrots and is okay with tart apricots. We've learned that feeding her activates my husband's gag reflex, so mealtimes are a solo sport for me. And dance music makes the food go down faster (doesn't it for everyone?).

Most of all I have learned to be patient. As my husband keeps reminding me, she's only had breastmilk for the last 6 months, so I try not to get discouraged when she doesn't love something the first time she tries it. She is a slow eater, which is something I have learned to appreciate and I've stopped trying to rush mealtimes. We chat, sing songs and in between bites I get her to smile. Today she sneezed with a mouthful of carrots and yams. It was hysterical. Tomorrow we try pears with apricots, and yams for dinner. By Thursday - chicken!

~ H

Starting solids

We started solids a week ago - well, solids only in that we started giving the Babe rice cereal and then oatmeal, though they are both quite liquidy (liquid-ish?). She will be six months next week and she had started showing interest in our food, so we figured it was go time. I strapped on her bib, sanitized her spoons and expected her to understand that eating cereal means putting your chin up instead of down with an open mouth. No such luck.

She didn't love rice cereal, so after two days we switched to oatmeal and she seemed to hate it less. I spent the next 30 minutes holding the spoon in one hand and her stuffed caterpillar in the other, dancing it in the air while trying to get her to swallow her mouthful. More of the cereal ended up on the Bumbo and her bib than in her stomach, I'm sure of it. This week I attempted squash mixed in, but that was met with a grimace and a locked jaw, so we've paused on the squash for the moment. I'll try again in a day or so, and perhaps attempt food in lieu of a feeding rather than in addition to. Fingers crossed!

~ H