Starting Solids: The 10 best foods for babies

Lovely gift from Lynnora :)

Yesterday I was sharing some of my extra EBM with Lynnora for her 5 months old baby boy (read about breastmilk sharing!). Without expecting anything in return, Lyn gave me a hand book titled [Nutritionists' Choice Cookbook] which she got from the Ministry of Health Malaysia. What a lovely gift! I told her that'll be really useful as we're just started solids, & I'd really love to make my own baby foods!

Here are 10 of the absolute favorites of many parents. After introducing any new food, wait three days before moving on to the next new food to identify any possible allergic reaction. If your baby's still a beginner at eating solids (read about introducing solids to your baby), grind or puree the food as needed.

The 10 best foods for babies

Squash

Squash is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, is naturally sweet, and has a pleasing, creamy texture.

Serving idea: Sprinkle parmesan cheese and a little chili seasoning on half a squash, roast it, and scoop out a serving for your baby, suggests pediatrician Susanna Block, owner of World Baby Foods, an ethnic baby food line. "Cooked squash with a little cilantro, mild chiles, and garbanzo beans are another great combination," she says.

Lentils

Crammed with protein and fiber, lentils pack a powerful nutritional punch. They're also one of the cheapest healthy foods you can buy.

Serving idea: Combine cooked lentils with mixed vegetables, rice, and seasonings of your choice. "Try basil and oregano," suggests dietitian Karin Hosenfeld of North Dallas Nutrition. "Or toss in a bay leaf, which works really well with lentils." (Remove the bay leaf before serving.)

Dark green leafy vegetables

Leafy greens boast high amounts of iron and folate. While spinach is perhaps the best known of this group, there are many other varieties, including kale, chard, and collard greens.

Serving idea: Steam and puree a batch of greens, then mix with iron-fortified cereal to give your baby a double dose of iron. Experiment with the proportions to see what your baby likes; Hosenfeld suggests starting with two parts veggie to one part cereal.

Broccoli

Brimming with folate, fiber, and calcium, broccoli is also known for its cancer-fighting properties, says dietitian Kate Geagan, author of Go Green, Get Lean. And thanks to its sulfur compounds, it has a unique flavor that can help expand your baby's tastes.

Serving idea: Steam pieces until soft, then chill. "Steaming takes the bite out of broccoli," says Hosenfeld. "And chilled broccoli is sometimes better accepted by babies. It can also be soothing during teething."

Blueberries

The deep, brilliant blue of these berries comes from flavonoids called anthocyanins, which are good for your baby's eyes, brain, and even urinary tract, says Stephen Gass, co-author of Mix and Mash: Adventures in the Kitchen for Baby and You.

Serving Idea: Gass suggests this easy blueberry soup: Combine 1 cup of blueberries with one-quarter cup of water in a bowl, microwave for one minute, and let cool. Then swirl some plain yogurt on top.

Avocados (Continue Next Page)

Baby Constipation: It is heart breaking!

potty time!

Darling hasn't been pooping for 2 days since we introduced avocado to her :( Her stomach is so visibly bloated.

We've been putting her on potty to encourage her to poop. I decided to skip a day of giving solids temporarily, just to put her tiny tummy out of stress for a while.

Out of desperate, we gave her a capsule of LactoGG which I've been taking. Hoping that'll help soothing her constipation. After taking it in the morning, she finally gave us a stinky bomb in the evening! :D What a relief for us! We decided to continue giving the probiotics.

If you ever encounter this problem, here are some useful guides from wholesomebabyfood.com:

Common Causes of Infant Constipation are:

- Introduction of solid food(s) - breastfed babies may be more prone to constipation when solid foods are introduced. This is because their tiny tummies are used to processing the easily and highly digestible mother's milk

- Diets low in fiber

- Diets of excessive dairy products (yogurt, cheeses, milk)

- Foods such as Bananas, Applesauce, Cereals, Breads, Pasta and White Potatoes may contribute or cause constipation

- A change in diet usually relieves a baby with constipation. The following tips may also help the constipated baby get things "moving".


Remedies and How to Treat Constipation in Babies: (Continue Next Page)

Starting Solids!

After doin much research on starting solid, we finally gave her the very first spoon!

She's been showing signs of readiness & our Pediatrician Dr Yong also advised that we can start as soon as she reaches 6 months old. Since she's diagnosed with lactose-intolerance, I wouldn't wanna rush into it & rather observe a little bit longer. Having said that, I decided to start slowly & gently, just to let her have a taste of it :)
I gotta really pay attention on food selections to be on the safe side.


Her first feed of semi-solids was quite a happy experience. She spat out a bit occasionally but throughout she can swallow quite well. We're all enjoyed it!!

So far she's fine with the Holle Organic Rice Porridge which we mix a bit of my breastmilk. Stool was a little thicker & darker in colour, slightly greenish. Hope that's alright.

It's the 5th day of rice porridge & next probably we'll try avocado :) looking forward!

Sweet Pea Mom

xoxoxo




What's your tips on solids for your baby? Any interesting recipe that you would like to share? :)