Starting Solids

Excerpted from
Growing Up Healthy: A Complete Guide to Childhood Nutrition, Birth Through Adolescence
By Joan Lunden, Myron Winick, M.D.

Commercial or Homemade?

Commercial baby foods from the 1940s until the 1980s, almost all babies were being fed commercial infant foods. The success of these baby foods was due in no small part to the fact that they were nutritious, well prepared, good tasting, and convenient to use. And it's still true today.

At the same time, however, as more and more combinations of foods were being developed, many were being prepared to suit parental tastes-with salt and sugar added. But as we all became better educated, the baby food industry began catering to infants' tastes instead of our tastes, and now baby foods no longer contain added salt or sugar.

Commercially prepared baby foods have certain advantages: they're carefully prepared with good nutrition in mind (Nutrients removed in processing, such as vitamins in rice cereal, are replaced in the final product.) They're of a consistency that's well tolerated by infants; they're convenient to use. and they're carefully packaged to avoid contamination.

Be aware that some packaged baby foods are super-sized, which makes overfeeding a problem and increases your baby's risk of becoming obese. If you are using commercial baby foods, remember there is "nothing sacred" in the size of the jar. This is not the time to encourage your baby to finish the jar or to "clean her plate.' Just keep in mind that as each new food is introduced, a significant amount of the contents may have to be discarded. (Don't store leftovers in the refrigerator for longer than 24 hours.)

Homemade Foods

Given that there is a trend today toward natural foods, a lot of parents are whipping up homemade baby foods. With the aid of a food processor, blender, or food mill, they're pureeing infant foods and storing them in the freezer Preparing baby foods at home can be less expensive, and it does allow parents to oversee ingredients and control portion size. Before you make your first batch of baby food, buy a jar of commercial baby food so that you can get an idea of the desired consistency.

Baby food manufacturers have put many years (and many dollars!) into determining the best food for the age and stage of your child, so why not take advantage of all their research! Finally, if you choose to prepare your child's food, don't add salt or sugar, and remember, most canned foods, such as canned peas or green beans, contain salt. Read the label and If salt has been added, do not feed the product to your baby. In fact, it's best to select fresh or naturally frozen fruits and vegetables almost exclusively when making your own baby foods.

Baby Steps With Baby's foods

Don't Season Your Baby's Food

Before you even think of adding salt or spices to your baby's food, think again Babies actually like bland foods. In almost all cases, your infant will accept food without any added seasoning, and that includes salt. Remember Foods that seem bland to us often taste delicious to our infants. And if your family is hooked on salt, this might be a good time for all of you to nuke some seasoning shifts. Babies mimic family members and many adults salt everything in sight before even tasting it. Give your baby a head start-don't impose your acquired taste for salt on him Help him avoid a future of high blood pressure and heart disease. The best part is that you'll be helping everyone in your family!

Babies Are Sweet Enough Without Sugar!

Although children are born with a taste for sugar, it would be wise to avoid presweetened foods as much as possible. Read labels for hidden sugars. Offer sweet fruits-homemade applesauce, fruit and Jell-O parfaits, frozen banana treats, or frozen juice pops. Of course, when cooking and baking, certain recipes call for sugar. You might try substituting sweet fruits like pureed apples and dates. And when you do add sugar, try to use it judiciously

Avoid Juice

When you go to the supermarket, the juices are right next to the baby food jars, so there's a natural tendency to buy juice. But this is not the stage to introduce juices (unless your doctor has specifically recommended it in case of your baby's constipation). Juices are a concentrated source of calories and your baby will already be getting all the vitamins and minerals she needs from the fruits and other foods you will be feeding her.

Be Cautious With Teething Foods

Typically, infants start teething by around six or seven months of age. Some pediatricians advocate no teething foods-suggesting that babies teeth on teethers and that parents save crackers and biscuits for mealtimes. If you choose to offer your baby some basic finger foods to provide comfort while those teeth are erupting, be careful to select teething biscuits, sturdy crackers, and bagels (I buy mini bagels and freeze them before serving to Max and Kate.) But be very cautious. To avoid the risk of choking, never leave your baby alone when he's eating teething foods.