Hellobee

Everything with a first baby is a brand new adventure.  Thinking back to my pregnancy, I prepared so much more for labor and delivery than anything else!  It wasn’t very sensible when the labor and delivery are only a day or two, and the baby will be with you for much longer. I remember very clearly those early days of motherhood, trying to read about sleep training with a half awake  baby in my arms. Not the best idea!

I began thinking about starting solids with Norah fairly early because it was something that I wanted to do the “right” way. Little did I know there are so many “right” ways. I found this topic confusing because every resource seemed to recommend something slightly different, and I had no idea which one I wanted to choose. After quite a lot of  reading and a good heart to heart with my doctor, I settled on what I felt what right for us — a combination of purees and baby led weaning.

Little tea cup getting her first taste of solid food

I am not a spur of the moment person, as much as I wish I was sometimes. I knew starting solids would not be any different and that I wanted to have an idea of where to start and where I was heading. I chose two very different books: Starting Solids – which focuses on using purees fed by the caregiver as the first foods, and Baby Lead Weaning – which focuses on allowing babies to self-feed through exploration.

My plan was to do a combination of the two methods to try to give our daughter the best of both worlds if possible. Of course even the best laid plans don’t always work, so I also reminded myself that we may have to make changes once we started.

I decided to have Norah start trying solid foods  just before she turned 6 months. In Canada, it is recommended that you wait until after 6 months, but our doctors gave us the okay around 4 months. I decided to give her the extra time as she was not very interested in food at that point in time.

Lastly, I decided my plan of attack: 1. what foods would come first  and 2. how long would I try each with Norah. Once again, I turned to my doctor and she recommended I start with rice cereal and very simple vegetable/fruit purees. I decided to try each new food at lunch time every day for at least 3 days before introducing a new one. I then added a meal when I felt she was ready for more food. Eventually the plan was to make it up to three meals a day. If we saw a reaction or Norah simply did not like the food, we would either move on to another food, or stop that food for the time being depending on the situation.

I created the calender below in order to keep track of what Norah was eating and possible reactions or stomach troubles. I used it for the first few months of her beginning solids and just stopped tracking very recently. I also included what I would need to shop for that week on the bottom. In general, I started with rice cereal, then vegetables, then fruits, then meats by the time she was 7 months.

If you are wondering how baby led weaning was included in this schedule, I would let Norah explore different foods during our family dinnertime. Sometimes I would place food on her highchair tray that was either steamed or raw; other times I would put food into her mesh feeder and let her experiment with it through there. One of the first things I gave her was avocado, and although I am not sure if any food ended up in her mouth, she did have lots of fun! I kept track of what she tried in the notes section of that day. I still really enjoy watching her explore her food and I think we all look forward to dinnertime each night because of including baby led weaning into the plan.

Step 2 – Get what you need to begin!

I have to say in terms of gear, you really do not need very much for solid feeding other than a highchair! However here are my favorite things that I used when starting solid foods.

Food Prep and Storage

Kitchen Aid food processor ~ I did not buy a specific “baby food maker” but use my regular food processor and it works very well for making purees.

Freshfoods freezer  trays ~ You can very effectively use ice cube trays  to freeze your baby food, but I wanted to show you these trays as well.  I like that they have lids and are easy to stack in my freezer. The food is easily removed when needed.

Philips AVENT Bottle and baby food warmer  ~ I know this is on many people’s “do not buy list” because if you have a microwave you do not need it. I do not have a microwave so this has been a quick and easy way to heat up baby food without using the stove.

The Gear

Munchkin suction bowls ~ Depending on the surface of your highchair or table, these may stick or they may not. However I think they are worth it for their very tightly closing lids! We use them every day around here.

Nuby hot safe spoons ~ There are so many brands out there; I like these for their size.

Kushies bibs ~ I like these bibs because they do not stain or need to go into the wash.  I usually just toss them in the dish water with the spoons and bowls and then hang to dry.

OXO tot sprout chair ~ There are so many great highchair options. I chose this one because it converts into a seat for a regular chair and I love things that are multipurpose to prolong their usefulness.

Munchkin mesh feeders ~ These are not a necessity but they are lots of fun. Norah  loves to investigate the food coming out the holes of the mesh. They are also great for teething when you put some cold fruit in them.

Step 3 ~ Get started!

The most important piece of advice I can give when it comes to starting solids is that no matter what the plan or the ideas you have of how things should go, just  relax and have some fun. Get messy, smile and laugh as your little one provides you with a million different faces when they try a new flavor.Your little one will pick up on your feelings so do your best not to show any anxiety or stress that you might have.

If the first day doesn’t go well, it is okay and just try it again another day. If it’s not working for an extended period, take a little break and try again in a week or so.  It is not about them finishing everything in their bowl but about them learning about new textures and tastes. Remember, at this point they get everything they need from breast milk or formula anyway!

Please share your experiences with starting solids below, I would love to hear what worked for you and your little ones!