NOT making your own baby food guilt

Please tell me its okay that I am not going to do this for my twins. Or that its NOT okay. I really want to and I had planned to all along. But DH have no help and we are still in total survival mode even though they will be 7 months next week. I know that adding another daily task will put further strain on us. I know it may seem like nothing to others but DH and I are beyond mentally and physically exhausted. I am going to give DS his first veggie this weekend and just the thought of him eating something from a jar that sat on a dusty shelf at BRU is making me so sad. Maybe I just need some sleep.

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

Don't feel guilty... A lot of people can't or don't make their own food and everything is fine. I am not good in the kitchen and DS was on all jarred foods.... Absolutely no guilt here.. Try not to feel that way...You have a full plate and it does take a lot of time to make baby food.. Your DC will be fine with whatever you choose to fed them...

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

I did some foods in the beginning but then DS almost choked on chicken that I didn't puree well enough. It just wasn't worth the stress anymore. or the time. I would rather be playing with him or doing something constructive together.

soon enough they'll be eating finger foods so it's not like you're doing it for their entire life. You can't do it all!

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

My DD is 2 1/2 and my DS is 12 months.

I'm a f/t working mom.

I feel like I'm always 10 steps behind on everything--laundry, cleaning the house, peeing...

Having to make my own baby food WOULD send me over the edge.

No guilt here. If you're feeling particularly guilty, buy an organic brand. Personally, I buy Walmart brand purees and DS loves them.

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

Do not feel guilty at all!

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

Never feel guilty for what you do and don't do. It's your child, there's nothing wrong with feeding your child jarred food, just like there's nothing wrong with feeding your child formula.
We all lead different lives and frankly, who are we to judge someone when we aren't in their shoes?

Do what you can but never feel bad for what you didn't do. Your child will know no difference.

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

I felt some guilt but the times i tried it it just seemed so time consuming and not worth it. Before you know it,they are eating SOLID food anyway. I grew up on jarred food, everyone I know did. I used to have regrests at the time but now that my DD is 2.5 I realize it was not a big deal and I wish I hadnt stressed about it so much. Before you know it they are eating table foods and the jarred foods becomes a non issue anyway. Please dont sweat it. Your sanity and time are more important, and hte baby food in the jar is perfectly good.

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

That's silly... I make about 75% of DD's food but it's only because it's CHEAPER... it's not necessarily better for her. If you're buying good stuff, it's virtually the same. Save your guilt for the BF vs. Formula, SAHM vs. FTWM, etc. debates

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

Posted by melbalalala

That's silly... I make about 75% of DD's food but it's only because it's CHEAPER... it's not necessarily better for her. If you're buying good stuff, it's virtually the same. Save your guilt for the BF vs. Formula, SAHM vs. FTWM, etc. debates

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

I can't speak for you, but I can say I never felt guilty, because if you look on the jars the ingredients are the same as if you would make your own - many of the fruits and veggies have absolutely NOTHING extra added, other than maybe water or ascorbic acid (vitamin c) to prevent browning.

There are also organic options if you are interested in that, Gerber has a ton!

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

DONT feel guilty.

I do both homemade and jars.

if you really want to make some, do the easy ones :
you could mash a banana that moment, instead of jarred.
avocado - just mash

If you are cooking dinner for yourself, throw a sweet potato in the oven for them.

I bought the Plum Organics pouches. DD LOVED them, they tasted like the actual fruit you make.
DD is almost two, hasnt had one in over a year, she STILL freaks when she sees them in BRU and I have to buy her one.

Message edited 7/8/2011 8:31:58 AM.

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

DO NOT FEEL GUILTY AT ALL!!!!

I did it b/c it was cheaper...it was a pain in the a$$! I would have to go food shopping at least every three weeks just for fruits and veggies, pray that they had what I needed. So that ate up at least an hour of my day. Then I would come home and inbetween naps peel, cut, steam, puree and label all of the foods. Another hour-two hours that I will never get back. I would fight to find room in the freezer....ugh. And at one point I saw that although I was saving $$ I wasn't helping my marriage or my happiness. Besides within two months or so the demand was becoming greater than the supply. At that point we were ready to start table foods, and thankfully I was done being a slave to the kitchen.

If I were to do it again, I wouldn't stress nearly as much. I think that I would either go all jars or occasionally make my own when I felt like it!

DONT WORRY YOURSELF MAMA!!!

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

i am not making my own i dont feel guilyt. I do buy organic and while it might be cheaper for me to make it, being FTWM there is no way i have any time to make it. I was considering maybe making it on my own but i figured i didnt have time and my dr actually told me i could make it but he told me not to waste my time. HE said you will go thru all this work to make it and then she may not even like it. That made me feel better about not making it.

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

Posted by sleepie76

DONT feel guilty.

I do both homemade and jars.

if you really want to make some, do the easy ones :
you could mash a banana that moment, instead of jarred.
avocado - just mash

If you are cooking dinner for yourself, throw a sweet potato in the oven for them.

I bought the Plum Organics pouches. DD LOVED them, they tasted like the actual fruit you make.
DD is almost two, hasnt had one in over a year, she STILL freaks when she sees them in BRU and I have to buy her one.

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

I NEVER made my own food and both of my girls are fine. I think there is way too much pressure on moms these days. You have to do what works for you.

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

Don't feel guilty - you aren't super women. Go to amazon.com and order a case of Gerber baby food. It will be delivered to your door and you will probably get free shipping.

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

Posted by missus-hbradio
I bought the Earths Best...hope they like it!
Thanks again for sharing your stories.

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

Posted by headoverheels

Posted by missus-hbradio
I bought the Earths Best...hope they like it!
Thanks again for sharing your stories.

Earth's Best was my kids' favorite! Good luck with the new foods

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

Buy Sprout. It is Tyler Florence's baby food line. They sell it at Whole Foods and Walmart. It is considered the best baby food. Nothing is added, it is all organic, and it tastes amazing.

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

don't feel guilty at all.. I tried it in the beginning and it lasted all of 2 months with me.. I used Gerber and my son is perfectly fine.. I tried to stay with pure vegetables and fruits only because those were food and water only.. I have him the cereal too but no meats, I personally just got yucked out about those so I just cut small, tiny pieces of whatever meat we were eating and he did fine with that. There is a reason why Jarred baby food has been around for sooo long, there is nothing wrong with it.

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

The mommy guilt just never ends, does it? Do NOT feel bad that you're not going to make their food! I didn't breast feed, so I had guilt over that, which is why I made their food
Then halfway through with my son, I wanted to stop making it because I had no time anymore and he refused to eat jars, so I spoiled him and was stuck making it forever more.
Honestly, it's more work that it's worth sometimes and you do NOT need to feel guilty
Now if you just decided to not feed them altogether, then I'd say you should feel bad

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

I have 3 kids now and when I first heard of people making their own baby food, my first thought was, Who has the time? I've always worked FT so I would NEVER have the time to do that. I also don't think it's necessary. I've always used jarred food and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. I don't even get organic jarred food! .....

ETA: I felt the same way about not making myself even after my first, but when you start throwing in more than one child, it most definitely wasn't a consideration.

Message edited 7/8/2011 10:07:28 AM.

Re: NOT making your own baby food guilt

do NOT feel guilty.

honey, you have TWINS!!!! I cannot imagine doing that, especially if dh has not stepped up as you would like him to.

jarred food is FOOD. good, healthy, nutritious FOOD. at the end of the day, that is ALL that is important!!!!!

but please know that really making the food isn't a HUGE project, and it's never too late to start!!!
take everything slow. don't put so much pressure on yourself.

and remember, it only takes a fork and a bowl to mash the every loving **** out of banana or avocado if you want to do it....it's also an awesome stress reliever!