Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

Baby Food Myths

I just started giving Emerson rice,she is 4 months. I am nursing and after reading this I am not sure if I am doing the right thing

ETA: When did you start letting them eat?

Message edited 9/8/2010 4:09:29 PM.

Re: Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

DH said his coworker had told him that her nephew is from another country(i forget which one) and is the same age as DS and he is eating mashed potatos and other foods!

Message edited 9/8/2010 3:55:51 PM.

Re: Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

I agree with some of what is said. Specifically that introduction of foods is based on culture. The mom from India is a great example. My DD eats burritos like crazy and has been since @ 18 months. I remember a friend asking me how it was that I decided to give my "baby" a burrito. She loves chili as well - anything with cumin in it. She's not that big a fan of buffalo sauce though - even though I indulged heavily while PG.

Re: Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

I honestly don't believe in any of that stuff - the only rule I really stuck to was the Peanut Butter one -


I'm giving him FOOD - it's not like something spicy is poisonous !!! My kid eats everythign and anything -

He refuses avocado, but make guacamole and he's in heaven -

Re: Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

I agree with it. Honestly I'm extremely laid back with foods. DS had PB before a year and has had shellfish, etc whenever we have it. We have him try everything..

Although, now he is a picky toddler who only wants cheese all day.

Re: Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

DD started eating chicken and beef curry from 6 months old. I put all the typical indian spices in that I normally cook with, except the red hot chili powder. She's loved every bite so far and continues to eat it on a regular basis. She still got rice cereal and all the other cereals as well though. I've been doing a little bit of everything and haven't denied her any spices when making food (except chili powder).

I didn't do this with my older baby though, maybe it's because I've been more relaxed about "the rules" with the younger baby.

Message edited 9/8/2010 4:24:57 PM.

Re: Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

I agree wit this article, however as I have only started solids two weeks ago, I haven't tried to give my baby anything interesting. My Indian neighbour tells me that she gives her baby the same food they eat, however if its spicy, she simply washes the sauce/spices off under the tap!

I am doing a modified baby led weaning and I give her hand held food regularly, like a half a peach, or a finger of toast, a piece of banana, a rice cake or a big piece of bagel, or a small piece of pizza. She really enjoys holding it and mashing it up. I really enjoy cleaning it.

Also, I think that if you breastfeed your baby, the odds are that they have already had a taste of those spices or whatever in your breast milk.

Message edited 9/8/2010 6:29:29 PM.

Re: Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

I completely agree with this article and it always boggles my mind when people won't give their kids foods with flavor/spices. I guess I have this idea because as a kid I ate EVERYTHING, mostly because my mom gave me whatever she was eating from when I was a baby. I happened to get teeth early so as soon as I had teeth (around 4 months) she would give me smaller portions of whatever she was eating. I have NEVER been a picky eater and I think part of that is because I was exposed to different flavors when I was very young. I did the same with DS and he eats everything, people are always surprised when my 2 1/2 year old will eat burritos and fried calimari. Don't get me wrong he has his picky moments but for the most part he is more willing to try new foods than the average 2 year old.

Re: Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

I also laugh when people won't give their child indian food or chinese food or other ethnic foods...what do they think children in India or China eat??? My son LOVES going out for dim sum or going to Akbar for their lunch buffet.

Re: Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

I agree, I'm laid back too, but I'm super nervous too.

The first time I gave puffs, I soaked them in formula. The next time he practically grabbed them out of my hand and munched them like a pro.

The first time I offered chicken, I purred it to a powder and watered it down to drinkable. Well he hated it no matter what I did, the ped says I should have seasoned it. I was like really???

I offer him smells of cinnamon for a few days, and then put it in his apples, just to see if there is any reaction. I'm crazy I think.

eta: cereal, potatoes, corn ... are empty calories I don't offer them as meals, maybe as a side

pasta is a little different in that its dense carbs, and your body expends more energy to burn, so its okay in my book

Message edited 9/8/2010 8:12:59 PM.

Re: Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

We skipped baby foods and went straight to soft table foods when they could feed themselves(7 & 8 months old). When they started eating foods they ate whatever we ate. The only things we avoided before a year was honey and PB.

Re: Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

I don't believe in one size fits all for kids, maybe some kids can start with table foods early and others have to wait. Some kids may not want anything other than puree until after a year. Some kids may prefer bland to spice.

I tend to follow the lead of my son. He wasn't interested in solids early on. We were told to introduce them at 4 months and he wasn't really ready. He was a late teether so I didn't push solids, especially not finger foods.

I did try to give him eggs early on, not knowing you were supposed to wait and he turned out to be allergic, so I waited on Peanut Butter and again he turned out to be allergic.

I give him what we are eating, but I also modify things for him. I didn't give him pizza or other fast foods until recently. He just had his first taste of ice cream this past weekend.


My DS is 20 months now and he is an awesome eater. He will eat any veggie I give him, he loves fruit and eats whoe grains. He will also try new foods without a problem. He isn't a big meat eater, but so it goes. I keep trying, if he ends up being a vegetarian then we'll go with that.

Re: Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

Awesome article

If DD gets a new food, we wait one day, not three, before introducing another - there is no history of food allergies in our family so personally I see no need to wait.

I could not care less about going through all the veggies in order before going through the fruits, and she is as likely to get sweet potatoes as peaches for breakfast. We skipped cereal altogether because it's just empty calories and she can learn how to eat no matter what the puree is.

DD is not 6 months yet and had potatoes for the first time the other day - and they weren't mashed, they were broiled!

And my DS prefers foods that are heavily spiced to plain, bland ones! I hope DD will be the same way.

I am SO much more laid back about food this time around. I will let DD guide me, not the other way around. Glad to know I am not crazy!

Re: Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

ITA with the article and "these charts are guides, not rules" made me smile bc I always say this to my friends.
I come from another country and kids start eating solid foods and even spicy food early there and I'm not even talking about cereal, I'm talking about chicken cut in tiny bites (or shredded?) and things like that. They don't do "stage 1" stage 2" .... They just give kids "real" food at an early age. I remember one day I was talking to my friend via skype , her kid was around 11 months old or so at that time, he was holding a chicken drumstick and eating it , just like that, not cut, just a whole boiled drumstick and he seemed to be handling it just fine , I almost

Message edited 9/8/2010 9:30:42 PM.

Re: Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

I completely agree with this.
With DD I was so nervous- now with DS it's all out the window.. he's 9 months old and he eats whatever.

He completely prefers table food over baby purees- even though he has no teeth (DD was a late teether too).

He loves pieces of meatballs, heels of italian bread dipped in marinara sauce, sucking/teething on pieces of London Broil, chomping on a big broccoli floret.. we watch him like a hawk to make sure he doesn't choke, but *knock on wood* he's been fine!

Re: Very interesting article about introducing foods to baby...I am curious to opinions..

My DH's family is very Italian and I can tell you my Teddy was eating meatballs very well seasoned at 6mos. Andrew will more than likely be the same way. Teddy first had (homemade) taco's (which I don't wanna say are spicy but flavorful) by the time he was a year, we did guacamole young as well. I think we should expose them to spices, seasonings, and such. However I don't think I would give a Hot pepper.