Zeke became rather fond of his Cerelac. He's eating two bowls a day and still feeding on his S26 or my breast milk. Yes, I'm still breastfeeding and I'm glad that my milk supply is not dwindling as compared to other working mothers. I guess I could thank my breast pump for helping me achieve this feat.
Anyway, I know I have always wanted to prepare home-made baby food for my little one but a scary thought keeps haunting me --- what if he'll get diarrhea again because of ill-prepared foods? That's why even though I swore not to feed him Gerber, I succumbed:
 |
| he loves this flavor so much! |
 |
| S26 as part of my mixed feeding (Php 1600) |
Anyway, you might all be wondering why I'm mixed feeding. It all started when I got back to work and when Zeke got hospitalized. I was afraid to give him what I have pumped in the office so instead, I opted to give him S26. I read that it's the next best thing when you're mixed feeding. I'm still breastfeeding Zeke more often than feeding him formula. It's just a precautionary move on my part.
Okay, back to solid food.
I first introduced Cerelac as Zeke's
first solid food then, after a few days, I introduced fruit pureed Gerber. My pedia said that in order for your baby to like eating, he must taste something delightful first. So basically, pureed fruit would taste better than pureed vegetables, right?
But I'm planning on introducing a few more food items to Zeke now that he's on his 7th month. Here's my food chart for all you mommies out there:
| When
|
What
|
How to Prepare
|
| 4-6 months |
Single-grain cereals
(Fortified cereals give your baby iron, an important
nutrient he needs now. A baby is born with a natural reserve of iron
that begins to deplete around 6 months of age.) |
Mix with baby formula or breast milk, or even water on occasion. |
| 6-8 months |
Pureed or strained fruits (bananas, pears, apples, apricots, prunes) |
Wash all fresh fruits, then bake, boil, or steam until
soft. You can puree in either a blender or a food processor, or use a
small hand food mill; add a little liquid like breast milk, baby
formula, or water at first. Make it watery at first, then use less
liquid as your baby gets used to solid foods. |
|
Pureed or strained vegetables (avocados, carrots, peas, potatoes, squash) |
Wash all fresh vegetables; then bake, boil, or steam until
soft. You can puree in either a blender or a food processor, or use a
small hand food mill; add a little liquid like breast milk, baby
formula, or water at first. You can use less water for a thicker puree
as your baby gets used to the new foods. |
|
Protein: pea-sized pieces of cooked chicken, turkey, or
other meats, or boneless fish; beans such as lentils, black or red
beans, pintos.
(Doctors used to recommend waiting a bit to introduce
meats, but now they note these are a good source of iron, particularly
for breastfed babies, who may not be getting enough. |
Cut meat or fish into very small pieces; cook and mash or cut up beans. |
| 8-10 months |
Mashed fruits and vegetables |
No need to puree; just cook foods such as carrots and sweet
potatoes until soft, or mash up soft foods like bananas and avocados. |
|
Finger foods like small o-shaped cereals, teething crackers, small pieces of cooked pasta |
Cut up to make sure the pieces are small enough for your baby to swallow without choking. |
|
Dairy: small amounts of yogurt, cottage cheese, any pasteurized cheese |
Cut cheeses into small pieces. |
|
Eggs |
Scramble, or hard-boil and cut into small pieces. |
| 10-12 months |
Baby can try eating most of the foods you eat now, if they
are cut up or mashed properly so that he can safely chew and swallow.
Unless you have a strong family history of allergies, the American
Academy of Pediatrics now says there is no need to avoid peanut
products, eggs, wheat, or fish until after one year, although many
pediatricians are still cautious about peanuts and shellfish due to the
strong allergic reactions sometimes associated with them. Avoid whole
cow’s milk and honey until at least one year. Honey can cause a
dangerous illness called infant botulism. |
As your baby gets more teeth and learns to chew more
effectively, he will begin to be able to eat larger pieces of food.
Continue to monitor his chewing carefully, and when in doubt, cut pieces
smaller than you think necessary. Be especially careful with round,
firm foods like grapes and hot dogs, which pose a particular choking
hazard to babies. Chop these into very small pieces. |
Also, it's very important to ask your pedia what milk formula would suit your baby now that he's much older. I read from an S26's can that this milk formula is best for babies up to six months. Naturally, I called up my pedia and asked her what would Zeke's new milk formula should be. She told me that Zeke should now be given Promil Gold.
 |
| Promil Gold after 6 months (Php1550) |
I'll continue to breastfeed Zeke until my milk supply lasts. For now, we're still discovering what to feed Zeke and in the process, we'll soon learn his preferences. My child is a quick learner so I'd bet he'll be showing me what he likes best when it comes to food. He even knows how to pick cartoons, ie he likes Handy Manny, Pororo and Friends, The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einstein and Dibo the Gift Dragon over Agent Oso, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, and Rob the Robot. He's starting to develop his intellectual and social skills and I'm glad I'm here to watch and guide him.
Okay, more on baby food.
Feeding Baby: How to Avoid Food Allergies
Starting to feed a baby solid foods is an exciting milestone for
parents -- and one that also comes with a lot of new questions and
concerns. What’s the best way to avoid food allergies once your baby has
mastered single-grain cereals and is ready to move on to new foods?
What foods are most likely to cause allergies in babies?
Start Gradually to Identify Any Food Allergies
It’s important to introduce baby to new foods gradually, and one
at a time, in case of food allergies. Otherwise, you’ll have trouble
tying an allergy to a specific new food. For example, if you give your
baby three new foods over the course of a day and she develops an
allergic reaction, you won’t know which of the foods provoked it.
It doesn’t matter all that much which foods you introduce to your
baby, or which order you introduce them in, as long as the foods you
are offering are healthy and well-balanced. But each time you offer a
new food, you should wait three to five days before adding another to
the menu. Don’t eliminate all the other foods your baby is already
eating during that time -- just don’t add anything else new.
Babies and Allergies: The Top 8 Allergenic Foods
With each new food, you’ll want to be on the lookout for allergic
reactions. There are more than 160 allergenic foods, but these eight
foods and food groups are the culprits 90% of the time. You may want to
wait until baby is older to try some of these foods, especially peanuts.
In fact, many experts suggest waiting until your child is 3 before
trying peanuts. Ask your pediatrician if you have any questions about a
food.
- Milk
- Egg
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts (such as walnuts or almonds)
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Soy
- Wheat
Food Allergy Symptoms to Watch for in Your Baby
Food allergy symptoms usually appear very soon after the food is
eaten -- within a few minutes to a couple of hours. If you’re
introducing a new food to your baby, keep an eye out for these symptoms:
- Hives
- Flushed skin or rash
- Face, tongue, or lip swelling
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Coughing or wheezing
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of consciousness
Severe Food Allergy Symptoms: When to Call For Emergency
If your baby is having trouble breathing, has swelling on her
face, or develops severe vomiting or diarrhea after eating, don’t take
time to call your pediatrician. Go to the nearest hospital immediately. Severe allergic
reactions can be fatal very quickly.
Dealing With Mild Food Allergies in Baby
If you see mild symptoms, such as hives or a rash, contact your
pediatrician, who will make an appointment for allergy testing for your
child. Once your baby’s specific allergies are identified, the doctor
will give you an action plan for managing the allergies (usually,
eliminating the food from your baby’s diet) and dealing with accidental
exposures.
Remember, just because a
baby’s initial allergic reaction to a new food may be mild, it may not
stay that way. Talk to your pediatrician about any food allergy symptoms
in baby.
Some allergies go away with time. Peanut, tree nut, and shellfish
allergies tend to persist, while egg and milk allergies often go away
as children get older.
The Family Food-Allergy Connection
Until very recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics
recommended that parents wait until age 1 to introduce dairy products,
age 2 to introduce eggs, and age 3 to add peanuts, tree nuts, and fish.
In early 2008, however, the AAP amended these recommendations, which
were based on expert opinion rather than specific evidence.
The new AAP guidelines say that unless there is a significant
history of food allergies in a child’s family, there’s no evidence that
waiting until after a year to introduce these foods reduces her risk of
developing allergies. In fact, there is some evidence that early
introduction of some of these foods, such as peanuts, may make your
child less likely to become allergic. Ask your pediatrician for
guidance.
Protecting Baby Against Food Allergies: Easy Does It
Many pediatricians still recommend waiting until your baby is a
bit older -- 9 or 10 months -- before offering these foods. Even if
there’s no added risk of causing an allergy, they note that an allergic
reaction may be easier to manage in an older baby. And some
pediatricians, concerned about the particular severity of allergic
reactions to peanuts and shellfish, still suggest staying away from them
until your child is up to 3 years old.
Whole cow's milk should not be given to babies younger than 1
year old because the proteins in whole milk can irritate the stomach.
Yogurt and soft cheeses are fine, however, because the proteins in these
dairy products are broken down and less likely to cause tummy trouble.
You should also still wait until at least 1 – some experts say 2 -- to
introduce honey, which can cause a potentially serious disease called
infant botulism.
So, to sum it all up, make sure you're extra careful when it comes to feeding your baby. Remember, their stomachs are still too sensitive at this age. Enjoy mommies!
