What Every 7-Month-Old Babies Should Eat

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!