First Foods

If you are planning to get creative and make baby food, it may be a good idea to try the bottled variety first to make sure that they like it. It is recommended that babies try vegetables first before they develop a preference for the sweeter fruit.

Other tips:

• try introducing foods to your child when they are hungry because they will be more interested in trying them.
• don’t get frustrated if your child refuses food the first time. You may need to serve it several times until they become accustomed to it.
• introduce new foods one at a time for between three to five days in a row, and in small amounts. Consider offering a food that is familiar and liked, together with a new food, to teach your child variety.
• make sure you put the amount of food you need into a bowl; don’t feed baby from the jar unless you plan to use all of that food at that meal, otherwise bacteria from the spoon will transfer into the food.

Health Canada has very good information about baby’s first foods.

Carrots, spinach, beets and turnips should not be given to infants under six months of age because of their high nitrate content. Young infants have low stomach acidity and can convert nitrate to nitrite, which can displace oxygen in hemoglobin and, under extreme circumstances, lead to ‘blue baby’ syndrome. However, stomach acidity increases and nitrate overload is less of a problem by the time babies have reached six months of age. It might be best to wait until baby’s adjusted age to six months before trying them.

References
BC Ministry of Health. Toddler’s First Steps: A Best Chance Guide to Parenting Your Six-Month to Three-Year Old. (free at local BC health unit)

Boswell, F. Adventures In Baby Food: Knowing Good Food From The Start.

Bradshaw, B and Lauren Bramley. The Baby’s Table.

Lambert-Lagace. Feeding Your Baby The Healthiest Foods: From Breast Milk To Table Foods.

Murkoff, H., A. Eisenberg and S. Hathaway. What to Expect the First Year.

Spock, B. Dr. Dr. Spock’s Baby and Childcare.

Wardley, B and Judy More. The Big Book Of Recipes For Babies, Toddlers and Children: 385 Quick, Easy and Healthy Dishes.