Someone asked me to post about what to introduce and when into a baby's diet. As it happens, very strangely, my sister just brought me all the medical records that my mother saved from when I was born. How crazy. So, I have this record of the sad things they did to me from the time I was a month old.
Yes, the vaccinated me at that young age (uhhh), and they started giving me food, yes, food in addition to breast milk at ONE MONTH! They gave me some kind of soft rice breakfast cereal, and OMG added...SUGAR. It didnt get better from there.
Even these days, pediatricians often recommend rice cereals when it is time to give the baby something more solid than breast milk. I suppose that isn't the worst thing if you dismiss the presence of arsenic in the rice. However, I think that it may be better to introduce veggies, fruit, and sweet potato. One at a time and then adding together. I think adding in grains is ok, but shouldn't be the main focus at all. I like things like carrot sweet potato, carrot, peas, heavier starchy foods that are not grains because they are packed with vitamins and filling but not grains. So, they will not agitate the elicate nature of the intestines at that age. Combining animal protein red meat, chicken, and turkey, maybe fish of course pureed like everything else, with these foods is also important to create a balance from the beginning. I think from early on it is best to try and give the pallet a balanced taste so babies get used to eating in that was as they grow.
Many people add in foods slowly to watch for allergic reactions. I was not that careful personally, but, if you are worried about that, it does make sense to only add in a new food every three days to be sure.
I think not making things a big deal increases the liklihood of them not becoming big deals. Also, whatever you decide to do--watch your child carefully-mood, poop, pee, energy, sleep. Those changes will be what makes you decide if what you are doing is correct for your little one. You know best when it comes to that.
Just a heads up for new moms-when the hit school-the pier pressure of other children whos mothers do not feel like you do becomes fierce. So, try to get the best foundation in place and hope that will make it easier to guide your little ones to healthy choices:)
Dr.M & B
Comments
Really good advice, I will
Really good advice, I will use that thought that starchy vegetables can be used instead of too much grains, that it isn't necessary to look to grain at every meal to be the 'filler'. Thanks for posting about this.
It must give you insight and explain things when you saw those records but it is most of all sad to see that at one month so much harmful stuff was done to you. Sad what lack of awareness can lead to!
C
Just from talking with
Just from talking with friends with new little ones, I think more and more Dr's are starting babies on more veggies then moving to grains now it's known grains are tough on the poor babies belly, but still many suggest the rice cereal.
I too was vaccinated like most of us at a very young age, but was fortunate to have parents that were strict with sugar and sweets in the house. I didn't have any sugar other than fruit and of course what's placed in pretty much every store bought food, but pop, candy, or deserts. I am thankful for that, but obviously something went wrong in my system. Hmm, now thinking about it, it was the age of 5 that more things would have been introduced as far as the very occasional sweet. It was at this age I remember on family vacations having to stop along the road very frequently for me to water the weeds! :/ Wonder if that could have been enough to set off my system? Thanks for sharing will have to share with my friends.
Some pediatricians still
Some pediatricians still recommend putting rice cereal in a bottle with either formula or pumped milk to "thicken" it for babies with reflux. I heard this commonly when I was a breastfeeding counselor. So, people would end up stopping breastfeeding so they could give their baby rice cereal easier in hopes it would aid their baby's chronic reflux. Makes less than no sense. One of my best friend was sitting here feeding her baby a bottle of breast milk and rice cereal and I had to bite my tongue because her dr told her this would help. Hopefully, this idea will die soon and people can start addressing why their baby has reflux to begin with!
Here's a site actually for
Here's a site actually for making your own organic baby food, I found it with pureeing my own foods. Nice that can freeze portions and just take out what you want or need. I know someone else discussed meal planning and this site has a lot on meal planning and meal ideas for kids. http://www.superhealthykids.com/healthy-kids-recipes/basic-babyfood-reci...