My oldest son and my youngest son are nine years apart. It appears that this time was long enough for pediatricians to completely overhaul the concept of feeding infants solid foods. If nine years ago I was supposed to start rice cereal once my baby was six months old (even that was revolutionary, other moms started their babies on solid foods at 4 months old), with the last child I received the advice “start with different foods, one at a time, but give her a variety of options, and by age 12 months she’ll be ready for familiar food.” I couldn’t agree more and was glad to hear it because I’ve been a supporter of the idea of naturally introducing solid foods into baby nutrition for quite some time.
Let’s take a little trip back in time. A hundred years ago families were large with many children. I guess feeding babies special food was unheard of. Mothers would not cook a separate meal for a baby and then puree it to make it easier to eat. Nobody would think of it. Everyone had to eat what was for dinner, no exceptions. Then, a mother would hold her baby and eat with her on her lap, occasionally giving her a bite or two of food from her own plate. In this way, the baby was gradually introduced into the family diet.
I find this approach to feeding babies very natural and easy to implement, perfect for busy moms with more than one child. On Russian-language baby forums, he received the nickname “pedagogical feeding”, rather than “pediatric scheme”. Let me give you more details.
When to start?
Not before 6 months. Before then, the digestive system cannot process food other than breast milk, which is digested in the intestines, not the stomach. While every baby is different, and some may be ready before then, you never know for sure in every case, so it’s a good idea to wait, better safe than sorry! Also look for psychological readiness: your baby will be interested in what she is eating and will reach for the food on the table – a good sign that the baby is ready to try new foods.
How to start?
Put your baby on your lap when you are eating. Have a variety of healthy options on the plate. If your baby is interested in her food, offer a so-called “microdose”, 2-3 grains of rice, a piece of boiled potato or bread, small enough so that the baby does not choke. You can also offer your baby snacks: a piece of apple, banana, carrot or dry bread, anything she can hold in her little hand and nibble on. You won’t eat much, the idea is to try it. Often, after receiving a microdose, the baby would take a little breast milk to finish the meal. Do not exceed the amount of 2-3 microdoses at the beginning. If your child consistently eats the same food 2 or 3 days in a row, increase the amount to one teaspoon.
Why start with food pieces?
By receiving pieces of food your baby gets used to them. Babies who only ate pureed foods sometimes had a hard time handling food bits. Your baby can crush these pieces with his jaws and tongue and then swallow. “At the point of exit” in the diaper or potty you would sometimes see the food almost undigested: don’t worry! It’s hard for the digestive system at this age to deal with fiber, especially in raw foods, so it will travel through the system. It will not harm the child. The main goal here is to get used to this food, try different types and learn how to break it down into nutrients.
Why are purees not good?
Purees are difficult to “treat” and often lead to constipation. They form a layer in the stomach (which is not yet able to break it down because breast milk goes directly to the intestines and is digested there) and thus overloads the entire system. They are also not the food that everyone else in the family eats at mealtimes, so the child would think they are missing something. She won’t be interested in purees; she will be interested in the contents of her mother’s plate. It is true that a baby can eat more puree, but that is totally unnecessary at this stage. Babies create a “bank” of all kinds of foods that their family members eat to form their own preferences later on. Breast milk remains their main source of nutrients.
What kind of food to offer?
Use common sense. Your meals should be healthy and have a variety of items from all food categories. Of course, feeding babies hot dogs, French fries, or French fries is not good. Even if you eat pizza, which is usually not bad because it contains dairy, vegetables, meat or alternatives and grains, don’t eat it three times a day, look for something different. It’s a wonderful opportunity to change your eating habits and start eating healthy foods, for the sake of your child and your own well-being.
Some important points.
- Pedagogical feeding works best if you are breastfeeding naturally (on demand) and are not using pacifiers or bottles. This ensures that your baby enjoys all the benefits of breastfeeding.
- Babies learn to digest familiar food. They know its taste: first they learned it before they were born, from the amniotic fluid, then from the taste of their mother’s milk. Then they are ready to digest it.
- Never force feed and insist if your child doesn’t want to take another bite: you want to keep him interested in food. On the other hand, do not overfeed: the amount of food increases very slowly.
- To be interested in food, your child needs to see what and how he eats. The main trick here is to ignore the child and eat with a good appetite. Children will imitate your behavior, so teach them early and teach them well!
- Don’t let your child do what he wants on his plate. Give him bites of the food he seeks. If she had enough, offer her something else. If she is no longer interested, take her away.
- Your diet should be rich in nutrients: proteins and carbohydrates. Never offer junk food to the baby.
In a couple of months your baby will have tried all kinds of familiar food. At 9-11 months he will be ready to sit in his own chair and eat from his own plate. Help him learn to use a spoon – he wants to do it himself and would usually put food on the spoon and then put it in his mouth. Around this age, babies begin to drink water from a cup. Generally, when babies are 18 months old, they begin to eat significant amounts of solid foods. The most important thing is that the baby is still being breastfed: It is recommended that breastmilk make up 70% of a baby’s nutrition by the age of 12 months, and that babies be breastfed until they are 24 months old.
Benefits of “pedagogical feeding”.
It does not replace breastfeeding times, it complements breast milk which, in turn, carries the information about the enzymes necessary to digest the food that the baby is receiving. A baby quickly learns to swallow and chew solid foods. Her son participates in family meals and learns good table manners. There is less chance of developing food allergies. It is easier to organize because there is no need to cook separate meals for a baby. It’s a win-win situation!