The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Baby

Well Received Food Combinations:

• Stewed Apples + Stewed Pears
• Brocolli + Sweet Potatoes
• Potatoes + Parsnips
• Parsnips + Carrots
• Bananas + Mangoes

You may notice a fluctuation in your little one’s appetite. This is completely normal and can be a result of a number of things. Whether it’s a growth spurt, the weather, your baby being too alert, too tired or even a little sick, her desire to eat may vary from day to day. Not only that, but her preferences may vary as well. For instance, the cold tends to make food taste a little different, and so does being cranky! So the food she absolutely loved yesterday may not be so appealing today.

It may be hard to interpret your baby’s reaction to certain foods. Does she like it? Does she hate it? Just because she offers you an odd expression or even a look you interpret as “disgust”, try and offer her another spoonful of the food in question. If she likes it, she will open her mouth and try it again. If she doesn’t, try not to be forceful or persistent. You can try again with the same food on a different day. Don’t give up just because of her initial reaction.

• Salt
• Processed Foods – These tend to have too much salt
• Nuts – Especially if there is a history of allergies in the family
• Sugar or Honey – Use mashed bananas as a sweetener instead
• Soft Drinks – Often contain high levels of artificial sweeteners or sugars. You may offer diluted fruit juice as an alternative, or stick to milk.
• Foods With a Higher Risk of Food Poisoning – Any food can fall under this category, depending on how it had been prepared. For instance, soft boiled eggs or mold-ripened cheese.
• Low Fat, High Fiber Foods – Babies need more calories than bulk in order to grow
• Foods With Risk of a Choking Hazard – Large pieces of fruits, nuts, celery, uncooked peas, whole grapes

Question: My baby tends to cry when hungry and in need of food, yet she still keeps crying even between mouthfuls of food. What is going on?

Answer: Your baby has been used to sucking milk down in order to satisfy her hunger. She may not have realized yet that these new foods will do the same. So if she’s crying, and yet willingly eating what you offer her, it doesn’t necessarily mean she doesn’t like that particular food. It may simply mean she’s still hungry.

Question: My baby doesn’t seem to be swallowing any of the food I put into her mouth. She simply pushes it right back out. What can I do?

Answer: Whatever food you are feeding her may be too thick for her to handle. Up until now, all she has had to eat has been the consistency of water. Try diluting her food even further, and slowly work up to a thicker solution.

Pages: 1 2