My Experience So Far

As you may or may not know we switched Caleb completely to table foods at age 9 months.  Caleb had been eating bits and pieces of table food since 6 months, but up until the 9 month point he was eating 4-5 cans of baby food a day.  That was a little rough on the purse strings, and after an okay from the doctor we are in complete transition. 

I have been iffy about what I give Caleb and trying to plan out his meals.  I want him to be as healthy as possible, and I want to make sure he gets all the nutrients that he can.  I do not want him to know what french fries or a chicken nugget is until he is a lot older, and right now I want to start him off with good eating habits.  Here is my experience so far.  What has worked, what hasn't, questions I have had etc.  Keep in mind that I have a baby who loves to eat and who will turn down nothing. He also has zero teeth, but he is eating like a champ.

(The doctor told me the only food to stay away from until age 1 was peanuts of any type).

Caleb eats 3 meals a day with bottles in between. 

Breakfast (6 ounce bottle first). (What we have tried): 8am

• Baby oatmeal mixed with fruit pieces.  (Pear, oranges, crushed pineapple, apricots etc).  I use canned fruit with natural fruit juices.  One can generally lasts 3-4 days.  I usually cut three pieces of fruit with his meals.
• Scrammbled eggs: I asked the doctor if we could do eggs and he said it would be fine.  However, as of now Caleb is allergic to eggs.  He broke out with bumps on his eyes, hands and feet.  The doctor said to hold off until the one year point and then try again.  We are hoping this is an allergy he will outgrow.  (Always have benadryl on hand and ask the doctor the dosage amount that is safe for your baby, just in case there is reaction to food).
• Yogurt and fruit.  I just buy yoplait yogurt.

11 pm: 6 ounce bottle

Lunch (2 pm): When eating baby food Caleb would have a veg and meat for lunch.

• Deli meat. Turkey and roast beef are our biggest hits so far.  We buy shaved meat, and give him small portions.  Also, try to buy no sodium added meat.
• Vegetables: I cook a small amount of veggies every few days and refrigerate them for his meals.  Green beans, broccoli, carrots, spinach etc.
• Fruit: canned fruit once more or banana.
• Soup: I purchased some no sodium vegetable soups.  We are going to try these this week.
• Cheese pieces

4:30/5: 6 ounce bottle

Dinner 7:30/8

• If I am at home I give Caleb what we are having.  I sometimes cook his food differently if what we are having has a lot of spices.
• Chicken
• mashed potatoes
• vegetable
• fruit
• bread

Snacks:

• yogurt melts
• cheese
• puffs

I basically make sure Caleb has 2-3 servings of fruits/veggies.  2 servings of meat.  Milk throughout the day.  Grain-2 times daily. 

PS. I had previously stated that I had bought light and fit yogurt for Caleb.  However, my MIL informed me today that it has aspertame in it, and that is not so great for babies.  I researched it and basically it said just to give them regular yogurt.  Stay away from low cal/light and fit etc and you do not have to worry about aspertame. I will no longer be giving him light and fit.  I had no idea what aspertame was until today. 

I am still trying to come up with more ideas.  I basically bought things that he had already had while eating baby food and went from there.  You have to watch ingredients to make sure you know what is causing a possible reaction. 

My main piece of advice is to just take it day by day.  Pick out some foods at the grocery, see what works/doesn't and make a plan from there.  Don't allow yourself to get worked up over it.  Refresh your memory on how to perform the hymlic and have Benedryl on hand.  I am still hand feeding Caleb a lot of the food.  I get a little worried that he will put too much in his mouth otherwise.  He practices hand feeding himself his snacks. 

"Your heavenly father already knows all of your needs and he will give you all you need from day to day." Matthew 6:32

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