Caitlin began eating solids more than a week after she hit her sixth month. I would have wanted it sooner but she got sick and her pedia adviced that we clear her of phlegm first. Otherwise, she might find it difficult swallowing and turn the whole eating experience unpleasant.
Her first food were mashed banana and breastmilk. She devoured it happily. We then moved on to mashed carrots, squash, papaya, avocado, sweet potato, potato, melon, honey dew, and sayote, following the three-day rule. That is, introducing new food every three days to check for any allergy.
We found it hard trying to get her to eat carrots. We literally had to cheer her on everytime. But she liked it eventually.
The story wasn't the same for potatoes. For every spoonful she took in, she would spit half of it, despite our encouraging cheers.
So for her next potato experience, I added something else. I sauteed a bit of chopped onions in butter, added skinless and seedless tomatoes, cheese, and put in the mashed potato. She loved it.
I have also served her cooked chicken with onion and sweet potato sauteed in butter.
I got all the recipes from Annabel Karmel's Top 100 Baby Purees.
I taste everything that I serve her first to make sure that it's not only edible, but also delicious.
I then tried a new approach and gave her cucumber sticks after she finished her mashed honey dew. The idea came to me when I saw Mommy Raquel with baby Sam eating finger food.
It looked like a wonderful experience for Caitlin, but I was a scared mommy. Because Caitlin already has four teeth at that time, she can gnaw her cucumber sticks. On a few occasions, she bit big chunks that I had to open her mouth and take it out for fear that she might choke on it.
Looking like an expert eater.
Later on, she was gumming the cucumber sticks and that felt more safe. The best part of it all was the fact that she was chewing and swallowing the whole time. When we feed her mashed food, she seldom chews and swallows the whole thing immediately.
On her eight month, I let her feed herself steamed broccoli florets and minced chicken for lunch. It looked exciting for her, but it continued to be a frightening one for me. See gagged everytime she swallowed a floret. But on her third try, she seemed to learn what to do and took her sweet time chewing until she swallowed it bit by bit.
During dinner, I wasn't as scared although I was still on my toes. The worst part of it was the mess. There were bits of chicken down her diapers. Don't ask me how it got there.
Her first food were mashed banana and breastmilk. She devoured it happily. We then moved on to mashed carrots, squash, papaya, avocado, sweet potato, potato, melon, honey dew, and sayote, following the three-day rule. That is, introducing new food every three days to check for any allergy.
Eating solids for the first time. Mommy's the photographer as usual.
We found it hard trying to get her to eat carrots. We literally had to cheer her on everytime. But she liked it eventually.
The story wasn't the same for potatoes. For every spoonful she took in, she would spit half of it, despite our encouraging cheers.
So for her next potato experience, I added something else. I sauteed a bit of chopped onions in butter, added skinless and seedless tomatoes, cheese, and put in the mashed potato. She loved it.
I have also served her cooked chicken with onion and sweet potato sauteed in butter.
I got all the recipes from Annabel Karmel's Top 100 Baby Purees.
I taste everything that I serve her first to make sure that it's not only edible, but also delicious.
I then tried a new approach and gave her cucumber sticks after she finished her mashed honey dew. The idea came to me when I saw Mommy Raquel with baby Sam eating finger food.
It looked like a wonderful experience for Caitlin, but I was a scared mommy. Because Caitlin already has four teeth at that time, she can gnaw her cucumber sticks. On a few occasions, she bit big chunks that I had to open her mouth and take it out for fear that she might choke on it.
That's how happy she looked while eating on her own.
Later on, she was gumming the cucumber sticks and that felt more safe. The best part of it all was the fact that she was chewing and swallowing the whole time. When we feed her mashed food, she seldom chews and swallows the whole thing immediately.
On her eight month, I let her feed herself steamed broccoli florets and minced chicken for lunch. It looked exciting for her, but it continued to be a frightening one for me. See gagged everytime she swallowed a floret. But on her third try, she seemed to learn what to do and took her sweet time chewing until she swallowed it bit by bit.
During dinner, I wasn't as scared although I was still on my toes. The worst part of it was the mess. There were bits of chicken down her diapers. Don't ask me how it got there.
Happily eating.
Got food?
There are no more mashed or pureed food for her, but it is now mostly cut up into pieces. Once in a while, we let her feel her food. But since she does not put it in her mouth (unlike most her toys), we still spoon-feed her and she likes it that way. As she gets older, I know we should be letting her eat on her own. One day, anak, when mommy's ready, ok? =)
- Mommy Smiley
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