The Book, the doctor and the internet...

Baby food facts are different based on every book or article you read.

Your babies first food should be rice cereal. Rice cereal is the McDonald's of baby food. Start with vegetables. Start with fruits. What the heck am I supposed to feed my kid?!?!

How is a new mom supposed to know what the right answer is regarding feeding a baby their first solids??? Everything you read contradicts what you read the day before! Honestly, I'm doing a combination of listening to my pediatrician, skimming articles online, talking to friends and going with my gut! There's so much information out there and it all overlaps, undermines and confuses the heck out of us new moms.

The only consistent fact I have found is this: When introducing a new food, give that same food for three (3) consecutive days before starting another new food. I guess that must really be a tried and true test if all the books, doctors, websites and real people agree on it!

Onto our next week of veggiedom - green veggies and introducing combos!

This week's menu:
Spinach
Spinach and Rice combo
White potatoes
Sweet Potato and Potato combo

**Update**
Something happened to the spinach and rice cubes when I thawed them out, so we skipped those and started peas instead. Peas are definitely not Alexa's favorite veggie, but she tolerates them. Tonight I'm giving her the first combo - peas and carrots! 

My First Attempt at Baby Food - Carrots

On Sunday we get to give Alexa carrots. I'm super psyched to see how she likes real food! I mean, she's getting rice cereal now, but let's be honest...it tastes like cardboard. I bet she's absolutely going to love eating something with flavor!

I did a lot of research online about making your own baby food. I talked to friends who made their own when their kids were little. I also spoke with my cousin who now makes baby food for baby #2. Her kids have survived and are thriving so I figure she's a pretty great resource! After reading, talking and taking it all in, I came up with my own recipe for carrots...

Ingredients:
5 carrots - (I used 3 large and 2 medium) washed (very well), peeled, and cut
1/2 cup of water - (I used tap water that I boiled and let cool)

Supplies:
Cutting board
Peeler
Knife
Pot with lid
Steamer
Strainer
Bowl
Mixer
Tablespoon
Ice Cube trays (I used 1 1/2)

Approximate time:
31 minutes (5 minutes prep, 21 minutes steaming time, 5 minutes puree and pour)

After gathering all of my supplies and getting all the carrots washed, peeled and cut I steamed them for 21 minutes, or until I could have mashed them with a fork. Since this was kind of an experiment I'll walk you through my process...

I originally only put the carrots on for 7 minutes. They were absolutely hard when I tested them, so I added another 7 minutes. They were softer at this point, but there was no way I'd have been able to mash them with a fork, so on we steamed! After the third 7 minute round they seemed good to me.

I drained them well in a strainer (I was worried about the nitrates!) and then added half to the container I would puree them in. I then added a little water (**NOT the water that the carrots were steamed in!). I started pureeing...added more water, added more carrots, added more water, etc. until I got the consistency I was looking for. I used 1/2 cup of water total. Depending on the consistency you're looking for you may need more or less water for your puree.

**Note, I am no baby food making expert!** I just winged it. Your baby might like a more watery puree, mine was medium thick. I tried to base it on how Alexa likes her rice cereal. I'll let you know how it goes over next week.

After the carrot puree was the consistency I wanted it to be, I used a tablespoon to scoop it into ice cube trays so I could freeze it in portions.

From what I've read online (and what I've been told), each frozen carrot cube is one serving. We shall see if one carrot cube fills up my growing gal!



**Update - The carrots were a hit! She absolutely loved them. I'm not sure if one cube is really enough for her, especially if I give it to her without the rice cereal, but this is a learning process. We'll see how tonight goes!

Starting Solids

While we were in the U.S., I started Alexa on Organic Rice Cereal by Earth's Best. I've been giving it to her once a day in the evening around dinner time. I think that it has been helping to fill her up a bit more than what my breast milk alone was doing.

At her four month check up, the doctor was a little angry with me for starting her on cereal before she was actually four months old. What surprised me was that the doctor seemed more upset with me for feeding Alexa cereal on a spoon rather than giving it to her in a bottle! This was totally shocking. I told her I plan on continuing the cereal until we start her on fruits or vegetables and what would be her preference.

She told me to start her on veggies first, carrots to be specific, but not until she is exactly four months old. We'll be starting veggies on Sunday...her 4 month birthday :)

She also said that we could introduce a new vegetable every three days as long as she doesn't have any adverse reactions to anything we give her. Then, after four weeks of veggies to start her on meat (!) and also to add another meal. Four weeks later, add fruits and another meal. So, within two months my little bean sprout will be getting breakfast, lunch and dinner!!! Ahhhh where has the time gone?

As far as introducing new foods, I am a little nervous about giving her carrots. I have read quite a number of articles and blog posts about making your own baby food and what foods to start with and what foods to avoid. Surprisingly, carrots were on the foods to avoid list due to their high nitrate content. I am still going to do a bit more investigating into the whole carrot conundrum, but I am curious to know what other parents fed their babies first. Fruits or veggies? Which veggie did you give first? Any parents out there who make their own baby food...what did you serve first? Also, please feel free to send along any recipes that your baby really enjoyed!