With all the medical hoopla of the past 5 months keeping us running, I think we have a tendency to lose track of some of the typical milestones. I don't know, maybe all parents feel busy and are surprised to find that one day their son wants to borrow the car . . . "Borrow the car????!!!! It seemed like two weeks ago you couldn't even change your own diaper!!! . . . . ."
This past weekend, the wife and I settled in for a quiet game of Scrabble. While I would wait for her to finish her turn, I would glance through the Instruction Manual to see what was in store for month #5.
Great Googly Moogly it was all about getting your child to eat solid foods! Already??!!
The wife was on doctor appointment duty yesterday and I asked her to bring up this whole "solid food business" with the Pediatrician. Sure enough, he confirmed that it was about that time . . .
Which is weird because now that the doc said that, I feel sort of like a dead-beat dad just giving her a bottle . . . sort of like feeding your toddler chicken nuggets day after day just because you bought a case of them from Costco and there isn't time to figure anything else out . . .
"Sorry honey, milk again today . . . dadee can't get it together and feed you real food . . . ."
Of course, I am sure the wife has an opinion that is 180 degrees from mine but that's because mom's have a different perspective on the whole feeding thing . . . seeing as how they have been making the meals for the wee one all along . . . . in a manner of speaking . . .
So now what do we do??
The Instruction Manual has all sorts of tips and tricks beginning with starting out with thinned rice cereal . . . .
I would be very interested in hearing from other parents how the whole process went down at your house. Any tips? Any tricks? What is your position on high chairs vs the chairs that clamp to the table? Sippy cup or no sippy cup?
Can you puree bacon? (just kidding about that one . . . we all know bacon is a privilege to be earned - not a right)
Post your suggestions in the comments section or e-mail them to mattlinden@msn.com .
2 comments:
When it's time you can still hold her in your arms. Feed a tiny spoon of baby cereal. Let her play with it in her mouth. It will take her longer to figure it out if you just push it in and ask her to swallow. You can put her fingers in it and let her put her fingers in her mouth. This is the start of feeding herself.
A couple of DON'Ts: Don't put sugar in it and don't flavor it with anything but her formula. Do NOT feed it in a bottle or she will think all of her food should come in a bottle.
Last of all, have fun! Eating is a time that should be enjoyed. We all like to sit around the table, eat and talk. Let her do the same.
Michelle & Emily
Buckley, WA
1) High chairs are better - you can put the tray in the dishwasher and move it from room to room if needed (or outside on a nice day).
2) She may reject the cereal completely. It is ok to try a puree vegetable if she does. You can try 1 new thing a week. Just make sure if they reject the cereal that you supplement with iron vitamins. Julien liked carrots.
3) Probably too early for a sippy cup. Let her get control of holding the bottle on her own really well first.
4) Give her a spoon to play with (supervised) so she doesn't suddenly see some unfamiliar object trying to wedge itself in her mouth. Let her play with it while you feed her with spoon #2 as well. A lot of it is about distraction at first.
5) It is ok to wait until she is 6 or 7 months if she doesn't seem ready. Milk really is all they need at that age, the eating is mostly for practice rather than actual nutrition.
6) Get ready for some really stinky diapers.
You guys are doing great - I'm sure it will be fabulous.
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