Page 62 - Special Issue: Healthy Baby

EXTRA FEEDING BABY TID-BITS
 How do you know when it’s time to add solids? Observe your baby’s signs. When infants are ready for solids they
start leaning forward at the sight of food and opening their mouths in a preparatory way. In addition, babies should
be able to sit up and coordinate breathing with swallowing. Finally, infants will stop pushing their tongue out when
a spoon or bit of food is placed in their mouth—a reflex common in infants that disappears at around four months
of age. 30
 Keep in mind, all babies are different and will not enjoy or tolerate the same foods or textures. Experiment by
offering different foods with various textures. Remember, just because your baby doesn’t like a food the first time
it is introduced does not mean he will not like it the second time. Continue to offer the food, but never force.
 Baby’s food should be lightly seasoned with unrefined salt, but there is no need to add additional seasonings such as
herbs and spices in the beginning. However by 10-12 months, your baby may enjoy a variety of natural seasonings.
 To increase variety, take a small portion of the same food you are preparing for the rest of the grown-up family
(before seasoning), or leftovers, and purée it for baby (thin or thicken accordingly).
 To gradually make food lumpier, purée half of the food, roughly mash the other half and combine the two.
 Frozen finger foods are a great way to soothe a baby’s teething pain
 Keep a selection of plain yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, fresh fruit, and fresh or frozen vegetables handy to prepare
almost instant natural baby food any time—even when vacationing or traveling.
 Organic foods have minimal toxicity, thus placing a smaller chemical burden on the body. This is particularly ben-
eficial for our youngsters. They are more vulnerable to pesticide exposure because their organs and body systems
are not fully developed and, in relation to body weight, they eat and drink more than adults. Furthermore, the
presence of these chemicals in the environment leads to further contamination of our air, waterways and fields.
 There are different ideas concerning when to offer babies water. Many sources suggest giving water about the same
time solids are introduced. This is often in combination with cup drinking or sippy-cup training. Keep in mind that
breast milk and formula provide the majority of nutrients in the first 6-9 months, so it is important not to allow a
baby to get too full on water. When solids become a larger part of the diet, more liquid may be needed for hydra-
tion and digestion. Also, extreme heat, dehydration, vomiting, and fever may also indicate a need for extra water.
Bottom line: follow your baby’s cues. Always serve filtered water to your baby. You can add a pinch of unrefined
salt to the water for minerals.
 Let baby eat with a silver spoon—the small amount of silver he will get from this really does help fight infection!

JUST SAY NO be able to control what goes into your child’s mouth forever, you can set
One important warning: do not give your child the example by your own food choices and vibrant health.
juice, which contains too much simple sugar and
may ruin a child’s appetite for the more nourishing EGG YOLK (4 months +)
food choices. Soy foods, margarine and shorten- Boil an egg for three to four minutes (longer at higher altitudes),
ing, and commercial dairy products (especially peel away the shell, discard the white and mash up the yolk with a little
ultra-pasteurized) should also be avoided, as well unrefined sea salt. (The yolk should be soft and warm, not runny.) Small
as any products that are reduced-fat or lowfat. amounts of grated, raw organic liver (which has been frozen 14 days) may
By the way, baby fat is a good thing; babies be added to the egg yolk after 6 months. Some mothers report their babies
need those extra folds for all the miraculous de- actually prefer the yolk with the liver. (From Nourishing Traditions by Sally
velopment their bodies are experiencing. Chubby Fallon.)
babies grow up into slim, muscular adults.
Common sense should prevail when looking PUREED MEATS (6 months +)
at foods that best nourish infants. A breastfeeding Cook meat gently in filtered water or homemade stock until completely
mother naturally produces the needed nutrition tender, or use meat from stews, etc., that you have made for your family.
when she consumes the necessary nutrients. Make sure the cooked meat is cold and is in no bigger than 1-2 inch chunks
The composition of healthy breast milk gives us when you puree. Grind up the meat first until it’s almost like a clumpy
a blueprint for an infants needs. powder. Then add water, formula or breast milk, or the natural cooking
Finally, be an example. Although you won’t juices as the liquid.

60 Wise Traditions