Page 67 - Winter2009

Just as with the gradual increase in food, baby • Nut butters (preferably made from crispy nuts)
will slowly give you signals to help you figure • Cheese (highest quality, raw if possible)
out this balance. Eventually, the complementary • Summer sausage
foods you offer will begin to make their way • Cooked meats, poultry, fish and bratwurst coins
into baby’s tummy and count for more and more • Ripe fruits, especially berries (frozen blueberries are yummy and
calories. And with this method of feeding, you sometimes soothing to hurting gums) and bananas (kids love to grasp
get to decide what to serve, but baby chooses them)
how much and how fast. • Dried and freeze-dried fruits, especially during the winter when fresh
are less available
FULL-FLEDGED TABLE OCCUPANT • Flaxseed/nut or seed crackers, properly prepared
As baby approaches one year (again, some- • Pieces of dates or date logs
times sooner, sometimes later), she eventually • Nori sheets for making quick rolls ups with leftovers
will be able to scoop and dip and might even be • Liver mousse
interested in using a little bowl and spoon on • Full-fat yogurt (ideally homemade)
her own. Use your best judgment about which • Carrot and cabbage sauerkraut (or other fermented veggie combo your
foods to offer (see basic principles in “Nourish- family enjoys)
ing a Growing Baby” available in the Children’s • Fermented apple butter
Health section at www.westonaprice.org). If there
are allergies in your family, use more caution in Having foods such as these readily available will make feeding baby
introducing new foods. (For all babies, hold off and your entire family easier.
on grains and egg whites until baby is at least
one year old.) If not, include baby in with your OUR PERSONAL JOURNEY
family meals and offer what you are eating with With my youngest son, Chase, this less stressful method of feeding
the exception of certain choking hazards that happened unintentionally. I had less time and less of a desire to make
persist for the older child: whole nuts, whole separate baby foods. It felt more intuitive to feed him what we were eating
grapes, whole cherry tomatoes and boney fish). than with my first.
Keep quick nourishing foods handy, includ- Around six months, for his very first foods, he was very accepting
ing: of spoon feeding. We started with soft boiled egg yolk with grated liver
and sea salt. Banana fried in bacon drippings mixed in yogurt, and liver
• Dried anchovies mousse were two other favorites. Instead of the typical ice cubes of food,

THE UPSIDE AND DOWNSIDE TO BABY-LED WEANING

The advantages of this less stressful method of feeding baby are many. For example, it:

• Gives baby a chance to experience different textures, smells and shapes.
• Encourages confidence and an adventurous attitude about food.
• Makes mealtime more enjoyable for baby and less frustrating for parents.
• Promotes chewing skills and muscle development, which is important for speech, digestion and choking safety.
• Allows baby to be more in control of likes and dislikes and to exercise instincts regarding nutritional needs.
• Puts appetite in baby’s own control because there is no coaxing or cajoling.
• Improves dexterity and eye-hand coordination due to more grasping and handling of foods.
• Involves baby at the family table, which supports the need to mimic and learn by example.
• Makes eating away from home easier since baby is accustomed to eating table food and a wide variety of choices
(for example, sushi was no sweat with our little guy a little after one year).
• Discourages pickiness later in toddlerhood because table foods are already the norm and there have been so few
battles over mealtime.

The only downside to this process is the mess, particularly when the family is eating something goopy, like porridge.
So stock up on little thin washcloths to keep handy in the kitchen and, when the weather permits, feed baby outside in
the buff (baby is adorable and easier to clean)!

WINTER 2009 Wise Traditions 65