Baby feeding tips
Importance of healthy food
When I was pregnant with my first child, I was researching and studying how to feed my self healthy enough. I was a vegetarian in that period. On behalf of that, I had to implement my daily menu with the right food, so I did not miss any nutrients. I had to take care of my food seriously so that the embryo would develop normally.
When my oldest boy was one year old, we started with fish and chicken again. I realized that it is crucial to obtain nutrients from various sources of food. It is important to be modest and avoid extremes.
1. Breastfeeding or formula for your newborn
I was lucky enough to breastfeed all my three treasures. So I do not have experiences with formula. But I can say, that the mothers’ milk has a perfect formula to supply the baby’s needs for all the nutrients. The powder milk is only an approximation of breast milk.
So the best way to start feeding a newborn is breastfeeding. If you do not have health problems, is this the best and the easiest way. That way you always have food with yourself. The milk is warm enough, and you do not have to get out of bed to warm the water to prepare the formula.
2. Best time to introduce solid food to the baby is around six months
At that time he can already sit, he is stable, and he can already hold the spoon. Although he will not start eating by himself, he will be able to cooperate, and he will begin to research that new thing, called food.
3. Start feeding your baby with solid food when he is ready
Signs that you need to be careful about starting with the introduction of dense food:
* He is still hungry after an abundant meal of milk or milk per bottle
* Dropping or crying at the sight of food
* Chewing everything that comes to your child’s hand
* More frequent feeding
* Less peaceful nights
4. Start with easily digestible and less allergic food
All my three little treasures started to consume these food carrots, apple, rice porridge.
The introduction of food to the infant is primarily the learning of texture, taste. The baby begins to learn to taste, swallowing and chewing. He’s exploring. Food is not an important source of nutrients.
You still need to continue breastfeeding, as breast milk has a complete composition of minerals, vitamins, fats, and other nutrients.
5. The texture of food
The texture should have the consistency of pudding – smooth, soft. You can mash it, make a puree or you can scrape it with a spoon.
6. Offer one new food at the time
At one time, offer him only one new food, where you stay for a few days. This way you will know which food is going to be if the child’s organism rejects it. If the child’s organism accepts it, continue to practice a new type of food.
For example:
You start with carrots. You feed the baby for four days just with carrot porridge.
The fifth day you add potatoes. You feed him with this dish for a couple of days.
If everything is as it should be, you add cauliflower. Etc.
7. Be relaxed
Time for feeding has to be a happy time. Try to be relaxed. Do not force the baby with the food, if he does not want to try it. You can offer it again a few days later.
8. Feed your baby (and the whole family) with natural food
From all the beginning I am an advocate for healthy, natural food.
I believe it is crucial that we give the child healthy, unprocessed food. The best way to achieve that is to prepare the meals by yourself. Try to use local food. The food that travels all the World does not have much energy in it. Besides that, it is full of unhealthy elements like preservatives, pesticides.
The right eating habits are extremely important for functioning and restoring babies and toddlers bodies. These are the fundamentals of their whole life.
How to accomplish that? By eating healthy, balanced, energy and nutrient-rich foods. That’s why your child’s food must be varied.
You should encourage your child to eat ecological food. There are multi-benefits — no pesticides, fungicides, hormones, and others.
So I advise you to buy organic foods. While:
+ it contains the lowest level of artificial additives
+ it includes the lowest level of residues
+ it has a higher density and usually more flavor
+ it is richer with nutrients
+ natural ingredients are not genetically modified
To benefit most from organic foods, you have to devote to the preparation of a meal. Organic vegetables and fruits should be prepared just before you serve the dish.
9. Avoid the mess and save the time with the Matea’s silicone baby bib
If you do not want to have food all over the place, use Matea’s silicone baby bib. This bib is perfect to use. It is flexible, adjustable around the neck. While it has buttons, it rises with a baby. Big, opened catcher catches all food and beverages that misses little mouth.
And the best part for parents is that we do not have to wash it with the laundry. I wipe it, and the bib is clean and dry. The spoon is also not hard to clean. You can give both, bib and spoon into the dishwasher if you want to.
10. Use soft spoons
My youngest son still likes the spoon that is the part of Matea’s set. The spoon is made for easy scooping. It is soft, and the handle is nice to hold by the baby’s little hands. Spoon is nice to babies gums because it bands if you hit the gums or teeth.
The last tip
Always listen to yourself. You are the only one who knows what is best for your child. You are the one who is still with him, and you know what his needs are. Make your feeding experience as easy as you can, because there are so many other challenges, for which you have to save the energy. Do not make a drama with that one.
Invitation
Please visit my site, where you can find out more about the Matea’s set.
I am still writing a baby feeding e-book with tips for feeding. There will also be recipes and other useful tips. If you want to know when it will be finished, please enroll here.
My name is Mateja Grabner, and I am a blogger, seller, and an affiliate marketer. I believe in a healthy way of life. With that kind of lifestyle and being a working mom from home, I want to help mommies with advice about that topics. You can find more about me here: https://mateag.com/about-me/
