Baby Diaries, A Guide for New Mothers: Part 8 - Baby's Feeding Patterns and Healthy Eating

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A continuation of the Baby Diary Series

No two babies are alike. Even twins have different feeding patterns. Therefore, it is safe to say that the decision about how babies are to be weaned and fed lies only with the parents who know them best. With this in mind we will discuss a loose guide of what to expect during the different stages of baby’s development in terms of how they feed, and healthy eating for both baby and mother alike.

Six to nine months

In the previous article (part seven) we discussed weaning baby from an exclusive milk diet to semi-solids (pureed food). This is usually done according to baby’s needs, when baby is four to six months old.
Baby’s first semi-solids will consist of pureed foods while he/she is learning to chew. However, once this phrase has elapsed, baby is ready for mashed and slightly lumpier foods. It’s important to introduce this type of foods into your infant’s diet because it’s vital for him/her to start learning to work the muscles around his/her neck and jaws. Continuing to feed baby with pureed foods at this age is doing a disservice to your child. Finger foods are also a good idea because your infant can practise picking up the pieces themselves. This is not only beneficial in learning to feed themselves, but also in developing dexterity in the hands and fingers – offering a head start in writing and colouring later on.

Some of the foods baby may be ready for at this stage of life

• Pieces of banana or other soft fruit. Remember that bananas can be very tender and chewy, but also terribly easy to get stuck in the throat if swallowed the wrong way. This is why it is crucial that you stay with your infant when she/he is eating finger foods.

• Cooked vegetables. These are important for a balanced diet and also vital if you want your child to get used to the taste of this important food group for later on. I tried to give my babies a variety of vegetables before they knew how to look on their plates to fuss about what was there, and what they didn’t like the look of. I made sure I included all the vegetables that we ate ourselves.

• Mix colours. You don’t have to know much about nutrition to be able to feed your baby foods rich in various minerals and vitamins. If you include as many foods of different colours on your baby’s plate, you’re on the right track, as different colours generally provide their own specific vitamins. Also it gets baby ready for a later on when they start their growing up phase of eating a varied meal consisting of several textures and different colours.

• Raw vegetables. This one can be tricky, but as long as you’re there with them, you can give your baby some raw vegetables to chew on when they’re teething. This not really for them to eat, it just gets them used to the taste while affording them something hard to chew on to help with the pain in their gums. Favourites of mine used to include sliced carrots, cucumbers and celery. If you’re not sure of these, do not feel obliged to give these to your babies. You’ve got to pay very keen attention when baby’s biting or chewing on raw vegetables.

• Toast or bread. Personally, I preferred toast. This is because my first child nearly choked on bread while I was standing right beside her. I switched to toast because I felt that it was sturdier and less likely to get soggy and stick to the top of my babies’ palate, causing them to gag and choke on it. Again, all babies require constant supervision when eating finger foods.

• When feeding baby from a spoon, breast or formula milk can be added to all or any food to give them a smooth, rich consistency.

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