For those of you who don’t have kids, you might want to skip this post. Or pass it along to a fried or family member. Or tuck it away for future use — your call

Reader Request:

I plan to continue to exclusively breastfeed my little guy until 6 months and then start solid foods. I read your post on making your own baby food and after reading the comments below and talking with some friends of mine, I plan to do a little of both, making some of his foods from things we eat and buying jarred (which will be much easier when he goes to the babysitter.)

What I was hoping you could provide some info./advice on was when did you started feeding your little guys solids? What were some of the first things you started with? I also know from keeping up with your posts that you are still pumping, how do you fit that in with the solids foods? I know this is probably a lot of questions, but I just want to get as much info. as I can before I start the next stage!

First of all – go YOU for breastfeeding! I personally know just how much that (literally!) takes out of you – so yay, Mama!

The Mister and I started Bean on solid foods right around 6 months. We started with the recommended rice cereal. We added a few teaspoons to some breast milk and spoon-fed the little munchkin. The first few feedings were difficult — Bean was so confused and it took awhile for him to get the hang of the spoon and remembering to swallow After a few days (once we were sure he wasn’t allergic), we switched over to organic oatmeal (Gerber brand — this is NOT the same as regular organic oatmeal). He seemed to like this one better and it didn’t cause constipation problems like the rice cereal did.

From then on, the rest is history! Every few days, we would introduce a new vegetable or fruit. If one day he didn’t like it, I would try again a few days later — like adults, baby’s palettes take awhile to know for sure whether or not the “like” a food. It took me MANY attempts, but Sawyer will eat any vegetable or fruit. —-Read why I don’t make my own —- He has his favorites, but for the most part, anything goes. From about 6 – 9 months, we stuck to jarred food and cereal mixed with breast milk. This was a typical eating day:

breakfast – cereal mixed with jarred fruit

mid-morning – bottle (4-6 oz.)

lunch – jar of vegetables (his favorites are Earth’s Best corn and squash, sweet potato and chicken and turkey veggie dinner)

mid- afternoon – bottle (4-6 oz.)

dinner – jar of vegetables with a few spoons of jarred fruit

bedtime – bottle/nurse (6 oz.)

Once Bean hit 9 months, we started introducing “finger foods” — this is basically any food that is broken into little, bite-sized pieces.

Some of his favorites include: gerber puffs, cheerios, Earth’s Best Organic waffles, clementines, banana, turkey, cheese, cottage cheese,  vegetables (TIME SAVER IDEA – instead of cooking your own vegetables, purchase some low sodium organic vegetable soup – the veggies are already chopped and cooked and are flavored with broth and spices – I rely on these EVERY DAY), bread, strawberries, whole wheat pasta.

This was Sawyer’s dinner last night — two pieces of turkey, one jar of plum/banana/rice, one clementine, few spoonfuls of prunes.

A NOTE ABOUT POO

What goes in, must come out. Don’t be alarmed to see some, ahem, interesting colors. Also — the Mister and I have always said that once you start solid foods you stop dealing with poop and start dealing with sh*t. Get the noseplugs ready. Seriously. Foods that can constipate Sawyer – apples, bananas, rice cereal. Foods that get things moving – prunes and plums. Too keep things “regular” we give him prunes every day with breakfast and don’t worry about the other foods he’s eating throughout the day — this works well for us.

Breastfeeding/pumping

Most pediatricians recommend continuing with breastfeeding until the child is one year. (I know that each woman has different circumstances and I never judge — let’s keep things nice in the comments, ladies) In addition, while you are providing some delicious meals, most of your little one’s calories and nutrients should still be coming from breastmilk (or formula). That being said, I continue to pump/nurse as I did before. Typically every 3-4 hours. Sawyer is also starting to drink from a cup, which we fill with a little milk at every meal. Over the past few months, I will say that he is losing interest in his bottles. So we try and make sure he gets his milk from his cup at mealtimes.

MISC. TIPS

If your little one is giving you trouble eating, try eating WITH them. Sawyer ALWAYS wants a few bites of whatever the Mister and I are eating — and this is a great way to get them to try new things!

Have FUN! This is such a fun, new time for your little to try new things! Don’t get upset or overwhelmed if it isn’t working out — try, try, try again – I assure you they wont go hungry.

PHEW!

I think that covers it — did I leave anything out? Any other questions?

Bon Appetit!