The puree route...

[clairebear3]

Can someone who has been down the puree route help me out?  I have quite a few questions which will seem blindingly obvious to someone who has already done it!

I live the Belgium and the advice here sometimes differs to that in the UK/US and I don’t always agree with it.

This advice all comes from the health visitor/ped book that I was given at my 4 month visit.  DD is nearly 6 months and I want to try her on purees soon.  Up until now she has only had one taste of avocado a month ago, she wasn't ready then but I think she is now.

According to this wonderful book they don’t recommend freezing freshly made baby food!  I wanted to start making a supply now to freeze to make things easier.  To have to wash, chop, steam and blend a tiny portion every day seems nuts. They don’t recommend using a blender because it mixes too much air in the food, but to me this seems the easiest,  I have a used baby cook steamer/blender which I would like to use.

They recommend formula babies start with fruit at 4 months and breast fed babies with vegetables at 6 months because they don’t have enough iron.  I have been EPing and supplementing but DD will be formula fed from 6 months. 

They say that a 'classic' fruit puree is ¼ apple, ¼ banana, ¼ orange juice and ¼ baby cookie powder for thickening.  I thought it would be better if it was pretty runny?  I wanted to offer just pure fruit or veg before offering some combinations.

They say to start with a few spoons and work up to 150g.  With vegetable puree they say the classic dish is 2/3 vegetables and 1/3 potatoes or rice.  They recommend a coffee spoon of olive oil be mixed in for some extra fat.  They say o offer water out of a cup while she is eating the puree and that babies should learn to drink out of a cup at 6-8 months.  I'm worried about giving her too much water and that she won't drink her milk after-wards.

These foods may be introduced after 6 months…

Half a cooked egg (including the white) potatoes, aubergine, cauliflower, broccoli, courgette, pumpkin, beetroot, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, new potatoes, avocado, mushrooms, peas, parsnip, leeks, green beans, apple, banana, lemon, kiwi, mandarins, mango, nectarine, pear, peach, grapefruit, plums, oranges, strawberry, apricot, berries, papaya, passion fruit, rhubarb, turkey, chicken, beef, pork, to-foe, white fish, salmon, egg, rice, maize, wheat, oats and spelt.

So DD is on 5 bottles a day, 8.00, 11.30, 14.30, 17.30, 19.45 so I’m thinking I should offer the puree at 11.30 followed by her milk?  How long should you keep offering milk after the puree, until she just doesn’t want it?  When should she be getting two meals a day?  When should she be getting something other than milk at breakfast?

I found some good tips on this site http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/ They do say that you can freeze freshly made baby food and they recommend using ice cube trays.  This seems really good for just grabbing out how much you need each day and would be handy if I do want to give different combinations of food.

The book says... ‘fruit and vegetables have different nutrient values and can’t replace each other.  With a warm meal give your baby fresh vegetables and a lot of variation.  You can give some applesauce with the meal but not too often’.  So if I should only be offering veg when on earth does she get fruit?

This book from the health visitor just seems to be over complicating things but on the other hand I don’t want DD to go short for anything.  If anyone has some tips or guidelines for me I would be so grateful.  This is this most confused I have been so far on this journey and I will probably have some more questions soon! Thank you...

[skycheattraffic]

Oh my, all that made my head spin!! The truth is that food - yes, even purées- should be mostly for practice and not for significant nutrition for the first year. I would forget all that you read and just make your own, single item purées. I would offer about an ice cube size portion until baby indicates a desire for more. I would offer the purée between bottles since you don't want to replace any EBM or formula with it. It looks like breakfast around 9 or lunch around 12:30 should be good. I wouldn't worry about the blender adding air - if it does, your LO will just pass a little wind. I introduced solids one at a time to make sure she didn't have an allergy or sensitivity. Don't make large batches of purées - if your baby is anything like mine, she might prefer finger foods after a couple of weeks. By about 7 months we were off purées completely and into finger food usually stolen off my plate ;-). I wouldn't worry about the details, just try to introduce a variety of foods and be ready to ditch the purées when she loses interest. I introduced a second small meal around 9 months and a third around twelve months.

I did start offering a sip of water with solids but it was just that - a sip. By 12 months I would let her have about 30 ml at a meal and often she would finish it. Now at 18 months I don't restrict her water intake at all and she drinks more water than my husband!

I have to run but hope you find my experience useful :-)

[The4OfUs]

Originally Posted by skycheattraffic 

 Don't make large batches of purées - if your baby is anything like mine, she might prefer finger foods after a couple of weeks. By about 7 months we were off purées completely and into finger food usually stolen off my plate ;-). I wouldn't worry about the details, just try to introduce a variety of foods and be ready to ditch the purées when she loses interest. I introduced a second small meal around 9 months and a third around twelve months.

Out of all that info, I'd say this is the most important point.  My firstborn loved purees and went that route but was on regular table food just after he turned 1; but my second born wouldn't touch a puree or baby cereal for anything.  She wanted the real deal, right away.  So mashed avocado, mashed steamed sweet potato, mashed steamed beans, oatie-o's, anything that she could get her hands on and put in her own mouth, that was it.  You get the idea.  

I would NOT worry about how complex the notes you have seem to be making things, and follow the suggestions of the poster before me for that part, too!

[clairebear3]

Thanks for the replies, I know, talk about too much information!  I don't know why they have to make things so complicated!

I'm just not sure why they think fruit can't be a good meal at that age?  Some sweet apple puree sounds much more delicious that peas!  When I went to get the stage two formula I asked what the difference was and the pharmacist said the proteins in it are different because they assume babe is getting solids by then so it just freaked me out that she might not be getting enough nutrients if she isn't eating many solids.

Can you even make purees with meat in it?  I can't imagine the consistency would be that great?  What's a good thing to offer for breakfast if she gets into it?  I have heard about baby oatmeal but we don't get that here.  Can I just grind down regular oats?  Do you make it with cows milk?

I think the information I found on the website http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/ was much more helpful than the book!

I think I will start the first few days with banana or avocado or something that doesn't need too much preparing and then move onto some sweet potato, carrots things like that...

[element2012]

Your LO will lead the way on this.  On all of the questions you asked, really.  My DD would never open her mouth for a puree with just peas. Ha!  But apples are a different story.  You'll be doing a fair bit of trial and error.  You'll be discovering how thick or watered down your LO likes it, how sweet/savory, or if your LO will even take a puree at all. For purees with meat, I'm not there yet, but a friend makes a soup (with meat & veggies & seasoning) and then blends it up.   Really, keep it very simple.  Start with just one thing for awhile, then try another, then another, then some combinations, etc.  I know it's all very overwhelming, I felt, and sometimes still feel the same way!  Just go with your gut and remember that "under 1 is just for fun".

[sageowl]

Can someone who has been down the puree route help me out?  

According to this wonderful book they don’t recommend freezing freshly made baby food!

That's ridiculous!  How else would you store it?  Besides, cooking reduces the vitamin content of many fruits/vegetables, and fresh produce is only in season for short periods of time.

To have to wash, chop, steam and blend a tiny portion every day seems nuts. 

Yes it does.  I never would have had the energy to do that daily, but once every week or two was fine.

They don’t recommend using a blender because it mixes too much air in the food.

I wouldn't worry about that too much unless you have a VERY gassy baby.

They recommend formula babies start with fruit at 4 months and breast fed babies with vegetables at 6 months because they don’t have enough iron. 

My kid had no interest in food at 4 months, so I didn't start until around 6 months.  I think it depends on the readiness/willingness of the child to try solids.  Also, I would start with fruits because most babies find the taste more acceptable than vegetables.  If you are using formula, you don't need to worry about the iron because it's probably already in the formula.

They say that a 'classic' fruit puree is ¼ apple, ¼ banana, ¼ orange juice and ¼ baby cookie powder for thickening. 

Depending on the outcome, you may not need to thicken it with anything.  You don't want it too soupy though, it's pretty hard to feed a baby if it's too runny.  And it's really hard for them to feed themselves if it's too runny.  (I used rice cereal to thicken purees when that was an issue) 

I wanted to offer just pure fruit or veg before offering some combinations.

I did that too.  You'll have a clearer sense of what your child likes, and if there's a reaction to something, you will know what caused it.  That being said, some fruits (like apple) are pretty tart unless you're adding sugar (I didn't) so you may need to combine them with something sweeter (like bananas, or pears), to minimize the tartness.  Orange juice is pretty acidic too, and may cause problems for some babies so I'd be cautious with it at first.

As far as quantities go, the first couple of times, just give them a little bit, but after that, whatever they will eat is fine.  They usually don't eat much at first.

A few other thoughts:

-If you're worried about too much water, do the milk first (the primary source of nutrition first), then offer water for practice.

-Half a cooked egg (including the white)  (be careful with this one, it's a notorious allergen.  I'd start with just the yolk the first couple of times)

-pumpkin-  my baby LOVED pumpkin, it was one of his favorites.

-tomatoes, oranges, lemon, grapefruit--these are all pretty acidic so be careful with them the first few times--they can cause digestive upsets.

-I didn't see any beans or legumes on the list, but these are also good (in moderation) because they make great purees.  Some can cause gas though.

-You'll need to offer milk as the primary food for quite awhile, since most babies don't eat enough to get significant nutrition from solids until they are quite a bit older.  They still need that milk.

At first, don't worry about serving too many different things (since the primary goal is experimenting with new foods, not deriving total nutrition from solid foods).  Milk is still the primary source of nutrition for awhile yet.  When you get to the stage where solid foods are replacing bottle feedings, you can do vegetables one meal, and fruits with another.  It's easier to spread the nutritional variety across the entire day than get it in at every meal.  This will drive you less crazy over time, I think.

[clairebear3]

Thanks for your sensible replies mamas!

I started DD on some pumpkin puree at lunchtime three days ago and she loved it!  I couldn't believe it, no face pulling just her mouth wide open for another spoon.  Oh my goodness what a mess though!  I tuck a paper towel down her neck, then a plastic bib with arms, then a towel across her legs and it still got everywhere including up her nose

I really didn't think she would know what to do with it but she def got a lot in because I saw it come out the other end a few hours later!  She ate two ice cube portions and still drank her 7.5oz bottle after, I was surprised I really didn't think she would be able to finish her milk...  Trying to give her water is another story, the health visitor said never to use a sippy cup but trying to get her to drink out of a glass when your alone with her is impossible, everything gets soaking wet, she didn't really like it in a bottle either so I got her an avent sippy cup today (I just won't give her anything sweet in it), at the moment she thinks it's a great chew toy but hopefully she will soon realize that water comes out!

At what age did everyone start giving meat and fish?

Tomorrow I'm starting on the sweet potato but I think it will be too thick, is it best too water it down with water of formula?

How do you give the egg yokes, mixed in a puree with something else or pure.

Thanks for your advice, I'm a lot less confused about it all now
 

[element2012]

I wonder why your health advisor said not to use a sippy cup?  DD loves her sippy cup, although mostly as a toy :).  The one we have doesn't need to be sucked, the water just pours out, and she loves pouring the water in her mouth (with most of it dribbling out), or onto her highchair tray, or the floor.... 

Consider yourself lucky that you have such a good eater!  2.5 months later and I can still only get maybe 5 tastes into DD's mouth.  Although when it was a brand new experience she did have a bit more enthusiasm.

Steamed sweet potato is a fun food to offer in a chunk if you want to let your DD experiment with feeding herself.  Otherwise, it's a matter of preference for your girl.  You can try just steaming it and mushing it with a fork, or adding a little water/formula to the mush to make it a little more runny.  I like to add a little coconut oil for some fats.

Egg yolk is another thing you'll have to discover how your DD likes it.  You could mask it in a puree if need be (we've done well with a sweet potato/apple/tiny bit of egg yolk and water puree). Be mindful that the egg yolk not get over-cooked and you can mush it with a little coconut oil and water.

[clairebear3]

Originally Posted by element2012 

I wonder why your health advisor said not to use a sippy cup?  DD loves her sippy cup, although mostly as a toy :).  The one we have doesn't need to be sucked, the water just pours out, and she loves pouring the water in her mouth (with most of it dribbling out), or onto her highchair tray, or the floor.... 

'They' say that if babies don't learn to drink out of a cup before the age of 1 year it takes them much longer to get the hang of it as oppose to sucking out of a bottle.  Also that learning to close the lips around a cup helps later language development.

Well seen as though 'they' are not here to mop my floor every day I don't see any harm in a sippy cup!

Today there was sweet potato on the menu, I watered it down but it was still a little thicker than the pumpkin, she liked it and finished it.  It is just so messy though, the likes to stuff both of her fists in her mouth with the food at the same time, I felt like I needed an extra pair of hands at times!

[The4OfUs]

FWIW, we wound up using flip-up straw cups, instead of a traditional sippy with a spout.   I had tried traditional spout sippies, but DS just wasn't getting it and after a few days I realized it was ridiculous and he should just learn how to use a straw.  People of all ages drink from straws, so it made sense to just teach that.  My husband said, "You can't teach a baby to drink form a straw" - and I said, "Just watch me."  :P   

I started them at about 6 months and "taught" them how to do it by taking a regular straw and filling it with water, keeping my finger on the end and initially letting the water dribble into their mouths without sucking, but over the course of a couple days, making them have to start sucking a little to get the water out.  Within a week they were pros.   I'm sure the selection of this type of cup is much better now than it was 5 years ago the last time I bought one.     

They both transitioned to open cups just fine, from straw cups.  I think we started open cups at the table at mealtimes around 2. 

[The4OfUs]

Originally Posted by clairebear3 
Today there was sweet potato on the menu, I watered it down but it was still a little thicker than the pumpkin, she liked it and finished it.  It is just so messy though, the likes to stuff both of her fists in her mouth with the food at the same time, I felt like I needed an extra pair of hands at times!

I sometimes gave my son a spoon to hold in each hand, he didn't tend to put those in his own mouth as much, and it was something he was gong to learn to do anyway.....

[LionessMom]

i dont even do purees. i do baby led weaning. straight to sold cooked chunks of food to play with. much easier, less work. there is even a book and it is called "baby led weaning". no matter what you want to feed baby make sure it is one new food at a time. my children are all fructose intolerant and i fed my first baby purees. she liked fruit. turned out it caused her problems. if i would have done the one food at a time i would have caught one that it caused her diarrhea etc sooner than at 3 rs old. veggies and meat are good food to go with. cereals and fruit are not reccomended until after the introductions of meat and veggies. 

[clairebear3]

I thought about doing BLW but I'm just so scared of her choking.  When I first had to start EPing we had some serious bottle issues.  She would choke, but not coughing and spluttering, her throat would close off and she wouldn't be able to breath and started turning white, it was the most scariest thing.  We had to feed her laying down sideways for about 6 weeks (she wasn't a premi)  Probably in about a month I will start offering her some chunks of things when my nerves have settled a bit

So far she has had pumpkin for three days, sweet potato for three days and today I wanted to try her on some chicken.  I might mix it with some pumpkin (her fav so far) because it's got quite a weird texture.  I tried a couple of spoons of natural yogurt at dinner last night and she shuddered and pulled faces like I was giving her a lemon!  I guess it was a bit too sour, I am going to mix a little bit of pear in tonight.  It will be her first sweet thing.

I had been told to give her veg before fruit because if I gave her something sweet first she might only like sweet things...

It is quite good fun though seeing her open her little mouth ready, she seems to like it so far!  Yesterday it seemed a bit less messy too, she didn't have her hands in her mouth all the time, maybe she was just exploring the new sensations...
 

[skycheattraffic]

It sounds like you're off to a great start. I know what you mean about the choking thing, it's really the reason we started off with purées for a little while too although purées can be choked on too I guess. My DD had two breathing episodes in the hospital where she just went limp, her eyes crossed and she turned purple. It turned out to be residual mucus - hard to imagine with 2 hours of pushing, almost 8 lb baby at 41 weeks - and some suctioning and time in an incubator thingy cleared it right up. Before you know it, your kiddo will grab a chicken thigh off your plate lol

[clairebear3]

Does anyone have any tips for making a good chicken purree?  It's so hard to get a good consistency.  I steam it, blend it with some water, freeze it into ice cubes then defrost with a block of veg, say pumpkin, and some water but it still isn't really smooth.  Any that she gets on her face dries into little chicken bits that I have to pick out of her neck fold for the next hour!

DD is almost 6 1/2 months so how often should she be getting meat/fish?  I have heard some people giving it twice a day but this sounds to me like a sure fire way to block up her little tummy, once a day, every other day?
 

[phathui5]

We just give our ds little pieces (too small to choke on) when we're eating it. I don't bother with blending it.

[JudiAU]

Some babies prefer finger foods and some babies prefer purees. Some babies like to be fed and some babies only want to feed themselves. Be flexible. The babies who only like to self-feed tend to be more adamant about it. 

I think batch freezing is fine and I do like ice cube trays. We never did blends just a get puree with a hand held mixer and if I wanted to mix in a bowl I did. 

DS loved purees and took a long time to be interested in self-feeding. DD always preferred to do everything her self, both in spooning up pureese and self feeding. Both are fine eaters at 5, and 3 respectively. 

The "iron issue" is quite a small risk so I wouldn't worry much about that unless a routine screening comes back low. 

Once a day at 6 months a day is fine and just remember that it is for play and not about nutrition. Baby should get the vast majority of calories from ebf or formula until a year.