{Baby Food Diaries} The Beginning

This week I started feeding Maylin baby food. This is a big step for me because she has been exclusively breastfed since birth {minus a couple weeks that we supplemented formula to increase her weight}. I waited longer than the customary age of 4 months to start feeding her cereals or solids partly due to the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and partly because I wasn't ready to relinquish a piece of our breastfeeding relationship. However, when Maylin started showing signs that she was ready for solid food {even though I wasn't, and even though she's still not quite 6 months} I decided to begin our journey into solids a wee bit early.

By the way, here are a few general "signs" that your baby is ready to start eating cereal/ solid food. This was something I was always a little confused about because people would make comments like,

"Oh, don't worry. Your baby will tell you when she's ready to eat solids."

"You'll know when your baby wants to eat real food."

"Just watch your baby. She'll give you signs."

What. Like, what signs? My baby doesn't talk, how will she "tell me" she's ready to eat food?? And no, I've never had a baby before, so I won't just "know" when she's ready!

So, I finally did some research to find hard core evidence regarding when your baby should start eating cereal/solid food. Granted, this may not be the case for every baby. Always consult your pediatrician first.

According to The Wholesome Baby Food Guide by Maggie Meade (here and here), there are 6 "signs" that your baby is ready to eat solid food:

1. Has Baby lost the tongue thrust reflex? {when tongue automatically protrudes if anything is brought to/in the mouth}
2. Has Baby developed the ability to signal that she is full? {turning head away, pursing lips}
3. Is Baby ready to sit up and hold her head up unassisted? {to prevent choking}
4. Has Baby's birth weight doubled?
5. Has Baby shown interest in your food?*
6. Is Baby frequently waking in the middle of the night when a consistent sleeping pattern has been established?

* This sign is less reliable, as babies tend to become interested in everything around the age of 4 months, and will bring objects to the mouth regardless of whether they are food or not.

Thank You!! Now there are some signs that I can see in my baby and know that she is ready for more.

Since I am staying home with Maylin, I decided long ago that I would attempt to make her baby food {you know, with all the free time I have} rather than buy the little jars. This way, she can eat organically, her food can be without preservatives, I can control the ingredients, and it should save our family money. We received a Baby Bullet as a gift from Michael's parents before Maylin was born, and it's been upstairs in the closet waiting to be brought out.

Today, I brought it out.

Hopefully, making homemade baby food really will be as easy as Baby Bullet and Wholesome Baby Food Guide say it is. I guess we'll find out!