First Foods

[Mamato2boys]

I'm a newbie, so you'll have to forgive the stupid question. My older son was diagnosed as being gluten sensitive, and it turns out my youngest has it, too. (I figured out he was getting it through my breastmilk, so I've gone gluten-free too). He's only 10 1/2 weeks old so I obviously am not feeding him solids yet, but I was just curious about that. You know how "normally" the first food is cereals (usually rice) - should I even bother with that ? I obviously know he won't be able to have things like oatmeal or barley cereal, but is cc an issue with rice cereal ? If I should skip cereals altogether, what should his first foods be ? We have a wonderful pediatrician, but he knows nothing about celiac disease and the diet, so I can't really ask him. The GI my older son saw was less than helpful, so she's not much of a resource either.

[CarlaB]

Babies actually do just fine on breastmilk only until they're a year old! I usually started mine on food when they'd grab it off my plate and eat it. I'm not exaggerating at all. It's somewhere around probably 6-9 months that they do that.

[Mamato2boys]

Babies actually do just fine on breastmilk only until they're a year old! I usually started mine on food when they'd grab it off my plate and eat it. I'm not exaggerating at all. It's somewhere around probably 6-9 months that they do that.

Yep, I know. I was planning on nursing him until he turned 1, but considering our family GI issues, I may have to extend that a bit. I haven't decided yet.

I was planning on trying him on solids around 6 months (if he's ready - later if he's not), and wasn't sure what I should start with. Any suggestions ?

[Michi8]

Yep, I know. I was planning on nursing him until he turned 1, but considering our family GI issues, I may have to extend that a bit. I haven't decided yet.

I was planning on trying him on solids around 6 months (if he's ready - later if he's not), and wasn't sure what I should start with. Any suggestions ?

I'm a big proponent of extended nursing. There are definite benefits to nursing longer than one year...especially for a child that has health issues (whether it's allergies, intolerances or what have you.)

6 months is a fine time to start solid foods, but I know a few moms who waited until 9 months or later...it depended on their child's interest in food. My eldest loved all sorts of foods, my middle son hated anything mushy and all solids would come back up just like breastmilk did, my daughter preferred having whatever we ate (I used a baby food grinder to prepare foods.)

There is some controversy about starting with grains as a first food. Apparently all grains are hard on the gut, and that fruits and vegetables are a better choice for first foods...with grains coming into the diet much later. Of course, YMMV. If you choose to start with a grain, rice is probably the easiest on the tummy. I liked starting with a cereal that had nothing but rice in it (not fortified with any iron, minerals or vitamins) and mixed with breastmilk.

There is some info how and when to introduce foods to an allergic baby here (this is the guide given to me by an allergy nutritionist when I had my first baby):

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Finally, try making your own baby foods and freezing portions in an ice cube tray. That way you get the best, freshest foods and you know exactly what goes into them.

Michelle

[Ursa Major]

Well, I found that it was the easiest and best (and cheapest) to exclusively breastfeed until about 8 or 9 months old, and then start with vegetables like carrots and potatoes (mashed or put through a blender, depending on the baby, some hate lumps). Banana is a good first fruit, as you can just mash it with a fork, and I haven't seen a baby who doesn't like bananas.

You need to add meat by the time a baby is a year old, for the iron. Because that is the time the baby's own iron stores run out, and iron is needed for brain development (and everything else, of course, as well).

By the time a baby is a year old, you just mash whatever you're having for them, no need for special baby food at all (including baby cereal), unless you're going out and need to eat on the run. You can't just hand a baby a sandwich.

[Mamato2boys]

I'm a big proponent of extended nursing. There are definite benefits to nursing longer than one year...especially for a child that has health issues (whether it's allergies, intolerances or what have you.)

6 months is a fine time to start solid foods, but I know a few moms who waited until 9 months or later...it depended on their child's interest in food. My eldest loved all sorts of foods, my middle son hated anything mushy and all solids would come back up just like breastmilk did, my daughter preferred having whatever we ate (I used a baby food grinder to prepare foods.)

There is some controversy about starting with grains as a first food. Apparently all grains are hard on the gut, and that fruits and vegetables are a better choice for first foods...with grains coming into the diet much later. Of course, YMMV. If you choose to start with a grain, rice is probably the easiest on the tummy. I liked starting with a cereal that had nothing but rice in it (not fortified with any iron, minerals or vitamins) and mixed with breastmilk.

There is some info how and when to introduce foods to an allergic baby here (this is the guide given to me by an allergy nutritionist when I had my first baby):

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Finally, try making your own baby foods and freezing portions in an ice cube tray. That way you get the best, freshest foods and you know exactly what goes into them.

Michelle

Thanks for that !

I'm debating about skipping cereals altogether. I've read a few things on it that says fruits & veggies are a better first food, too. I wanted to see what the input was from everyone here, since we're all actually living with this.

[Suzie-GFfamily]

I found out I was celiac back in the spring when my 3rd child was 5 mos old. I've kept her gluten-free because we've found out her older brother and sister are celiac too.

She was probably getting some wheat protein via breastmilk until 8 mos of age (that's when I had my biopsy). Since that time I've been gluten-free too.

When we introduced solids (around 6 months) I used mashed banana and avocado as her first and second foods, respectively. I didn't give her rice cereal- but this was because my other kids never liked it and it isn't necessary. There is enough iron in breastmilk (the amount is lower than in the iron-fortified baby cereals but it is more readily absorped). If you wanted to feed rice cereal, you could contact the manufacturer and ask about possibility of cc. There are probably some companies out there that make rice cereal on separate equipment, or in separate facilities, from wheat/barley/rye/oat baby cereals.

There is a useful pamphlet available from La Leche League that has suggestions for first foods. They suggest fruits and vegetables. They also explain why breastfed babies do not need to eat iron-fortified baby cereals.

I've offered teff cereal (made from whole grain teff) to my baby when I make it for myself- but she hasn't been interested in it.... at least not yet (11 months old now).

[Izak's Mom]

When we introduced solids (around 6 months) I used mashed banana and avocado as her first and second foods, respectively.

I was just going to suggest this - Izak loved them, mashed together - although when starting, you should do them individually to make sure there's no reaction. We tried mashed sweet potatoes too, but I found that he didn't do well with them - they came right out the other end. Mashed peas he loved, and mashed green beans. Mashed pears were a big hit too, with a little cinnamon. Carrots - I remember something from my 4th trimester class about only using jarred or canned carrots because of the nitrite content in raw ones, even organic. Same thing with broccoli or spinach I think? I don't quite remember. Mashed cauliflower is good too. I also gave him these baby cracker things called Open Original Shared Link which he loved - and still does - but it's a rice-based product. Good luck!

[aprilh]

My naturopath Dr. Told me that Babies actually develop the enzymes to digest meats BEFORE grains. In fact, when I found out I had this gluten problem, I learned that the Chinese have a very low rate of it and they hold off feeding children Grains (including Rice) until about 2 years old. This gives the child's body an opportunity to develop properly to be able to digest. I think that avacado is a very good first food. Just smash it up. You can start at 4-6 months with that. It has the good fats for brain development. As with all people with food sensitivities, it would be a good idea to really rotate the foods. Give it once, then wait 7-10 days before trying another new food.

Also, Sweet potatoes are very high in vitamins and minerals and easy on the digestive system. Bananas, not too many because they can be mucous forming in excess. Home made green beans, squash, canteloupe. All of those are good. Peas are high in iron.

[Michi8]

My naturopath Dr. Told me that Babies actually develop the enzymes to digest meats BEFORE grains. In fact, when I found out I had this gluten problem, I learned that the Chinese have a very low rate of it and they hold off feeding children Grains (including Rice) until about 2 years old. This gives the child's body an opportunity to develop properly to be able to digest. I think that avacado is a very good first food. Just smash it up. You can start at 4-6 months with that. It has the good fats for brain development. As with all people with food sensitivities, it would be a good idea to really rotate the foods. Give it once, then wait 7-10 days before trying another new food.

Also, Sweet potatoes are very high in vitamins and minerals and easy on the digestive system. Bananas, not too many because they can be mucous forming in excess. Home made green beans, squash, canteloupe. All of those are good. Peas are high in iron.

Interesting to hear about food introduction in China! I had no idea...I thought that congee (rice porridge) was a common first food.

In terms of introducing to foods to an allergic baby, avocado and cateloupe are fairly high on the allergen scale, and ideally should be introduced at a later age (avacado after 9 months, and cateloupe at 12 months or later, just as with watermelon.) Babies gets all the fat (and other important nutrients) they need from breastmilk or formula for the first year...introduced foods make up a small part of nutrition during that time.

Michelle

[aprilh]

Interesting to hear about food introduction in China! I had no idea...I thought that congee (rice porridge) was a common first food.

In terms of introducing to foods to an allergic baby, avocado and cateloupe are fairly high on the allergen scale, and ideally should be introduced at a later age (avacado after 9 months, and cateloupe at 12 months or later, just as with watermelon.) Babies gets all the fat (and other important nutrients) they need from breastmilk or formula for the first year...introduced foods make up a small part of nutrition during that time.

Michelle

I guess I could be wrong. I thought that is what I read, but maybe they were talking about grains OTHER than rice. I always thought avacado to be hypo allergenic. I do agree with breastfeeding (formula) for the first year.

[AndreaB]

Wow,

I find all this interesting. I breastfeed my first two for 2 years 10 months. Hoping to go that long with my third.

I never knew about the cereals being hard to digest. I don't think the cereal I buy is cc'd. My son reacted to the oatmeal I tried, but has been fine on the rice cereal. I started him on solids when he was 7 months old. Don't remember if it was rice cereal or fruit though.

That's interesting about the iron too. I was told they started running out of iron stores around 6 months. Myself and oldest two children have tested positive through enterolab. Since the baby won't be eating gluten we'll probably just have him gene tested. He obviously already reacts to gluten, the oatmeal was test enough.

[Michi8]

That's interesting about the iron too. I was told they started running out of iron stores around 6 months.

Iron supplementation is a bigger issue for babies who are not breastfed. Breastmilk does not have tons of iron, but the iron it does have is very bioavailable, unlike iron fortification in foods or through supplements (which can be constipating/hard on the gut.) Babies who breastfeed past six months continue to get iron from mom. From what I understand, though, giving baby an iron supplement can interfere with absorption of the iron from breastmilk.

When I started solids with my eldest, I chose rice cereal. At that time, Healthy Times made a plain, unfortified, brown rice cereal that was perfect. A couple of years later, they bent to customer & industry pressure to fortify their cereals. I was not a happy mommy about that.

Michelle

[CarlaB]

Yep, I know. I was planning on nursing him until he turned 1, but considering our family GI issues, I may have to extend that a bit. I haven't decided yet.

I was planning on trying him on solids around 6 months (if he's ready - later if he's not), and wasn't sure what I should start with. Any suggestions ?

I nursed till they weaned themselves, usually just before their second birthday (after they were one year old, it was pretty much naptime, bedtime, and first thing in the morning, but through the night when they were teething).

I would just give him what you are eating. Use your fork to mash your veggies, and let him taste them. Before one year old, the diet will mainly be the breastmilk. I never bought special food for the babies, it was just whatever we were having, so I never dealt with the cereals or babyfood. If we were having something spicy, I would set aside some for the baby before spicing it up.

[Suzie-GFfamily]

Wow,

I find all this interesting. I breastfeed my first two for 2 years 10 months. Hoping to go that long with my third.

I never knew about the cereals being hard to digest. I don't think the cereal I buy is cc'd. My son reacted to the oatmeal I tried, but has been fine on the rice cereal. I started him on solids when he was 7 months old. Don't remember if it was rice cereal or fruit though.

That's interesting about the iron too. I was told they started running out of iron stores around 6 months. Myself and oldest two children have tested positive through enterolab. Since the baby won't be eating gluten we'll probably just have him gene tested. He obviously already reacts to gluten, the oatmeal was test enough.

My understanding is that healthy, full-term babies have enough iron stores for AT LEAST 6 months. So this is why it is usually recommended to add some iron-rich foods into their diets at around that time- for example, meats. It is also beneficial to delay the introduction of cow's milk till at least a year of age and to limit the amount of cow's milk when it is introduced, because cow's milk can cause problems with iron absorption.

I don't think there is enough research yet to know when babies absolutely need to have more iron in their diet, other than the iron they get from breastmilk. I've heard some anecdotal reports from mothers whose breastfed children didn't eat solids till around a year, or a little later in a few cases, and their iron levels were fine when tested.

The recommendations to add more iron to a baby's diet at around 6 months are based on conservative estimates of when a baby might begin to need more iron. Iron is a concern because it is needed for the baby's rapid growth. If iron levels were too low, there could be potential problems with brain growth and other things. The medical community probably wants to err on the side of caution because iron deficiency can potentially cause long-term problems with cognitive functioning as well as motor function- so they'd prefer to be safe and ensure a baby has adequate iron stores and doesn't become anemic.

Apparently, it is easy to check whether a child has adequate stores of iron- so if they aren't eating a lot of solids this could be easily be done.

If a baby was born prematurely, it's possible that they might need iron supplementation earlier because the baby builds up the majority of their iron stores after week 30 of gestation.

Suzanne

[shai76]

My son had to start solids early because of his reflux. He did have rice cereal, but I bought the Cream of Rice stuff because it is definitly gluten free. I also started him with strained squash and sweet potatos, carrots and stuff like that. I started him on beans and peas too young though, and he is allergic to them now (as I am).

[Mamato2boys]

It is also beneficial to delay the introduction of cow's milk till at least a year of age and to limit the amount of cow's milk when it is introduced, because cow's milk can cause problems with iron absorption.

Personally, we will never do cow's milk. My older son is sensitive to it anyway, and during my research to try to sort out his issues I learned a lot about cow's milk and the effect it has on our bodies, and am now disgusted by it. My older son has never liked it, and when he was two called it "yucky milk" when we did the challenge at his pediatrician's office. He has always been above the 97th percentile for height, and at least 50th for weight, so when I told the pediatrician that I have no intention of either of the boys drinking cow's milk, he was fine with that because he knows I'm on top of their nutrition. He unfortunately knows very little about allergies and gluten issues, but is honest enough to tell me that rather than trying to BS me with answers, which is why I asked you guys - the experts!