Skip to main content

Henry's 9-month Check-up



It’s Halloween, but I am not writing a holiday post today. If you want to read a well-balanced post about Halloween candy, I recommend this one by Red, Round or Green. 
Henry with the pumpkin that Grandpa grew just for him.
Henry is too small for trick-or-treating, but he does have a costume to show off to the neighbors who will be stopping by our house. I attempted to find a food-themed costume for him, but this little green dragon suit beat out the chili pepper, turkey and lobster costumes.
Henry is a little green dragon for Halloween.
Yesterday was Henry’s nine month check-up at the pediatrician. He came away with a good bill of health. He is now 20 pounds, 9 ounces (about the 45th percentile for his age). The doctor also spotted two more teeth poking through, which will bring Henry's tooth count up to six.

At the check-up we talked a bit about food, but you might be surprised to learn that most doctors in the United States do not receive much training in nutrition. Our pediatrician said that he’s had to study this area on his own since it is largely overlooked in the medical school curriculum.

Our pediatrician focused on setting a good example for baby by eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins and healthy fats. I was pleasantly surprised when he recommended eating fresh, local and organic foods. He emphasized the importance of a whole family approach since babies and toddlers imitate their parents. 

The doctor also suggested that parents watch three movies that may alter your perceptions about food: SuperSize Me, King Corn, Food, Inc. If you haven’t already seen them, these films offer an eye-opening look at our food system.

While we did not specifically talk about baby-led weaning, the pediatrician approved of Henry eating table foods and drinking from a straw cup. He also gave us a few ideas for how to prevent picky eating and answered our questions about how to transition Henry off of baby formula later this year. I’ll be writing more about these topics in the coming weeks.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook

UPDATE (10/2/12): Unfortunately, I did not hear back from our original winner. Congratulations to our alternate winner for "The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook" -- Robin Pfefer. UPDATE (9/29/12): I am happy to announce that Kashia Clopper is the winner of "The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook". When I was first thinking about using the Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) model for Henry, I was unsure about whether it would really work. I was excited about BLW’s claims of less stressful meals that the whole family could share together. Plus, I was all for encouraging Henry to gain new skills by learning about the shapes, textures, colors, smells and flavors of food. This sounded ideal in theory, but would it work in practice? After some fun but ineffective attempts at letting Henry feed himself, I went in search of resources to learn more about BLW. I needed to learn how to prepare meals for our family in which Henry could participate. That’s when I found “ The Baby-Led ...

Five-Spice Salmon with Zucchini Spears (Serves 2 + baby)

As I mentioned yesterday, fish can be an outstanding choice for babies. It is a very healthy option. Plus, it melts into small pieces that are easy for Henry to chew and swallow. This recipe is Henry-approved. I've heard some people are intimidated by cooking fish, but there's no reason to be anxious. Grilling fish gives it a smoky flavor. Just be sure to oil the barbecue so the fish doesn't stick to the grate. The fish is ready when it easily flakes apart with a fork. This is likely to be our last grilling recipe for a while, since the weather is cooling down for autumn. Five-spice salmon and zucchini on the grill Ingredients 1 Tablespoon sesame oil 1 Tablespoon soy sauce 1 Tablespoon Chinese five-spice 1/3 cup orange or pineapple juice 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced 1 10-ounce salmon fillet 1 medium zucchini Henry enjoying a salmon dinner. Directions Whisk together the first five ingredients in a small bowl to create the ma...

Tuesday Tip for Picky Eaters: Set a good example

This week’s Tuesday Tip for Picky Eaters: Set a good example. As parents, we are the first role models for Henry. He will learn from our example, so Daddy and I need to eat our fruits and vegetables too. I am not a big fan of mango, but I let Henry watch me eat it with a smile on my face. Then he wants to try some mango too. Henry is more likely to eat fruits and vegetables when he sees Mommy and Daddy eat them too. A recent study confirmed that when parents lead by example their children have a more nutritious diet. The best way to inspire healthy eating habits is to demonstrate them first-hand to your children. Another study found that when parents ate an extra serving of fruit or vegetables each day, their child ate an additional half serving. Yes, it is important to talk with kids about food. But don’t just tell your child to eat their vegetables, let them see you eating a balanced meal that includes plenty of fruits and veggies. It may not always seem like it,...