How to Feed a Henry

As I wrote in my last post , I decided to introduce Henry to new flavors through soup as inspired by “French Kids Eat Everything” by Karen Billon . After two weeks, Henry has tried out several flavors of vegetable soup by bottle. So far, the list includes spinach, leek, pea, celery and zucchini. He has been receiving about three ounces of soup each day divided into morning and afternoon servings. Each time we test out a new flavor, he takes a few sips, then pauses for a moment, and then keeps drinking until it’s all gone.  Henry reaching for a bottle of creamy pea soup. Here’s the basic recipe: Slice two cups of vegetables. You can also include a handful of chopped fresh herbs such as mint, sage, parsley or basil. Boil vegetables in two cups of water for about 7 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. Blend until there are no large chunks of vegetable remaining. The soup can be served in this form to older children and adults. Daddy and I enjoyed the leek soup; it ...

I recently read “French Kids Eat Everything” by Karen Billon and was intrigued by a strategy the French use for developing a baby’s palette: soup. The French strongly believe it is a parent’s responsibility to educate their children about food and part of this is repeatedly exposing them to many flavors at an early age. They start by giving simple soups via bottle to babies between four and six months of age. The basic recipe is to steam vegetables, then puree them, and mix a small amount with breast milk or formula in a bottle. I’m sure this could also be adapted to a sippy cup if you are not using bottles. Think of it as having “cream of spinach” soup. I have decided to try this approach with Henry for two main reasons. It will introduce Henry to new flavors in the familiar liquid form that he is used to. While breast milk takes on the taste of foods the mother has eaten, Henry has only had bottles of formula for over a month. Since our breastfeeding journey ended early, his...

After starting things off with a splash of lemon , I wanted to know what we should actually start feeding Henry. Lemons are a great source of Vitamin C and a squeeze of lemon juice is a nice option for flavoring other foods, but I’m not planning to feed him lemons every day. Henry is going to need something more. So where do we go from here? Everyone I talk with seems to have a different approach for introducing babies to solid foods. There are an overwhelming number of rules and recommendations, many of which conflict with each other. Sorting through the information is daunting and confusing. One pediatrician recommends rice cereal first, while another says whole grain oatmeal is more nutritious. One expert says to try homemade purees, while another says that babies can have large finger foods. One friend says bananas and mangoes are good starter foods, while another says to avoid fruits first since Henry will develop a sweet tooth. Green vegetables first, then yellow, then o...

It is two weeks before Henry turns six months old and he has just tried out his first real food. We’re on a family vacation at the Washington coast and Henry is having lots of new experiences. He’s meeting new people, getting his toes wet in the ocean, and playing in the sand. While dining at a seafood restaurant, he started reaching for the food on our plates. On a whim, Daddy and I decided to offer him a lemon wedge. He loved it! He went crazy slurping on the juice. No puckering or sour faces. I held on to it for him since it was a bit slippery, but he was really digging in.   Later, I read that citrus may not be a good option for babies since the acidity can cause diaper rash. We kept an eye out for any possible rash, but Henry was unaffected. He did have a bout of spitting up later in the afternoon, but Henry tends to spit up a lot so I’m not sure whether this is directly attributable to the lemon.

I have heard babies can start solids as soon as four months. But other resources say to wait until six months or even later. So what does the research say? Most of the experts recommend waiting until around six months, including the World Health Organization , American Academy of Pediatrics and La Leche League . If you choose to introduce food sooner, it is best to delay until baby is at least four months old, since starting earlier can lead to increased risks of allergies , obesity and diabetes . Rather than rely just on age, there are a few developmental milestones that offer better clues when Henry is ready to start foods: Ability to sit up with little support Ability to reach for and grab objects  Ability to bring objects to his mouth A few weeks before he reaches six months, Henry is definitely working on these skills. He can sit in his high chair with minimal support; he has started reaching out for toys and grabbing at my hair; and everything is headed in t...

These lessons have informed the choices our family makes about how to feed our Henry. I hope I can remember them as we delve into this journey. 1. There is no one right way to raise a child. There are few absolutes when it comes to raising a child. This means we have lots of choices and decisions to make about Henry’s upbringing, which is both freeing and terrifying. Many of the supposedly standard child-rearing practices are actually based on cultural norms. I found the book “ How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm: And Other Adventures in Parenting ” by Mei-Ling Hopgood to be a very inspiring look at parenting in other cultures. Food traditions are no different. In North America, we tend to think of rice cereal followed by several stages of puree as the standard first foods for babies. Before these products were mass marketed and produced, babies tended to eat what their parents ate. In many cultures around the world, they still do. And most children will develop normally and ...

Food is a frequent topic of discussion at our house, and it seems like we’re not the only ones. As our son is nearing six months of age, I am starting to give a lot of thought to how to introduce him to solid foods and then how to encourage him to become “a good eater.” It seems like our friends with young children are struggling with these same issues. My intention with this blog is to document our family’s experience of how we’ve chosen to feed our child and what we learn along the way.  Food goals for Henry ·          A child who enjoys eating a wide variety of foods ·          A child who grows up healthy and strong ·          A child who appreciates where food comes from ·          A family that loves cooking and eating together It is my aim to foster in Henry a love of good food and an appreciati...