More and more parents are beginning to turn away from processed baby foods and toward preparing homemade foods for the newest member of the family. There are some things to keep in mind when introducing solid foods to our favorite little people, but this is an exciting time in a baby's development.
Many contemporary parents are starting to gain knowledge of the benefits of
making baby's food for the same reasons as healthy food is prepared for other
members of the family. One of the primary advantages is being able to control
the quality of ingredients and also to avoid the preservatives and additives
that many of the processed baby foods may include.
First things first . . .
The fact that you will be preparing homemade food for the baby does not
change any of the timing schedule for when exactly solid foods should be
introduced. This is something that needs to be discussed with the baby's
pediatrician; not just when to start solids, and in which order, but also so he
or she knows of your plan to make the homemade food.
Pediatricians do not always agree on the exact month of life to start
introducing solid foods, or in which order to do so, but there is certainly
agreement that starting solid foods too early is never a good thing. Breast
milk or formula is all that a baby will be needing for the first months of
life. After talking with the doctor about it, you will probably be introducing
some solid foods during the 4 to 6 month period at some point.
Safety first . . . Always!
The first thing to remember if you will be preparing homemade baby food is
that sanitation is of the greatest importance. The same safety and sanitation
rules for the kitchen that apply for other times need to be followed when
preparing foods for the infant's introduction to solids. A few basic safety
issues include:
All the equipment you will be
using, including knives, need to be clean and rinsed with hot water.
Make sure your hands are
cleaned. There are hand sanitizers sold now in liquid form, just rub it into
your hands to sanitize. This is the type of thing that is used in
hospitals.
Be sure to wash the cutting
board if you use one, not just before you begin, but also between
different foods that will be touching it. This is especially important if
you will be dealing with meat preparation for an older baby.
When you are working with
fruits, be sure that all pits and seeds are removed.