There is no
sure-fire way of making your baby appreciate healthy food, no matter how you
present it and when but a little know-how does help. When introducing new food
to your baby, it’s better to do it when he’s bright eyed and bushy tailed; not
when he’s feeling sulky and difficult. Sometimes, when you try to give him a
carrot stick, he’ll throw it right back at you. The best thing to do is to try
again a few days later; he might love the carrot then. Studies show that it may
take up to 15 tries before your baby will accept new food so don’t throw in the
towel just yet.
One of the
best things about feeding your baby is that it’s always a bonding moment. You
can use every meal as an opportunity to build trust and security for your
little one by using a gentle and soothing voice and by making eye contact. He
may not remember his earliest meals as a grown up but having the comfort and
security of your presence and your attention at such an early age will
certainly help with his emotional and mental development. You could even let
your feeding sessions take on an educational turn by naming the fruits and
vegetables he eats. “Say banana!”
As a final
reminder – and I can’t stress this enough – breastfeeding is very important for
your child’s development and is ideally continued until he is two years old,
although at age one and above, he can start drinking his milk and other liquids
from a bottle. If you’re having trouble breastfeeding, don’t be afraid to ask
for help from your physician, especially if feeding causes pain or if you think
your baby isn’t gaining weight despite regular feeding.
If you aren’t
producing bottles and bottles of milk, don’t worry. Remember that your child’s
stomach is tiny at the beginning of his life; it doesn’t take a lot of milk to
fill it. Chances are you are lactating just enough for your baby’s dietary and
nutritional needs.
At the end of
the day, you need to trust your instincts. As a parent, you’ll find that you
will be able to tell when your baby is hungry, when he is content, and when he
loves a particular kind of food. By paying attention to his nutritional intake
and to his eating habits, you will have a much healthier child who will
hopefully have the healthy diet that you want for him or her in the future.
This is an excerpt from the book: Homemade Healthy Baby Food Recipes and Cookbook
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