Baby Nutrition

Ollie has officially become a consumer of solid food. He wasn't too sure about it at first, but he had a break through last weekend and is now becoming a bit of foodie. We have started with rice cereal and single food purees. I am making most of his baby food from scratch. It is so much cheaper and quite easy to do. I make a big batch and freeze it in ice-cube trays.

Breast feeding is still his main source of nutrition, but now I actually have to think about my child's nutritional needs. Man, it is confusing. You need a Ph.D. to figure it all out. Some sources say no dairy/soy/nuts/berries/etc. until 12 months and others suggest starting some of those foods at 7 or 8 months. Some sources say no juice, some say you should give them water as soon as you start giving them solid food. Then there is the whole organic dilemma. I just want him to eat a healthy, balanced diet and not inherit my serious sweet tooth. Is that too much to ask? Can someone please write a book on how to accomplish that?

I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed about the whole thing. But then I thought, "I grew up eating hot dogs, mac & cheese, and drinking kool-aid and I turned out just fine." Granted, I don't think there will be any kool-aid in Ollie's near future. So far, Ollie is a big fan of sweet potatoes, apples, and bananas. He is not so sure about peas or parsnips (I think it was a bit too chunky of a puree for his delicate palate). So what is next you ask? Avocados, mango, green beans, cabbage, and pears. It is kind of fun to see what he likes. My strategy is to expose him to a wide variety of foods so he won't be a picky eater.

Did I mention that the kid is chewing on everything and slobbering up a storm. Maybe he will pop out a tooth soon. That would be exciting.