Infant Feeding Guidelines

I was really concerned about preventing food allergies and introducing foods to Jr in a way that made sense for his developmental stages. I followed the guidlelines of Emerald City Birthing

0-6 mo breast milk
      introduce water at 3 months if desired. Base the amount of water on one third of the childs body weight in fluid ounces daily.  I took this amount lightly based on the amount of breat feeding which occured in the day.

Try to introduce "solid" foods once your baby is over 17 lbs and/or has teeth, and is able to sit up unassisted, and/or able to push food away.
Watch for signs of allergy such as:  rash around the mouth or anus, hyperactivity or lethargy, runny nose (tho this is also a common symptom of teething) eczema, diarrhea or mucus in stool, redness of face and/or cheeks, behavioral changes.

6 mo and on:
Breast milk
advacado
yam
beet
carrot
applesauce
pear
cherry, pitted and smashed
plum
prune
blueberry

9 mo and on:
basmati rice
millet
oatmeal
split peas
papaya
nectarine
mashed potatoe
sweet potatoe
artichoke
cabbage
peas

12 mo and on:
squash
asparagus
yogurt
chard
onion
garlic
spirilina
molasses

18 mo and on:
greens
turnips
eggplant
buckwheat
rye
kelp
tahini
beans
lamb
chicken
fish

21 mo and on:
wheat
orange
pineapple
brewer's yeast
cashew butter
walnuts
eggs
beef
liver
salmon
turkey
lentils

24 mo and on:
sunflower seeds
peanut butter
cottage cheese
soy
duck
clams
honey

I must admit, Jr is now 17 months old and he eats just about anything.  Right around twelve months I heard about new research that support it may be the actual delay of food introduction that is responsible for the rise of allergies in children today.  I only recently began offering him very small amounts of soy, as I fear its estrogen fixing properties more than any allergy.  Honey is another one I am waiting on since  it seems like even my grandmother didn't give her little ones honey.

There are a few things on the chart that seem way out there, such as cottage cheese held out until 2 yrs or older.  Babies love cottage cheese.  I was most concerned with the first foods.  Advacado turned out to be the perfect baby food.  High in the fats they need for brain development. Portable, Ready-to-eat, and delicious!. Combined with yams, that is a pretty colorful early diet.  I introduced foods slowlly; each time a new food was introduced, I waited 3-4 days before offering another new food option. This allowed me to observe a total body response to the new food.

Whole foods are a must. Organic is best.  I simply bought fresh seasonal produce and steamed, then blended in a KidCo food mill. Simple and super cheap.  A large batch of food could be frozen in ice cube trays then stored in glass containers until needed.  Perfect!