Since he is nearly six months old, I have started thinking seriously about introducing solids. I think he is ready for something in addition to breastmilk and has started 'asking' for our food while we are sharing family meals, grabbing at my hand to try and get a taste of what I'm eating and got frantic the other day after I gave in and let him suck a bit on my apple core. All signs of readiness indeed.
So I've started re-reading Real Food for Mother and Baby in an effort to give myself a refresher on what to offer for some first foods (sadly after feeding three other infants and having a degree in nutrition, I still feel I need the guidance of a real authority on feeding my children) when we start solids in a few weeks.
I simply love this book and it's take on nutrition, myths about an infant's needs for pureed-only foods and- my favorite- a story about a group of babies who were given free reign to choose what type and the amount of food they wished to eat at every meal. It is a study not to be missed and has confirmed my belief about the body 'asking' for the foods and nutrients that one is deficient in.
And since he is growing so very fast, he has gone through nearly all of the clothing I assumed he would be in for a year, including all of his wool diaper covers that we purchased before he was born. I didn't expect or plan to make three purchases of diaper covers but that's just what we've done over the last six months (ouch, my wallet felt that one). Although I had a few ideas about making my own diaper covers in the end I just had to bite the bullet and purchase them rather than make them (although today he is wrapped in an old wool sweater with his legs through the arms and the rest of it 'tied' around his waist- seen in below photos).
So here is to our little Luca who is still melting hearts around here and moving quickly through his first year of babyhood.
2 comments:
Hi Jill,
I've been keeping up with your blog every few weeks, and enjoy it so much. Luca is such a handsome little guy. My son, Leo, is nearly 11 months, and I am equally amazed how the time goes so quickly.
I admire how you nurture your children and have such respect for their individuality. It is a wonderful reminder. I loved your post about the nature journals. My daughter has a little travel watercolor paint kit that I must put to use this fall!
take good care!
Hey Jill -- I've had a lot of fun feeding Brynja, especially after my pediatrician gave me this liberating article that dispels all the myths about first foods. It's crazy to think that we all stick to the rice cereal diet in the States when in Africa first foods consist of meat, and in India, curry and other spicy foods. I've been trying to condition Brynja's palate to accept almost anything -- from salmon and hummus to the wide array of ethnic foods we have access to here (Ethiopian, Afghan, etc.). I think she's the least picky eater in our family. :-)
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